description
stringlengths 2.98k
3.35M
| abstract
stringlengths 94
10.6k
| cpc
int64 0
8
|
|---|---|---|
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to fittings for inserting a needle or catheter into a blood vessel and for positionally stabilizing the inserted needle or catheter in situ. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements in such fittings whereby the needle or catheter can be withdrawn from the blood vessel with minimum risk of blood vessel damage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vascular punctures can be made in many areas of the body by means of a hollow needle or combined catheter and stylet, the needle or catheter (after withdrawal of the associated stylet) remaining attached to the patient for connection to a source of infusion liquid. It is necessary in such procedures to positionally stabilize the needle or catheter in relation to the punctured blood vessel to prevent movement of the needle or catheter. Such movement tends to work the needle or catheter loose or to produce undesirable additional blood vessel punctures, thereby leading to a potential source of infection or irritation to the patient at the point of insertion of the needle or catheter. There are numerous small vein needle infusion sets disclosed in the prior art; for example, reference is made to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 99,926, filed Dec. 03, 1979 by Marvin Gordon and Joseph Lichtenstein and entitled "Fitting For Use In Performing A Vascular Puncture." These generally include a molded needle holder and one or more wings which are flexible about the holder. For insertion of the needle the wings are flexed toward one another and firmly grasped by the nurse or doctor as the needle is inserted into the vein. The wings are then released to provide positional stability on the patient's body and tape is applied to hold the entire system in place. The unit described in the aforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 99,926 provides a solution for minimizing the danger of lateral shifting of the needle and resulting piercing of the vein during the insertion phase. However, there still remains the danger of piercing the vein during needle withdrawal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fitting for a blood vessel-entering element which permits safe insertion, safe positional stabilization in situ, and safe withdrawal of the element. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a needle or catheter positional stabilization fitting which permits the needle or catheter to be safely removed with minimal danger of inadvertent piercing of a blood vessel.
In accordance with the present invention, a positional stabilization fitting includes a stabilizer member and a holder for a needle or catheter. During insertion, the stabilizer is flexible to permit the holder to be grasped firmly so as to preclude movement of the holder relative to the stabilizer element in any direction. After insertion, the stabilizer retains the holder in place by precluding relative movement between the stabilizer and the holder in any dimension except longitudinally of the holder. Since longitudinal movement of the holder relative to the stabilizer is unimpeded, after the infusion procedure, the needle can be withdrawn longitudinally from the stabilizer which precludes lateral movement of the holder during the withdrawal process and thereby prevents inadvertent piercing of the vein during the withdrawal. In the preferred embodiment, the holder is an elongate member having a retainer element as an integral part thereof. The retainer element has a proximal end secured to the elongate holder section and a distal free end spaced from the elongate holder section. The stabilizer includes at least one wing and preferably two and is flexible so that when the elongate holder section extends along the top surface of the stabilizer, the wings can be flexed upward toward one another to permit the holder to be firmly grasped for purposes of needle insertion. A slot is defined in the stabilizer to receive the retainer member in longitudinally slidable relation. This slot may be defined as an open channel in the bottom surface of the stabilizer or as a closed slot extending in the stabilizer body. In any case, the slot and retainer section extend beneath the elongate holder with the slot precluding relative movement of the holder and stabilizer except in the longitudinal direction. After insertion, the wings are released so as to rest with their bottom surfaces against the patient's skin. In the preferred embodiment, the bottom surface of the wings is coated with adhesive to effect initial stabilization. The entire system is then taped in place, as is conventional, until the infusion procedure is complete. In order to remove the needle from the vein, the tape is first removed and the holder is pulled longitudinally rearward. Engagement of the retainer member by the slot prevents lateral movement of the needle during withdrawal, the retainer member being engaged in at least a portion of the slot until the entire needle has been removed from the vascular insertion point.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and still further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the holder portion of the fitting of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a view in perspective view of the stabilizer member portion of the fitting of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a view in perspective illustrating the fitting of the present invention in a position whereby it can be inserted into a blood vessel;
FIG. 4 is a view in section taken along lines 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a view in perspective showing the fitting of the present invention stabilized positionally after the needle has been inserted into a blood vessel; and
FIG. 6 is a view in cross-section taken along lines 6--6 of FIG. 5.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring specifically to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawing, a needle support 10 includes a generally cylindrical holder member 11 securely supporting a needle 12 which projects co-axially from the forward end of member 11. Holder member 11 may be molded about the contained rearward end of needle 12 or may be otherwise secured thereto in any conventional manner so as to preclude mutual axial displacement of needle 12 and holder 11 during insertion of the needle into a blood vessel in the manner described herein. Holder member 11 is hollow inside, as is needle 12, so that infusion fluid supplied to the interior of member 11 can be delivered through needle 12 to a blood vessel. In order to receive such infusion fluid, the rearward end of member 11 is provided with a socket 13 to which one end of a supply tube 14 attaches. A connector 15, secured to the other end of tube 14, delivers the infusion fluid to the tube and holder.
A retainer member 16, preferably formed integrally with holder member 11, is in the form of a flat paddle-like stem having a proximal end 18 and a distal end 19. The transverse cross-section of retainer 16 is generally rectangular. The proximal end 18 of retainer member 16 is secured to holder member 11 proximate socket 13 at the rearward end of member 11. Proximal end 18 of retainer 16 extends a short distance away from holder member 11 at which point the retainer 16 bends at 17 so as to extend in a forward direction along side and in spaced relation with holder 11. The space between retainer 16 and holder 11 may be approximately characterized as a U-shaped channel with bend 17 constituting the base of the U. Retainer 16 may extend parallel to holder 11; however, in the preferred illustrated embodiment, retainer 16 is angled slightly with respect to the longitudinal axis of holder 11. This angle, on the order of 5°, causes retainer 16 to converge slightly so that distal end 19 is somewhat closer to the holder 11 than is bend 17. The transverse spacing between the retainer 16 and holder 11 is important as described hereinbelow. In the preferred embodiment, retainer 16 is somewhat flexible so that a body disposed between the retainer and holder 11 is resiliently urged against the holder by the retainer. Holder 11 and retainer 16 are preferably molded together as one piece of thermoplastic and is sufficiently rigid to preclude significant transverse bending.
Referring to FIG. 2, a positional stabilization member 20 has a top surface 21 and bottom surface 22 (shown in FIG. 3, but not in FIG. 2). A holder support region 23 is defined in top surface 21 as a longitudinally-extending channel having a V-shaped cross-section. This groove serves as a "living hinge" which permits stabilization member 20 to be flexed upwardly about region 23. A pair of wing-like members 24,25 normally extend transversely from opposite sides of the region 23 and can be brought into partial contact with one another when flexed upwardly about region 23. Wing-like members 24,25 include respective co-planar projections 27,28 which extend outwardly and rearwardly relative to support region 23. A plurality of small nipple-like protuberances of generally truncated spherical shape are defined in rows extending along side support region 23 on the top surface 21.
Bottom surface 22 of stabilization member 20 has a slot 29, in the form of an open channel of generally rectangular transverse cross-section, extending longitudinally beneath support region 23. The transverse cross-section of slot 29 is configured to match that of retainer 16 so that the latter can slide longitudinally in the slot and be precluded from transverse movement within the slot. Portions of bottom surface 22 are provided with a suitable adhesive coating, as is conventional for such applications, so that the bottom surface can adhere to a patient's skin for initial positional stabilization after insertion of needle 12 into a blood vessel. The adhesive coating is not applied in slot 29 and is also not applied to the region of projections 27,28. Suitable release paper (not shown) is applied over the adhesive coating, as is conventional, to protect the coating prior to utilization of the unit.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, when the unit is ready for insertion of the needle into a patient's blood vessel, the quick release paper (not shown) is removed from the adhesive-coated areas on bottom surface 22. Stabilization member 20 is inserted in the U-shaped channel between retainer 16 and holder member 11. Specifically, stabilization member 20 is positioned so that channel 29 receives retainer 16 and holder member 11 is positioned along support region 23. In this position, the forward end of holder member 11, along with needle 12, extends forwardly of the forward end of stabilization member 20. Wings 24,25 are flexed upwardly toward one another around holder member 11 by appropriately grasping the projections 27,28 which are not coated with adhesive. The wing-like members tightly engage holder 11 therebetween so as to preclude relative motion of any kind between the holder 11 and the stabilization member 20. This tight grasping of holder member 11 is enhanced by nipple-like protuberances 26 which, as best seen in FIG. 4, bear firmly against holder 11. With holder 11 thusly grasped, the needle 12 is inserted into the patient's blood vessel. After insertion, the wing-like members 24, 25 are released to their normal flat positions so that the adhesive coated regions on bottom surface 22 contact the patient's skin and thereby provide initial positional stabilization of the unit. In this position, as best illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the wing-like members 24, 25 extend substantially transversely of the longitudinal axis of holder 11 and retainer 16 is retained between channel 29 and the patient's skin. With retainer 16 so constrained, attached holder 11 is constrained against any movement transverse to its longitudinal axis. In other words, holder 11 is constrained against roll, pitch, and yaw. The only possible movement of holder 11 at this time is rearward longitudinally of its axis. In order to preclude such longitudinal movement, surgical tape is placed over the stabilized unit to secure the unit to the patient's skin in the standard manner.
In order to withdraw the needle from the patient's blood vessel, the surgical tape is first removed. Holder 11 is then grasped and pulled rearwardly in an axial direction. Since channel 29 constrains retainer 16 against any lateral movement, needle 12 may be withdrawn without any chance of puncturing the blood vessel from such lateral movement. After the needle has been removed from the blood vessel, rearward movement of the holder 11 is continued until retainer 16 clears channel 29 so that support member 10 is entirely disassociated from stabilization member 20. Stabilization member 20 may then be pulled from the patient's skin without any effect upon the already removed needle.
Numerous modifications to the described embodiment may be employed without departing from the true spirit and and scope of the invention. For example, although protuberances 26 are desirable to increase the positive engagement between the stabilization member 20 and holder 11 during insertion as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, such protuberances may be eliminated. Further, if desired, stabilization member 20 may be provided with two (2) additional wing-like members of the type described in the aforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 99,926 so that initial stabilization may be enhanced upon insertion of the needle.
It should be noted that the generally rectangular cross-section for retainer 16 and slot 29 is not a limiting factor and can be replaced by triangular, trapezoidal, or other suitable configurations which serve to restrain transverse movement of the retainer relative to stabilization member 20 while permitting slidable longitudinal engagement between the channel and the retainer. Moreover, the slot for receiving retainer 16 need not be in the form of an open channel defined in bottom surface 22 of stabilization member 20. Instead, the slot may be defined through the rearward end of stabilization member 20 and surrounded on all sides. For such a slot, the retainer 16 would be received and entirely surrounded by the stabilization member 20.
The spacing between retainer 16 and holder 11 is selected relative to the thickness of stabilization member 20 so that the stabilization member can be firmly held in place in the U-shaped channel between retainer 16 and holder 11. The flexibility of retainer 16 aids in holding the stabilization member 20 in place. In any event, the engagement of stabilization member 20 between retainer 16 and holder 11 must not be so firm as to preclude smooth sliding of retainer 16 out of slot 29 at the time of withdrawal of needle 12 from the patient's blood vessel.
The slight convergence of retainer 16 toward holder 11 in the forward direction tends to raise the rearward end of holder 11, thereby tilting the forward end of holder 11 downward to present needle 12 at the proper angle for insertion into the patient's blood vessel.
It is desirable that the length of retainer 16 disposed in slot 29 be significantly greater than the length of needle 12 which is inserted into a patient's blood vessel. This feature retains the constraint by slot 29 against lateral movement by retainer 16 during withdrawal until the entire needle 12 has been removed.
As is noted from the foregoing description, the key features of the present invention are the firm gripping of holder member 11 by stabilization member 20 during insertion so that no relative movement between the two members is possible and the constraint of retainer 16 by slot 29 to preclude all but axial movement of holder 11 during stabilization and withdrawal.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, it will be clear that variations of the details of the construction which are specifically illustrated and described, may be resorted to without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
|
A fitting for inserting a needle or catheter into a blood vessel and for positionally stabilizing the inserted needle or catheter in situ includes separate needle holder and stabilizer elements. A retainer member is secured at its proximal end to the holder and extends in spaced relation along the holder to a distal end. The stabilizer has a bi-wing shape with a slot contoured to receive the retainer member in longitudinally slidable relation at a location below a holder supporting region on the top surface of the stabilizer. The wings can be flexed upward and toward one another to positively grip the holder for insertion of the needle or catheter. When unflexed, the stabilizer slot constrains the retainer element which in turn holds the stabilizer in the space between the retainer and the holder. Removal of the needle is achieved by withdrawing the retainer longitudinally from the stabilizer slot.
| 0
|
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to electronic flushometer valves. More particularly, the present invention relates to sensor plates including manual override mechanisms for use with electronic flushometer valves.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the past several years, a number of different types of flushometer valve systems have been introduced into the marketplace. Many of these flushometer systems, while including an infrared or similar automatic detection mechanism, also include an electronic manual override, push button system by which a user can manually actuate the flushometer in the event that additional actuations are desired by the user.
[0003] Most conventional push buttons in flushometer systems are relatively small in size, often are not visible or obvious to a user, and require a significant amount of dexterity on the user's part in order to be actuated. In many instances, this requires that a person use his or her index finger in order to actuate the button. Because of this relative difficulty, many people do not use the push button systems, even if the automated mechanism is not actuated after use. Additionally, flushometer systems with manual override mechanism are also frequently installed in areas for persons with disabilities, and such people may have significant difficulty in actuation of such a relatively small push button.
[0004] All of the above problems are also sometimes compounded due to the location of such manual override buttons. In many instances, the push button is in close proximity to the flushometer valve and related components, potentially blocking access to the button. Lastly, conventional push button systems also often require a relatively high degree of force for activation, which can make actuation difficult for handicapped persons.
[0005] Many of the conventional systems discussed above require a relatively small push button due to the positioning of the sensor switch in the devices. In these systems, the sensor switch is not directly attached to the outside cover plate. As a result, actuation of certain portions of the cover plate will not have any effect upon the sensor switch, and therefore the flushometer may not be manually actuable if the wrong portion of the plate is pressed.
[0006] It would therefore be desirable to provide an improved manual activation mechanism that addresses the above-identified shortcomings, providing users with a larger activation area and also provide reliable actuation wherever depressed such that the device can be used by a wide variety of people with little difficulty, while also providing for simple installation and assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention provides for an improved push button system for actuating a flushometer valve. When a user desires to actuate the flushometer system, he or she presses an override plate to which a sensor switch is directly coupled. The override plate is hingedly connected to a sensor bracket. The movement of the override plate relative to the sensor bracket urges the sensor switch against a bumper, which causes an electrical signal to be transmitted to a solenoid system which actuates the flushometer.
[0008] With the present invention, the user is provided with a relatively large area for actuating the switch. In contrast to conventional flushometer systems, the direct coupling of the sensor switch to the override plate permits the user to press virtually any region on the override plate in order to manually actuate the flushometer. The present invention also results in a reduced amount of button travel and is aesthetically superior to a conventional system that requires visible attachment fasteners. Furthermore, the sensor switch and the electrical connections are all shielded from direct water contact. A system incorporating the present invention is easy to install and can also compensate for minor rough-in errors. The present invention can be incorporated into a wide variety of flushometer systems, including both closet and urinal systems that may or may not have an associated automated sensing mechanism.
[0009] These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention, together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements have like numerals throughout the several drawings described below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a front end view of a base portion of a closet flushometer system according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side view of the base portion of the closet flushometer system of FIG. 1 ;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front view of a sensor and override plate of the closet flushometer system;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an exploded rear isometric view of the closet flushometer system;
[0014] FIG. 5 is an exploded front isometric view of the cover plate, mounting plate and wall plate bracket for the closet flushometer system;
[0015] FIG. 6 a rear end view of the sensor bracket of the closet flushometer system;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a isometric view of the sensor mounting plate of the closet flushometer system;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a front view of the sensor mounting plate of FIG. 7 ;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a sectional side view the assembled sensor portion according to one embodiment of the present invention; and
[0019] FIG. 10 is a sectional side view of an assembled sensor portion of the closet flushometer system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] FIGS. 1-10 show various aspects of a closet flushometer system 100 constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1-3 , the closet flushometer system 100 includes a base portion 102 and a sensor portion 104 . As shown in FIG. 4 , The base portion 104 includes a solenoid system 106 coupled to a cartridge assembly 108 , which in turn leads to a flushometer water supply unit 110 . The solenoid system 106 comprises a coil 112 positioned within a solenoid housing 114 , to which is coupled an end retaining nut 115 . A washer 116 is positioned between the solenoid housing 114 and a solenoid coupling 118 . The washer 116 is positioned around a solenoid shaft 120 , which is also positioned between the solenoid housing 114 and the solenoid coupling 118 . The solenoid housing 114 of the solenoid assembly 102 is coupled to a nipple assembly 122 , which connects to a cover plate 124 via a flange assembly 126 . Electrical wires (not shown) for actuating and deactuating the solenoid assembly 106 are housed within the nipple assembly 122 . The cover plate 124 is coupled to an electrical transformer or supply (not shown) within a wall via a mounting plate 130 and a wall plate bracket 132 (see FIG. 5 ).
[0021] As shown in FIG. 4 , positioned above the cover plate 124 and associated components is a actuator cover plate 134 . The actuator cover plate 134 includes a sensor window 136 , behind which is positioned an infrared automatic sensor switch 138 . The infrared automatic sensor switch 138 is housed within a sensor bracket 140 . A plurality of sensor contact wires (not shown) are used to electrically connect the automatic sensor switch 138 to the remainder of the flushometer system 100 .
[0022] The sensor bracket 140 also includes a manual sensor switch 143 on a bottom portion thereof. A plurality of wires 160 lead from the manual sensor switch 143 to the solenoid assembly 106 and electrical supply. A sensor mounting plate 144 is coupled at a bottom portion thereof to the actuator cover plate 134 by a mounting screw 146 . This coupling is only used for retaining purposes. The sensor mounting plate 144 is also coupled to the wall on the side opposite the actuator cover plate 134 .
[0023] The sensor mounting plate 144 also houses a bumper 148 within a receiving region 150 in a bottom portion thereof. The bumper 148 is positioned to come into selective contact with the manual sensor switch 143 which is movable between a first position and a second position. When in the first position (at rest), the bumper 148 is in slight contact with the manual sensor switch 143 , as shown in FIG. 10 .
[0024] FIG. 6 is a rear end view of the sensor bracket 140 of the closet flushometer system 100 . The sensor bracket 140 includes a primary opening 152 and a pair of secondary openings 154 . The primary opening 152 and the secondary openings 154 are used to mate the sensor bracket 140 with the sensor mounting plate 144 (see FIG. 4 ). As shown in FIGS. 7-10 , the sensor mounting plate 144 includes a plurality of hooks 156 . The plurality of hooks 156 are selectively positioned to mate with the primary opening 152 and the plurality of secondary openings 154 , with the mating resulting in a secure but rotatable fit between the sensor bracket 140 with the sensor mounting plate 144 about a hinge 158 (as represented in FIG. 7 ).
[0025] As best seen in FIG. 4 , The automatic sensor switch 138 is securely fastened to the actuator cover plate 134 and rests within the primary opening 154 of the sensor bracket 140 . Rotatable movement of the actuator cover plate 134 relative to the sensor mounting plate 144 about the hinge 158 therefore results in a corresponding movement in the manual sensor switch 143 , which is securely connected to the sensor bracket 140 .
[0026] In one embodiment of the invention, the automatic sensor switch 138 comprises an infrared detection mechanism. The infrared detection mechanism is used to detect when an individual is no longer using the toilet associated with the closet flushometer system 100 . However, it should be noted that the present invention can also be used without an infrared detection mechanism. When a user steps away from the closet flushometer system 100 including an infrared sensor mechanism, the automatic sensor switch 138 transmits an electrical signal to the coil 112 of the solenoid system 106 . The energizing of the coil 112 causes a solenoid pole piece (not shown) to move within the solenoid shaft 120 , opening the valve and permitting water to be released for flushing. The infrared sensor mechanism can also monitor when an individual enters the effective range of the mechanism. This information can be used to help prevent false flushing of the system.
[0027] The operation of an override according to the present invention is generally as follows. As shown in FIG. 3 , when a user wishes to override an automated flushing mechanism such as an infrared sensor, he or she presses the actuator cover plate 134 . As depicted in FIG. 10 , both the actuator cover plate 134 and the sensor bracket 140 rotate about the hinge 158 , causing the manual sensor switch 143 to act against the bumper 148 . This action causes an electrical signal to be transmitted to the solenoid system 106 , opening the flushometer valve and initiating the flushing process. In one embodiment of the present invention, a manual sensor switch movement of only 0.012 inches is needed for an electrical signal to be transmitted to the solenoid assembly 106 .
[0028] By creating the hinge 158 between the sensor bracket 140 and the sensor mounting plate 144 , the user can create the necessary contact by pushing virtually any portion of the actuator cover plate 134 , meaning that the user could potentially use his or her open hand, finger, elbow, or other item such as a cane to cause the actuation. This is in contrast to conventional systems, where a user must press a very specific portion of a plate or push button to cause the actuation.
[0029] The present invention as discussed herein can be incorporated into a wide variety of flushometer systems. For example, but without limitation, the manual actuation system of the present invention can be incorporated into electronic flushometer systems that include virtually any type of automatic activation system, as well as flushometer systems that include no automatic activation mechanism at all. The present invention can be incorporated into both closet flushometer systems and urinal flushometer systems.
[0030] The foregoing description of embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the present invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
|
An improved manual activation mechanism for an electronic flushometer system. A manual activation or override plate has a sensor switch directly coupled thereto and is hingedly connected to a sensor bracket. When a user presses the manual activation or override plate, the sensor switch acts against a bumper, which is compressed to create an electrical contact with a printed circuit board. The electrical contact results in the transmission of an electrical signal to a solenoid system, actuating a flushometer valve.
| 4
|
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to oil and gas well logging, and more specifically to directional resistivity measurements using a transmitter/receiver pair whereby there is relative rotation between the transmitter and receiver antennas. A method is disclosed for mathematically extracting some or all of the nine components of the electromagnetic coupling tensor for a formation and the distances to bed boundaries using the transmitter/receiver pair described herein.
2. Description of the Related Art
An alternative to wireline logging techniques is the collection of data on downhole conditions during the drilling process. By collecting and processing such information during the drilling process, the driller can modify or correct key steps of the operation to optimize performance. Schemes for collecting data of downhole conditions and movement of the drilling assembly during the drilling operation are known as measurement-while-drilling (“MWD”). Similar techniques focusing more on measurement of formation parameters than on movement of the drilling assembly are known as logging-while-drilling (“LWD”). However, the terms MWD and LWD are often used interchangeably, and the use of either term in this disclosure will be understood to include both the collection of formation and borehole information, as well as data on movement and placement of the drilling assembly. The term “parameter”, as used herein, includes, but is not limited to, formation properties, dip and azimuth of bed boundaries, distances to bed boundaries, as well as data on movement and placement of the drilling assembly. Formation “properties” include, for example, vertical resisitvity, horizontal resistivity, the conductivity tensor, the dielectric permittivity, porosity, and saturation. MWD tools are available to guide drill strings and therefore the resulting boreholes into more productive reservoir zones. MWD tools used for this purpose typically have been propagation resistivity tools, also known as array compensated resistivity (ARC) tools, with a 360° measurement and deep imaging capability to detect fluid contacts and formation changes up to 15 feet from the borehole. Measurements are commonly made of the phase-shift and attenuation of the signals at the receiver coils, which are indicative of the rock conductivity.
Currently available ARC tools are non-azimuthal and utilize two receivers that compensate for any electronic drift associated with the transmitter. The electronic drift associated with the two receivers and any imbalance between the two receivers is removed using a scheme called borehole compensation, which involves the use of a second transmitter, symmetrically placed with respect to the first transmitter. The transmitters are alternately energized so two phase difference signals can be measured when the two transmitter coils operate at identical frequencies. However, alternately using two transmitter coils slows the rate of data acquisition, which can lead to errors due to the time delay between sequential measurements. Further, use of multiple transmitters may require the signals to be time-multiplexed when operating at the same frequency to avoid cross-talk. Multiplexing slows the rate of data acquisition. The errors due to time delays are magnified when drilling rates (rate of penetration) are high.
As an improvement to the ARC tools, tools were developed that incorporate tilted receiver antennas in the drill collar. The non-axial antennae obtain directional electromagnetic measurements that are used to determine distance and azimuthal orientation of formation boundaries in any type of mud. These measurements are transmitted uphole and are displayed on a graphical interface to provide information on distance to boundaries, formation resistivity and orientation. This information is critical in low resistivity pay zones and in laminated formations because accurate identification and characterization of hydrocarbon reserves is not possible without knowing the resistivity anisotropy. Further, using a transmitter/receiver pair in which one of the antennae is tilted or non-axial, a ratio of any two measurements at two different azimuthal angles can be used to remove the electronic drift of both the transmitter and receiver.
However, if the resistivity anisotropy of the formation is to be completely understood, values for all nine components of the electromagnetic coupling tensor need to be obtained. For example, a complex conductivity matrix can be expressed as
σ apparent = ( σ xx σ xy σ xz σ yx σ yy σ zx σ zx σ zy σ zz )
which can be inverted for horizontal resistivity, vertical resistivity, dip angle and azimuth assuming a dipping layered earth model.
Further, methods for extracting all nine components (XX, XY, XZ, YX, YY, YZ, ZX, ZY, ZZ) of the electromagnetic tensor are available for tri-axial wireline tools that are commonly referred to as tri-axial measurements. This method preferably uses three collocated transmitters and three collocated receivers with orientations in the x, y and z directions wherein the z direction is along the tool axis or coaxial with the tool. Measurements with different transmitter/receiver (T/R) combinations that are corrected for antenna magnetic dipoles yield the nine coupling tensor components directly. Obviously, the use of three transmitters and three receivers (i.e., six antennas) presents data acquisition and gain correction problems.
Returning to MWD and LWD tools, Schlumberger's PERISCOPE™ tool uses tilted and axial antennas and the rotation of the tool or drill string to obtain the five non-zero components when in planar or “layer cake” formations using a fitting algorithm performed on harmonic behavior of the measurement with respect to the tool face. A tool having three transmitters with different azimuthal orientations and a tilted receiver can, in combination with tool rotation, obtain all nine components of the electromagnetic coupling tensor.
Therefore, using current technology, determination of all nine couplings (XX, XY, XZ, YX, YY, YZ, ZX, ZY, ZZ) of a formation electromagnetic coupling tensor requires a minimum of four antennas (one tilted antenna and three possibly collocated antennas) combined with the tool rotation. The relative gain of each antenna pair needs to be either measured or estimated from the data. Also, the azimuthal angle of all respective antenna combinations must be measured and considered constant, which may detract from the accuracy of the calculations.
Therefore, there is a need for a tool and method that provide for a more simplified extraction of all nine components of the electromagnetic coupling tensor which avoids the use of multiple transmitters and receivers and the inherent disadvantages associated with multiple transmitter/receiver use.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
A logging tool and method to make subsurface measurements is disclosed, wherein the tool is placed within a borehole penetrating a formation. The tool has a transmitter antenna and a receiver antenna spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the tool, and at least one of the transmitter or receiver antennas has a dipole moment that is non-coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the tool. The at least one non-coaxial antenna can rotate relative to the other antenna. Energy is transmitted from the transmitter antenna and a signal associated with the transmitted energy is measured at the receiver antenna while the at least one non-coaxial antenna rotates relative to the other antenna.
Other advantages and features will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more complete understanding of the disclosed methods and apparatuses, reference should be made to the embodiment illustrated in greater detail on the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 illustrates, partially in schematic and block form, a wellsite system in which the disclosed tools and methods can be employed.
FIG. 2 is a partial schematic view of a deep imaging resistivity tool and motor which can be used to practice the disclosed methods and techniques.
FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates a two antenna apparatus wherein both the receiver antenna, shown at the left, and the transmitter antenna, shown at the right, are tilted at an angle β with respect to the tool axis z, the receiver is rotating at an angle φ with respect to the vertical axis x and α is the azimuthal angle difference between the receiver and transmitter antennas.
FIGS. 4A-4G illustrate different receiver/transmitter pairs wherein the antennas disposed to the right in FIGS. 4A-4G rotate with respect to the antennas disposed to the left.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing one embodiment of the method, in accordance with the present invention.
It should be understood that the drawings are not to scale and that the disclosed embodiments are sometimes illustrated diagrammatically and in partial views. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of the disclosed methods and apparatuses or that render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that this disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The tools and methods disclosed herein are applicable to wireline or LWD tools that contain directional antennas to determine all or some of the electromagnetic coupling tensor components of a formation. The components may be used for well placement applications and/or formation evaluation. For example, the components may be passed to an inversion routine to determine the distances to bed boundaries, anisotropic resistivities, dip, and azimuth of the formation. Distances to bed boundaries, for example, may aid in deciding drilling directions.
For background purposes, FIG. 1 illustrates a wellsite system in which the disclosed methods can be employed. The wellsite can be onshore or offshore. In this exemplary system, a borehole 11 is formed in subsurface formations by rotary drilling in a manner that is well known. Directional drilling can also be used.
A drill string 12 is suspended within the borehole 11 and has a bottom hole assembly (BHA) 100 which includes a drill bit 105 at its lower end. The surface system includes platform and derrick assembly 10 positioned over the borehole 11 and the assembly 10 includes a rotary table 16 , kelly 17 , hook 18 and rotary swivel 19 . The drill string 12 is rotated by the rotary table 16 , energized by means not shown, which engages the kelly 17 at the upper end of the drill string 12 . The drill string 12 is suspended from a hook 18 , attached to a traveling block (also not shown), passes through the kelly 17 , and the rotary swivel 19 permits rotation of the drill string 12 relative to the hook 18 . As is well known, a top drive system could alternatively be used.
The surface system of FIG. 1 further includes drilling fluid or mud 26 stored in a pit 27 formed at the well site. A pump 29 delivers the drilling fluid 26 to the interior of the drill string 12 via a port in the swivel 19 , causing the drilling fluid 26 to flow downwardly through the drill string 12 as indicated by the directional arrow 8 . The drilling fluid 26 exits the drill string 12 via ports in the drill bit 105 , and then circulates upwardly through the annulus region between the outside of the drill string 12 and the wall 13 of the borehole 11 , as indicated by the directional arrows 9 . In this known manner, the drilling fluid 26 lubricates the drill bit 105 and carries formation cuttings up to the surface, or the cuttings are removed from the drilling fluid 26 before it is returned to the pit 27 for recirculation.
The bottom hole assembly 100 includes a logging-while-drilling (LWD) module 120 , a measuring-while-drilling (MWD) module 130 , a roto-steerable system and motor 150 , and drill bit 105 . The LWD module 120 is housed in a special type of drill collar, as is known in the art, and can contain one or a plurality of known types of logging tools. It will also be understood that more than one LWD and/or MWD module can be employed, e.g., as represented at 120 A. References, throughout, to a module at the position of 120 can alternatively mean a module at the position of 120 A as well. The LWD module 120 includes capabilities for measuring, processing, and storing information, as well as for communicating with the surface equipment. The LWD module 120 includes a directional resistivity measuring device, such as one of the Schlumberger PERISCOPE™ directional deep imaging 360° resistivity tools.
The MWD module 130 is also housed in a type of drill collar, as is known in the art, and can contain one or more devices for measuring characteristics of the drill string and drill bit. The MWD tool 130 further includes an apparatus (not shown) for generating electrical power to the downhole system, such as a mud turbine generator powered by the flow of the drilling fluid. Other power and/or battery systems may be employed. The MWD module 130 may include one or more of the following types of measuring devices: a weight-on-bit measuring device, a torque measuring device, a vibration measuring device, a shock measuring device, a stick slip measuring device, a direction measuring device, and an inclination measuring device.
In the system of FIG. 1 , a drill string telemetry system is employed which, in the illustrated embodiment comprises a system of inductively coupled wired drill pipes 180 that extend from a surface sub 185 to an interface sub 110 in the bottom hole assembly 100 . Depending on factors including the length of the drill string, relay subs or repeaters can be provided at intervals in the string of wired drill pipes, an example being shown at 182 . The interface sub 110 provides an interface between the communications circuitry of the LWD and MWD modules 120 , 130 and the drill string telemetry system which, in this embodiment, comprises wired drill pipes with inductive couplers 180 . The wired drill pipes 180 can be coupled with an electronics subsystem 30 that rotates with kelly 17 and includes a transceiver and antenna that communicate bidirectionally with the antenna and transceiver of logging and control unit 4 , which includes the uphole processor subsystem. In FIG. 1 , a communication link 175 is schematically depicted between the electronics subsystem 30 and antenna 5 of the logging and control unit 4 . Accordingly, the configuration of FIG. 1 provides a communication link from the logging and control unit 4 through communication link 175 , to surface sub 185 , through the wired drill pipe telemetry system, to downhole interface 110 and the other components of the bottom hole assembly 100 and, also, the reverse thereof, for bidirectional operation.
While only one logging and control unit 4 at one wellsite is shown, one or more surface units across one or more wellsites may be provided. The surface units may be linked to one or more surface interfaces using a wired or wireless connection via one or more communication lines. The communication topology between the surface interface and the surface system can be point-to-point, point-to-multipoint or multipoint-to-point. The wired connection includes the use of any type of cables or wires using any type of protocols (serial, Ethernet, etc.) and optical fibers. The wireless technology can be any kind of standard wireless communication technology, such as IEEE 802.11 specification, Bluetooth, zigbee or any non-standard RF or optical communication technology using any kind of modulation scheme, such as FM, AM, PM, FSK, QAM, DMT, OFDM, etc. in combination with any kind of data multiplexing technologies such as TDMA, FDMA, CDMA, etc.
FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic view of a directional deep-reading logging-while-drilling tool 121 , as part of the LWD tool or tools 120 shown in FIG. 1 . The tool 121 includes at least two antennas 122 , 123 that, in the example shown in FIG. 2 , are tilted with respect to the tool axis 124 . The arrows shown as figure elements 122 and 123 in FIGS. 2 , 3 , and 4 A- 4 F represent the electric or magnetic dipole moments of the antennas. As shown in FIGS. 4A-4F below, the antennas 122 , 123 may be tilted, transverse, or coaxial with the tool axis 124 . Returning to FIG. 2 , the antennas 122 , 123 in this example are tilted at an angle β with respect to the axis 124 . The significance of the angle β will be discussed in greater detail below in connection with FIG. 3 . Still referring to FIG. 2 , the tool 121 includes a receiver sub 125 and a transmitter sub 126 with a mud motor or other motor apparatus 127 disposed between the receiver and transmitter subs 125 , 126 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 , the motor 127 includes a stator section 128 and a rotor section 129 . Accordingly, the rotor section 129 causes the transmitter 123 to rotate with respect to the receiver 122 . Of course, the transmitter and receiver functions are interchangeable and, while the tool 121 shown in FIG. 2 includes a rotating transmitter antenna 123 , the antenna 123 could serve as a receiver antenna and the antenna 122 could serve as a transmitter. Preferably, the motor 127 is a mud motor or other positive displacement motor (PDM). The drill bit is shown schematically at 105 close to tool 121 , but the tool 121 can be placed higher or farther above the drill bit 105 in the BHA 100 than what is illustrated schematically in FIG. 2 . Also, an antenna could be carried by drill bit 105 . Further, a transmitter antenna may broadcast at various frequencies.
Turning to FIG. 3 , the receiver antenna 122 is shown rotated by an angle φ relative to the x-axis of a non-rotating coordinate system that is referenced to a tool-fixed coordinate system in which the z axes of both systems are aligned. φ may be fixed or variable. The angle β is the angle between the dipole moment of the antenna and the z axis 124 . The transmitter antenna 123 is shown rotated at an angle φ plus α with respect to the non-rotating x-axis. In coordinates used herein, the z-axis corresponds to the tool axis 124 . Measurements at the receiver 122 include (1) the orientation angle or the tool face angle φ of receiver 122 with respect to the non-rotating x-axis; (2) the azimuthal angle difference α between the antennas 122 , 123 ; and (3) the signal or voltage V R received at the antenna 122 . The angles φ and α are independent of each other and α gives the relative rotation between the transmitter and receiver. The antenna configurations may be for a propagation or induction resistivity tool.
Still referring to FIG. 3 , when BHA 100 is undergoing rotation, the voltage V R can be expressed as a product of matrices as shown below in which the transmitter 123 and receiver 122 are tilted at an angle β with respect to the tool axis 124 . The receiver antenna 122 is rotated with respect to the non-rotating x axis by an angle φ, and the relative rotation angle is given by α. For the tool 121 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the voltage V R can be expressed as shown in Equation 1a for any tilt angle β.
V R = ( cos α · sin β , sin α · sin β , cos β ) · [ cos ϕ sin ϕ 0 - sin ϕ cos ϕ 0 0 0 1 ] · [ XX XY XZ YX YY YZ ZX ZY ZZ ] · [ cos ϕ - sin ϕ 0 sin ϕ cos ϕ 0 0 0 1 ] · ( sin β 0 cos β ) ( 1 a )
If β=45° Equation 1a reduces to that shown as Equation 1b.
V R = 1 2 ( cos α , sin α , 1 ) · [ cos ϕ sin ϕ 0 - sin ϕ cos ϕ 0 0 0 1 ] · [ XX XY XZ YX YY YZ ZX ZY ZZ ] · [ cos ϕ - sin ϕ 0 sin ϕ cos ϕ 0 0 0 1 ] · ( 1 0 1 ) ( 1 b )
The following Equations 2a and 2b can be obtained for the received signal or voltage V R from Equations 1a and 1b (β=45°) respectively:
V
R
=
cos
2
β
·
ZZ
+
sin
2
β
·
[
XX
+
YY
2
·
cos
α
-
XY
-
YX
2
·
sin
α
]
+
cos
β
·
sin
β
·
[
ZX
·
cos
ϕ
+
ZY
·
sin
ϕ
+
XZ
·
cos
(
α
+
ϕ
)
+
YZ
·
sin
(
α
+
ϕ
)
]
+
sin
2
β
·
[
XX
-
YY
2
·
cos
(
α
+
2
ϕ
)
+
XY
+
YX
2
·
sin
(
α
+
2
ϕ
)
]
(
2
a
)
V
R
=
1
2
[
ZZ
+
(
XX
+
YY
)
2
·
cos
α
-
(
XY
-
YX
)
2
·
sin
α
+
ZX
·
cos
ϕ
+
ZY
·
sin
ϕ
+
XZ
·
cos
(
α
+
ϕ
)
+
YZ
·
sin
(
α
+
ϕ
)
+
(
XX
-
YY
)
2
·
cos
(
α
+
2
ϕ
)
+
(
XY
+
YX
)
2
·
sin
(
α
+
2
ϕ
)
]
(
2
b
)
Equation 2a for V R can be re-written as a sum of the nine terms 3 a - 3 i shown below:
cos
2
β
·
ZZ
(
3
a
)
sin
2
β
·
XX
+
YY
2
·
cos
α
(
3
b
)
-
sin
2
β
·
XY
-
YX
2
·
sin
α
(
3
c
)
cos
β
·
sin
β
·
ZX
·
cos
ϕ
(
3
d
)
cos
β
·
sin
β
·
ZY
·
sin
ϕ
(
3
e
)
cos
β
·
sin
β
·
XZ
·
cos
(
α
+
ϕ
)
(
3
f
)
cos
β
·
sin
β
·
YZ
·
sin
(
α
+
ϕ
)
(
3
g
)
sin
2
β
·
XX
-
YY
2
·
cos
(
α
+
2
ϕ
)
(
3
h
)
sin
2
β
·
XY
+
YX
2
·
sin
(
α
+
2
ϕ
)
(
3
i
)
Equation 2b (β=45°) for V R can also be re-written as the sum of the nine terms 4 a - 4 i shown below (each term needing to be scaled by ½):
ZZ
(
4
a
)
(
XX
+
YY
)
2
·
cos
α
(
4
b
)
-
(
XY
-
YX
)
2
·
sin
α
(
4
c
)
ZX
·
cos
ϕ
(
4
d
)
ZY
·
sin
ϕ
(
4
e
)
XZ
·
cos
(
α
+
ϕ
)
(
4
f
)
YZ
·
sin
(
α
+
ϕ
)
(
4
g
)
(
XX
-
YY
)
2
·
cos
(
α
+
2
ϕ
)
(
4
h
)
(
XY
+
YX
)
2
·
sin
(
α
+
2
ϕ
)
(
4
i
)
The variables in those terms are the trigonometric functions involving φ and α. Using measurements made by the tool 121 and a fitting algorithm, V R can be fitted to an expression involving those trigonometric terms, thus providing various fitting coefficients. The measurements are taken for various (at least nine) values for φ and α. The nine terms 3 a - 3 i or 4 a - 4 i then relate the components of the electromagnetic coupling tensor to the fitting coefficients, either directly or as some combination of the coupling components.
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment 200 of the present method as a flow chart. In step 210 , a tool is disposed in a wellbore. Step 212 is to transmit energy from a transmitter antenna, and step 214 is to measure a signal received by a receiver antenna while one antenna rotates relative to the other.
The disclosed method and apparatus also yield all nine components of the coupling tensor when the antennas 122 , 123 are tilted at different angles, as illustrated in FIG. 4A . However, if the antennas 122 , 123 are configured such that at least one antenna is axial or transverse ( FIGS. 4B-4F ), while useful information may be had, not all nine components can be determined. For example, if the antennas 122 , 123 are transverse, as illustrated in FIG. 4B , the coupling components that can be determined are limited to XX, XY, YX and YY. This can been seen by substituting β=90° into Equation 1a. The embodiment of FIG. 4G , because of the radial offset of transmitter antenna 123 , does yield all nine components, though Equation 1a would have to be slightly modified to account for the offset. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,509,738 by Minerbo et al, the use of offset parallel antennas is described.
The derivation above assumes rotation of the BHA 100 and a relative rotation between an upper portion of BHA 100 and a lower portion of BHA 100 . The rotation angle of the upper portion of BHA 100 is φ, and the relative rotation angle of the lower portion of BHA 100 is given by the angle α. However, certain drilling operations, such as directional drilling, have drilling modes in which the upper portion of BHA 100 substantially does not rotate (“sliding mode”). The lower portion of BHA 100 , however, rotates whenever drilling is in progress (e.g., when drilling fluid is pumped and drives the mud motor). Thus, there is generally a relative rotation; that is, α is not constant, though φ might be.
Applying those constraints (i.e., fixed φ) in terms 3 a - 3 i or 4 a - 4 i leads to the conclusion that certain coupling components cannot be separated without further measurements. Specifically, because terms 3 a , 3 d , and 3 e (or 4 a , 4 d , and 4 e ) have no α dependence, they will be lumped together by the fitting algorithm as a sum that is equal to a constant. That sum contains three unknown coupling components, but is a single equation. Thus, three independent measurements must be obtained to resolve the three unknown components.
One way in which this can be accomplished is by making measurements with three distinct φ values. That is, the upper portion of BHA 100 must be rotated to three different orientations, and measurements as a function of α must be made at each of the “fixed” orientations. Alternatively, additional receiver antennas may be added to provide sufficient independent measurements. For example, three orthogonal receiver antennas may be used.
In addition, certain assumptions may reduce the number of couplings that need to be resolved. For example, a 1D formation model (“layer cake”) leaves only five coupling components since proper rotational manipulation of the coordinate systems zeros out the off-diagonal components having a Y coupling. A general 3D formation model, however, would require three receiver antennas to resolve all nine components while in sliding mode. While specific embodiments have been described in terms of certain transmitters and receivers, it is well known in the art, by the theory of reciprocity, that the roles of receivers and transmitters may be interchanged. Also, while the described embodiments have a rotating transmitter portion and a sometimes rotating, sometimes sliding receiver portion, the receiver antennas could be on the rotating portion and the transmitters on the sometimes rotating, sometimes sliding portion. For example, for the 3D formation model example above, if a receiver were on the rotating portion, three transmitters on the sometimes rotating, sometimes sliding portion would suffice.
In a wireline embodiment, one of the antennas 123 or 122 is rotated relative to the other while the measurements are made. The relative rotation may be effected either physically or the broadcast signal can be steered, for example, by phasing. If the actual antenna rotation is not feasible, then a virtual rotation can be mathematically created by linear combinations of the other measurements. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,181,138 and 6,794,875 both describe how to generate the response of a virtual receiver with arbitrary angle relative to the tool axis. Note that for such applications more than one transmitter 123 /receiver 122 pair will be needed.
While only certain embodiments have been set forth, alternatives and modifications will be apparent from the above description to those skilled in the art. These and other alternatives are considered equivalents and within the scope of this disclosure and the appended claims.
|
A logging tool and method to make subsurface measurements is disclosed, wherein the tool is placed within a borehole penetrating a formation. The tool has a transmitter antenna and a receiver antenna spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the tool, and at least one of the transmitter or receiver antennas has a dipole moment that is non-coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the tool. The at least one non-coaxial antenna can rotate relative to the other antenna. Energy is transmitted from the transmitter antenna and a signal associated with the transmitted energy is measured at the receiver antenna while the at least one non-coaxial antenna rotates relative to the other antenna.
| 4
|
RELATED DOCUMENTS
[0001] This document is related to, claims the priority benefit of, and incorporates in its entirety, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/347,133 entitled “Magazine Conversion System and Magazine Jig” and filed on Jun. 8, 2016 by JARRET CHRISTIAN MOCK.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to firearms and magazines, and more specifically, to magazine conversion systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A rifle can include an upper and lower receiver, and can be particularly chambered to operate with rounds of a particular caliber. Such a lower receiver can include a magazine well within which an ammunition magazine can snugly engage to maintain the magazine in a static position.
[0004] A rifle designed for a particular caliber can be modified to operate with a different caliber. For example, an AR15/M4 rifle, which is typically configured to operate with a 5.56×45 mm or 0.223 Remington round, can be modified to use a 9 mm NATO round by modifying or replacing particular ones of its components, such as for example, its barrel, bolt carrier group, recoil spring, buffer, and hammer. Additionally, conversion blocks, or conversion adapters, have been provided to modify the geometry of the AR15/M4 magazine well, so as to accommodate smaller magazines.
[0005] A conversion block is a unitary piece of construction having a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a rectangular parallelepiped cavity passing therethrough. Such a block is positioned within a magazine well to effectively reduce the magazine well size so as to accommodate a smaller magazine for a smaller round size.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a magazine conversion system and magazine jig.
[0007] It is another object of the present invention to provide a magazine conversion system and magazine jig that overcomes at least one deficiency in the prior art.
[0008] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a magazine conversion system can be configured to mount within a magazine well of a lower receiver, and can include a front spacer and a rear spacer.
[0009] In an exemplary aspect, a front spacer can be provided with a wedge-shaped main body having a lower end and an upper end, and the upper end can include a feed ramp extending upwardly therefrom.
[0010] In another exemplary aspect, a rear spacer can be provided with a wedge-shaped main portion having a lower portion and an upper portion, and the upper portion can include an ejector element extending upwardly therefrom.
[0011] In yet another exemplary aspect, with the front and rear spacers positioned within a magazine well of a lower receiver, at least a portion of the feed ramp and at least part of the ejector element can be positioned above the magazine well.
[0012] In still additional exemplary aspects, optionally, a magazine conversion system can further include at least one of an ammunition magazine having front and rear portions, with the rear portion having a magazine catch notch; and a hollow magazine jig, having a notch guide, and being configured to fit around an ammunition magazine having front and rear portions, such that with the ammunition magazine positioned within the jig, the notch guide exposes an area of the rear portion to be removed to form the magazine catch notch.
[0013] A magazine conversion system can optionally include one of more of the following additional exemplary optional aspects: the front spacer can taper from the lower end to the upper end; the rear spacer can taper from the upper portion to the lower portion; at least one of the front spacer and rear spacers can include a respective channel and set screw configured to abut a portion of the magazine well to secure the at least one of said front spacer and said rear spacer within the magazine well.
[0014] These and other exemplary aspects and embodiments of the present invention are further described herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 a illustrates an exemplary rear spacer having an ejector and a rear channel.
[0016] FIG. 1 b illustrates another perspective of an exemplary rear spacer.
[0017] FIG. 1 c illustrates still another perspective of an exemplary rear spacer.
[0018] FIG. 2 a illustrates an exemplary front spacer having a feed ramp and a front channel.
[0019] FIG. 2 b illustrates another perspective of an exemplary front spacer.
[0020] FIG. 2 c illustrates still another perspective of an exemplary front spacer.
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary front and rear spacers positioned within a magazine well of a rifle lower.
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates exemplary front and rear spacers positioned within a magazine well of a rifle lower and an exemplary ammunition magazine within the magazine well and disposed between the spacers.
[0023] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary ammunition magazine having front and rear portions, and an exemplary jig positioned around the ammunition magazine to position a notch guide of the jig over an area of the ammunition magazine where a magazine catch notch can be formed.
[0024] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary jig and an exemplary ammunition magazine with a magazine catch notch formed with the jig.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] It is an object of the present invention to provide a magazine conversion system.
[0026] It is another object of the present invention to provide a modified magazine.
[0027] It should be noted that this disclosure includes a plurality of elements and/or aspects, and such elements and/or aspects need not necessarily be interpreted as being conjunctively required by one or more embodiments of the present invention. Rather, all combinations of the one or more elements and/or aspects can enable a separate embodiment of the present invention, which may be claimed with particularity in one or more future filed Non-Provisional Patent Applications. Moreover, any particular materials, structures, and/or sizes disclosed herein, whether expressly or implicitly, are to be construed strictly as illustrative and enabling, and not necessarily limiting. Therefore, it is expressly set forth that such materials, structures, and/or sizes independently or in any combination of one of more thereof, are merely illustratively representative of one or more embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as necessary in a strict sense.
[0028] Further, to the extent the same element or aspect is defined differently within this disclosure, whether expressly or implicitly, the broader definition is to take absolute precedence, with the distinctions encompassed by the narrower definition to be strictly construed as optional.
[0029] Illustratively, perceived benefits of the present invention can include functional utility, whether expressly or implicitly stated herein, or apparent herefrom. However, it is expressly set forth that these benefits are not intended as exclusive. Therefore, any explicit, implicit, or apparent benefit from the disclosure herein is expressly deemed as applicable to the present invention.
[0030] According to one exemplary embodiment, the present invention can include a front spacer and a rear spacer.
[0031] According to another exemplary embodiment, the present invention can include a rear spacer, a front spacer, and at least one of an ammunition magazine and a magazine jig.
[0032] FIGS. 1 a - c illustrate different perspectives of an exemplary rear spacer 110 having an ejector 111 and a rear channel 112 . When rear spacer 110 is installed (discussed with FIGS. 3 and 4 , infra), ejector 111 is positioned to act a fixed abutment that assists in case ejections during rifle operation (not shown). Rear channel 112 is configured to receive a set screw (not shown) so as to statically fix rear spacer 110 via direct or indirect abutment with a magazine well inner portion (infra) to statically fix the rear spacer 110 within a magazine well (infra).
[0033] FIGS. 2 a -2 c illustrate different perspectives of an exemplary front spacer 120 having an feed ramp 121 and a front channel 122 . When front spacer 120 is installed (discussed with FIGS. 3 and 4 , infra), feed ramp 121 is positioned to act as a structural guide that facilitates the chambering of rounds during rifle operation (not shown) via its rounded profile. Front channel 122 is configured to receive a set screw (not shown) so as to statically fix front spacer 120 via direct or indirect abutment with a magazine well inner portion to statically fix the front spacer within a magazine well (infra). For example and not in limitation, rear and/or front spacer 110 , 120 can be provided with a split configuration (such as a dual piece configuration) such that rotation of a set screw into rear or front channel 112 , 122 can force respective spacer portions away from each other whilst within a magwell to fix such a spacer in a static positon.
[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary positioning of rear and front spacers 110 , 120 within the inside of a magazine well 2 of a lower rifle receiver 1 . As illustrated, with front and rear spacers 110 , 120 so positioned, set screws (not shown) can be positioned within the rear and front channels 112 , 122 and screwed in to abut the inside of magazine well 2 to fix the spacers in position with ejector 111 and feed ramp 121 positioned above the magazine well. As can be seen, when so positioned, rear and front spacers 112 , 122 can particularly reduce the available space within a magazine well 2 to accommodate a particularly sized ammunition magazine (infra), which can snugly fit therebetween.
[0035] As illustrated in FIG. 4 , an ammunition magazine 3 , such as a GLOCK™ 9 mm Magazine, for example and not in limitation, can be inserted between rear and front spacers 110 , 220 . Notably, such an ammunition magazine 3 can include a magazine catch notch 3 a (see FIG. 6 ), which can engage with a standard magazine lock (not shown), so as to longitudinally position the magazine to provide rounds at an operational height. For example and not in limitation, a magazine lock can be provided according to the M4 Military Specification, which also serves as the basis for the civilian version AR15 rifle.
[0036] FIG. 5 illustrates an optional magazine jig 130 having a notch guide 131 , with the jig positioned over an exemplary ammunition magazine 3 having a front portion 3 b and a rear portion 3 c. As further illustrated, notch guide 131 can be positioned over, and to expose, a particular portion of magazine 3 that can be cut out or otherwise removed in a shape consistent with the notch guide. As illustrated in FIG. 6 , after such cutting or removing, jig 130 can be removed leaving a magazine catch notch 3 a particularly positioned on the rear portion 3 c of ammunition magazine 3 .
[0037] It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the manner of making and using the claimed invention has been adequately disclosed in the above-written and attached description of the exemplary embodiments and aspects of the present invention.
[0038] It should be understood, however, that the invention is not necessarily limited to the specific embodiments, aspects, arrangement, steps, and components shown and described above, but may be susceptible to numerous variations within the scope of the invention. For example and not in limitation, each of the various aspects of the present invention can be provided as any one or more desired materials, including but not limited to, plastic, rubber, metal, crystalline, wood, naturally occurring, manmade, etc., insofar as the resulting material or materials are of sufficient rigidity to be functionally compatible with the present invention. Further, while various aspects of the present invention have been illustrated as having particular shapes, they may be provided in any one or more desired shapes, including any geometric, symmetric, asymmetric, and/or irregular shape to the extent the resulting aspect is functionally compatible with the present invention.
[0039] Therefore, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative and enabling, rather than a restrictive, sense.
[0040] Accordingly, it will be understood that the above description of the embodiments of the present invention are susceptible to various modifications, changes, and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.
|
A magazine conversion system mounts within a magazine well of a lower receiver, and includes a front spacer having a wedge-shaped main body with a lower end, and an upper end having a feed ramp extending upwardly therefrom; and a rear spacer having a wedge-shaped main portion with a lower portion and an upper portion having an ejector element extending upwardly therefrom. With the front and rear spacers positioned within the magazine well, at least a portion of the feed ramp and at least part of the ejector element are positioned above the magazine well.
| 5
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/419,005, filed Apr. 18, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/373,546 filed on Apr. 18, 2002, the entirety of which are incorporated herein by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
This invention was made with United States Government support from the National Institute of Health through Grant No. 1R15HL67787-01. The United States Government has certain rights in this invention.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to non-invasive musculoskeletal loading devices which provide adjustable loading.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The health of human bones is of enormous importance. Bones provide support and protection for the human body. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue which can seriously impede the ability of osteoporotic bones to provide support and protection for the body. An increased risk of bone fracture is present in individuals with osteoporosis. In 1995 alone, the cost of treatment for osteoporotic bone fractures was $13.8 billion. Around 28 million American's suffer from low bone mass or osteoporosis and are at risk of adding to the yearly cost of treatment for the disease. One in every 2 women and 1 in every 8 men over the age of 50 will develop a fracture in their lifetime due to the disease. With changing demographics and the aging of America, the significance of this national as well as international concern will only increase.
Bone disuse atrophy is a disease that can also lead to osteoporosis. While undergoing long flights in space, astronauts suffer from a lack of weight bearing on their bones. Bone disuse atrophy has been seen to cause decreases in bone mass from 1-2% per month in astronauts. Decreases in bone mass of this magnitude could seriously impede an astronaut's bone health during long duration space flight, such as what will someday be incurred by astronauts on roundtrip missions to Mars or other planets. With the closest medical assistance for an astronaut being millions of miles away, it is of key importance that an astronaut's bones do not degrade to a point where they risk fracture during missions.
The majority of current countermeasures for bone disuse atrophy are not entirely effective. Mineral and hormone treatments have been administered as attempts to maintain bone mass, but have had little benefit in the long run. Mechanical stimulation of bone has been shown to achieve the goal of maintaining bone mass and structure. However, some methods of applying mechanical stimuli may be more damaging than good, while others may only partially aid in the maintenance of bone strength.
Recent research involving the effects of vibrational bone loading have proved successful at increasing bone density in sheep. This and related research have utilized a vibrating platform upon which the sheep or other subject stands. Because this arrangement relies on gravity, the arrangement does not provide an adjustable load and loses its effectiveness as gravity is reduced.
SUMMARY
A device for non-invasively mechanically stimulating bone or muscle includes a vibrational energy generator for applying vibrational energy to a first end of a length of a tissue which includes bone and/or muscle. The vibrational energy is for inducing strain in at least one region within the length of tissue. A restraint is disposed opposite the first end of the length to resist translation of the tissue length or the device during operation of the device, and to provide compressive or tensile loading to the bone or muscle. The restraint can be disposed on a variety of bodily regions, including the knee, waist and shoulder.
A connecting structure couples the restraint across the tissue to be treated. The device does not require gravity to operate and as a result is expected to have applications in space, such as with astronauts, with those having bone ailments such as bed-ridden patients, persons with osteoporosis or disuse atrophy, athletes, recovering bone cancer patients, and persons with musculoskeletal disorders.
The level or frequency of the vibrational energy applied can be adjustable. The length of the connecting structure also can include structure for adjustment, wherein shortening the length provides compression and lengthening the length provides tension to the tissue region. The connecting structure can include a sensor for measuring a level of applied compression or tension.
The vibrational energy generator can comprises an adjustable cam driven by a motor. A speed controller is preferably provided and connected to the motor for controlling a speed of the motor. The arrangement provides an adjustable frequency spectrum output by the vibrational energy generator. The motor can drive a follower plate.
The connecting structure can comprises a plurality of structures which are each disposed circumferentially along a volume which includes the tissue length. The plurality of structures can be activateable independently, wherein activation of some but not all of the plurality of structures provides circumferential compression which varies as a function of angular position along at least a portion of the tissue length being treated.
A gravity-independent method for non-invasively mechanically stimulating bone or muscle, includes the steps of restraining a tissue region of a subject comprising at least one of bone and muscle, and applying vibrational energy through the region to induce strain in the region. The method can include the step of imposing a compressive or tensile force on the region during the applying step. The magnitude of the compressive or tensile force can be adjustable.
The method can be performed in a substantially weightless environment, such as space. The method can also be performed on earth, such as applied to supine subjects as no gravity is required to practice the claimed method.
The method can include the step of providing a vibrational energy generator, wherein a frequency spectrum provided by the vibrational energy generator is adjustable. The method can be applied to only a portion of the subject thus providing site-specific treatment. The frequency of vibrational energy can be 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 ,70, 80, 90, 100 Hz, or other frequencies.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A fuller understanding of the present invention and the features and benefits thereof will be accomplished upon review of the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary bone loading device, according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a frame, according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 shows a driving structure which comprises a motor to induce motion in a cam-follower which couples to a follower plate to apply vibrations to a subject, according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 shows an exemplary connecting structure, according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIGS. 5( a ) and ( b ) show therapy applied at two different knee angles using the invention.
FIG. 6 shows an alternative connecting structure which comprises a plurality of separate compression-loading units, according to yet another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7 shows a restraint for use in connection with the bone loading device of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment of a restraint for use in connection with the bone loading device of FIG. 1 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 illustrates a device 100 for non-invasively mechanically stimulating bone or muscle in a subject, according to an embodiment of the invention. Device 100 can be used to mechanically stimulate an osteogenic effect in bone or the development of muscle. Device 100 includes a vibrational energy generator 105 for applying vibrational energy to a first end 108 of a length of a tissue to be treated 110 which includes bone and/or muscle therein (not shown). The vibrational energy is for inducing strain in at least one region within the length of the tissue 110 .
A restraint 115 is disposed opposite the first end of the length 110 to resist translation of the length during operation of the device 100 . Restraint 115 is coupled to connecting structure 130 which couples restraint 115 to the first end of the length of tissue to be treated, such as through connection to frame 120 . Connecting structure 130 also provides a compressional coupling force and localized tensile forces to the region to be treated, the force preferably being adjustable, such as through variation of its length. Straps 135 , such as Velcro® straps (or equivalent) are preferably provided for securing the connecting structure 130 to the length of tissue to be treated 110 .
Unlike earlier vibrational loading devices, device 100 does not require gravity to operate and can be used in microgravity environments (e.g. space) or by supine (e.g. bedridden) individuals on earth. For vibrational treatment, bodily regions must have some coupling force (e.g. compression or tension) acting on them in order for the vibrational energy to transfer through the targeted region. On earth, a person capable of standing upright can utilize their body weight to provide the coupling force to permit vibrational energy to transfer through their body. However, for the gravity reliant systems while in space, when the first vibrational oscillation is applied, the subject would be sent adrift by the vibrational forces because no forces would be holding the vibration-inducing device to the person. In contrast, connecting structure 130 , through its connection across of length of tissue to be treated 110 , provides both a coupling and restraining force which does not depend on gravity.
Another advantage provided by device 100 is the ability to treat discrete portions (site-specific treatment) of a subject, rather than the entire subject treated when the individual stands on a vibrational plate. Thus, conventional vibrational loading devices gravitationally load the subject from head to toe, or from a seated position the spine of the subject is loaded. In contrast, device 100 can treat a single discrete tissue length, such as tissue length 110 disposed between the knee and the foot of an individual.
Although connecting structure 130 shown in FIG. 1 physically connects across the length of tissue to be treated 110 to provide a load, physical connection is not required. Loading can also be provided using an electromagnetic attractive force to induce compressive loading, such as using an electrical or magnetic field. For example, restraint 115 and a portion of frame 120 can each be electrodes which if biased with opposite polarities, will produce an attractive force which can provide a compressive load across tissue length 110 .
FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of frame 120 with vibrational energy generator 105 removed. Frame 120 includes a follower plate 215 upon which the first end 108 of a length of a tissue to be treated 110 is placed during operation of the device. However, those having ordinary skill in the art will realize that loading can be applied by structures other than follower plate 215 . Optional strap 235 can be included to further secure the first end 108 of a length of a tissue to be treated 110 to frame 120 . In operation, follower plate 215 is vibrated up and down by a suitable driving structure.
In one embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , vibrational energy to drive follower plate 215 can be produced via driving structure 300 which comprises a motor 315 to induce motion in a cam-follower 320 which couples to follower plate (not shown in FIG. 3 ). Although not shown, electromagnetic linear actuators and other vibrational energy sources can also be used with the invention. Applied to tissue 110 shown in FIG. 1 , the mechanical vibrations at the follower plate will transfer the vibrations from the heel or ball of the subject's foot through tissue length 110 .
Although described generally as for treating the region of tissue between the knee and the foot, the invention is in no way limited in this way. Those having ordinary skill in the art will realize a variety of other regions, such as the knee, waist, shoulder, arms and spine can be treated using device 100 . In fact as illustrated in FIG. 7 , a back restraint 700 with a lower back coupling pad 720 , connecting structures 730 , knee coupling pads 740 and leg pad 750 is shown as one example of a restraint for use in connection with the device 100 . This embodiment of a restraint provides two non-invasive points of coupling at the back and the knees. To provide another alternative restraint for use in connection with device 100 . FIG. 8 shows a waist restraint 800 having a waist restraint pad 820 , connecting structures 830 and knee coupling pads 840 .
FIG. 4 shows an exemplary connecting structure 130 . Connecting structure 130 includes a fastener 408 to connect to restraint 115 . Fastener 408 can be coupled to an optional force sensor 412 . Force sensor 412 is shown coupled to adjustable knob 414 which is attached to a bar 410 . Bar 410 connects to frame 120 (not shown). Adjustable knob 414 can increase or decrease the length of connecting structure 130 to provide adjustable levels of compressive or localized tensile loading. Although not shown, electronic controls can be integrated with connecting structure 130 to provide automatic coupling force adjustments.
Adjustability of device 100 is thus provided by connecting structure 130 shown in FIG. 4 as it is capable of providing a compressive or localized tensile force capable of variation. As used herein, the applied force is also referred to as a preload. The preload, when present, acts on the targeted tissue region, such as a region of bone. A preload acting on the targeted bone region can be used to induce larger strains and to more effectively control the directions of strains in the bones or muscles of a subject as compared to applied vibrations alone.
Although not shown, device 100 can also include one or more strain gauges to monitor the strain induced along tissue length 110 , such as disposed on the skin of a subject. Together with a conventional feedback and control system, the level of preload and/or vibrational energy parameters applied by vibrational energy generator 105 can be dynamically adjusted to provide a desired level of strain.
By providing larger strains to targeted tissue regions using preloads according to the invention, the time required for therapy to achieve a desired level of bone (or muscle) strengthening may be reduced. In particular, the addition of preloads acting on bones can produce larger strains at the midshaft of the diaphysis of long bones because of the curved shape of long bones. Thus, the use of preloads with the loading device 100 increases the efficacy of the process of increasing bone (or muscle) strength.
Further treatment adjustability provided by device 100 results from the ability to operate the device when the foot (or other tissue length) is flexed at different angles. FIGS. 5( a ) and ( b ) show therapy applied using device 100 at two different knee angles. FIG. 5( a ) shows a minimum muscle stretch on the posterior side of the lower leg, while FIG. 5( b ) shows a maximum muscle stretch of the same region. The maximum muscle stretch shown in FIG. 5 ( b ) provides enhanced therapy in the calf region. An alternate embodiment includes active adjustment of the tissue length flexure during therapy to better simulate gravitational forces acting on the body during activities such as walking.
In another embodiment of the invention, preloads can be directed through specific circumferential positions. FIGS. 6( a ), 6 ( b ), and 6 ( c ) show connecting structure 600 adapted to provide preloads directed through specific circumferential positions. Rather than using two (2) connecting structures shown in FIG. 1 , with each connecting structure covering only a small percentage of the circumference of tissue length 110 , devices according to the invention can include a plurality of connecting structures which collectively cover an arc length spanning substantially the entire circumference of tissue length 110 . This embodiment can induce equal or unequal stress or strain along the entire tissue length being treated.
For simplicity, FIG. 6 shows an alternate connecting structure 600 , which comprises a plurality of separate connecting structures, referred to in this embodiment as force-loading units 610 - 614 . Force-loading units 610 - 614 are placed circumferentially around a bodily region to be treated 640 . Each force loading unit 610 - 614 is disposed between restraint 630 and frame 620 and preferably includes an adjustable knob or other structure (not shown) to independently increase or decrease their respective lengths to provide adjustable levels of compressive or localized tensile loading.
Loading units 610 - 614 can be activated one-by-one or in multiple succession to apply bending, tensile and/or compression loads to target bone (or muscle) regions 640 . This permits key regions of bone to be strengthened as a function of angular position.
The top depictions in FIGS. 6( a )-( c ) represent cross-sections of a long bone 640 , while the pictures at the bottom show a lateral view of the same bone 640 . FIG. 6( a ) depicts bone 640 subject to no compressive load. FIG. 6( b ) depicts bone 640 subject to uniform compression since all the compressional-loading units are actively providing the same level of compression. The arrows shown indicate the direction of loading. FIG. 6( c ) depicts bone 640 subject to site-specific circumferential loading. Here, force-loading units 612 and 613 are actively applying compression, while force-loading units 610 , 611 and 614 are inactive (not applying compression). Loading bone 640 as shown in FIG. 6( c ) creates a bending moment about the bone, thus circumferentially influencing bone morphology.
This method of loading bone can be advantageous particularly when one side of a bone is weaker than another. The location where stresses in a bone are the highest generally are the sites where bone adaptations are most necessary, so that new bone will be deposited most readily. Therefore loading a bone such that bending is induced will allow new bone to be deposited more readily at the site where additional support is necessary.
By actively changing the circumferential loading direction during vibration-induced bone strengthening sessions, the bone 640 will be subjected to loading in multiple directions, which may prove advantageous to uniaxial loading (i.e., compression loading alone). Preferential stiffness of a bone loaded uniaxially can cause deleterious effects if the bone is later subjected to loading in shear. This is because the bone is only geared to absorb loading in the direction it has been “trained” to absorb loads in.
The invention has many potential uses. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,597 to Reiman et al discloses a method and device for healing bone fracture. The invention can likely be used to enhance the healing bone fracture through the coupling of vibrational energy through the region in healing. Thus, using the present invention, bone can experience increased mass, density, and structural strength, while muscle can experience increased strength, size, flexibility. Joints/ligaments/tendons can also benefit from the invention and receive increased flexibility. Skin toning is also possible using the invention.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the invention is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
|
A device for non-invasively mechanically stimulating bone or muscle includes a vibrational energy generator for applying vibrational energy to a first end of a length of a tissue which includes bone and/or muscle. The vibrational energy is for inducing strain in at least one region within the length of tissue. A restraint is disposed opposite the first end of the length to resist translation of the length during operation of the device and to provide loading to the bone or muscle. A connecting structure couples the restraint to the vibrational energy generator. The device does not require gravity to operate and as a result is expected to have applications in space, such as with astronauts, with those having bone ailments such as bed-ridden patients, persons with osteoporosis or disuse atrophy, athletes, recovering bone cancer patients, and persons with muscoskeletal disorders.
| 0
|
This application claims priority to the provisional application 60/246,200 filed Nov. 6, 2000
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the extracorporeal circulation of blood during open heart surgery, and more particularly to a device for conditioning blood prior to returning the blood to the patient.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Open heart surgery is performed on a “still” heart. The patient's blood is circulated by an extracorporeal system, which includes a blood pump, a cardiotomy reservoir and an oxygenator. In operation, blood is drawn from the patient and pumped through the oxygenator and then returned to the patient. In many instances blood is scavenged from the surgical site and this recovered blood is added to the system through the cardiotomy reservoir. As a consequence, surgical debris and air bubbles may be introduced into the system at this point and it is important that the particulate debris and bubbles not be administered to the patient.
It is the conventional standard of care to place a so-called “arterial filter” in the blood line to intercept and capture particles and gas bubbles before the blood is returned to the patient's body. Filters of this type capture both gas bubbles and particles on a filter mesh. However conventional arterial filters are problematic. Typically the volume of an atrial filter is large to maximize the ability of the device to collect and hold gas bubbles. Captured bubbles are retained on the mesh during the entire surgical procedure. Each bubble that is retained reduces the filter mesh surface area available for particulate collection. It is possible that a large particle load will increase the pressure drop across the filter. This “clogging” effect can increase the pressure on the captured bubbles and force them though the filter. As a consequence of this problem the size of the physical membrane of the arterial filter is very large to provide a margin of safety. However this increases the surface area in contact with blood which is undesirable and increases priming volume which is undesirable. It should also be noted that the mesh size of a typical filter is inadequate to capture small bubbles. Consequently the conventional arterial filter is not efficient at handling bubbles and it is improperly sized for the typical particulate load.
It must also be noted that blood is a very delicate organ and surface contact, turbulence and pressure drops within the system can injure the blood. These properties of blood must be accommodated as well.
SUMMARY
In the present invention the blood conditioning device has two main connections. There is a blood input port and a blood output port. A third connection is used to purge or prime the device. In some embodiments of the device this line is always open and is used for continuous recirculation of blood containing bubble to the cardiotomy reservoir.
The blood conditioning device relies on a first dynamic stage to remove bubbles from the mixed flow of bubbles and particles in blood.
The dynamic stage passes the bubble free but particle laden blood flow to a second mechanical filter media stage where the particles are trapped. The gas bubbles maybe collected and retained in the device or returned with a modest blood flow to the cardiotomy reservoir through the third purge or recirculation connection.
The blood conditioning device is disposable and used once. The particulate debris is retained in the device and discarded at the conclusion of the procedure.
In the first dynamic stage, the blood is delivered to a blood centrifuge section, which imparts a strong radial acceleration to the blood flow. The pressure gradient is created by forcing the blood along a helical flow path. The radial acceleration causes bubbles both large and small to migrate toward the center streamline of the flow. A bubble pick up may be placed in the zone where the bubbles accumulate. The bubble pick up collects the bubbles and it is connected to the cardiotomy reservoir to extract the bubbles from the device. In an alternate embodiment of the device there is no extraction tube or bubble pick off tube and the bubbles are allowed to coalesces and accumulate in the device during operation. This dynamic stage is referred to as the “helix” in the description.
To purge or prime the device a momentary operation valve is placed on top of the device. The preferred versions of this valve opens side holes in the bubble pick up tube in order to release gross air from the device to the cardiotomy reservoir.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Throughout the several figures of the drawing identical reference numerals indicate identical structure, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross section of a first embodiment of the device;
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross section of a second embodiment of the device;
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross section of a third embodiment of the device;
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross section of a fourth embodiment of the device;
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross section of a fifth embodiment of the device;
FIG. 6A is a schematic cross section of a sixth embodiment of the device;
FIG. 6B is a schematic cross section of a sixth embodiment of the device;
FIG. 7A is a schematic cross section of a seventh embodiment of the device; and,
FIG. 7B is a schematic cross section of a seventh embodiment of the device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the blood conditioning device 10 . This representative device is shown in a schematic cross section and it is generally symmetric about axis 12 . In use this device is mounted vertically with the purge/recirculation port 14 located at the “top”. Although the device can be used for conditioning blood in any perfusion circuit it is preferred to couple the input port 16 to the source of blood and to connect the output port 18 directly to the cannula used to deliver blood to the patient. The blood pump supplies the modest pressure difference required to operate the device. The oxygenator and cardiotomy reservoir are of conventional design and they are used in the conventional fashion.
In the various figures the small squares typified by square 20 represent surgical debris with a density slightly greater than blood. The small circles typified by circle 22 represent bubbles or micro bubbles in the blood flow 24 . The bubbles have a size of approximately 40 microns or more and micro-bubbles have a diameter of 40 microns or less. At the inlet port 16 , the blood flow 24 has a uniform distribution of particles and bubbles in the input stream, and is called a “mixed blood flow” herein. The mixed blood flow 25 enters an acceleration chamber or “helix” 33 ” of the dynamic section 41 . One or more blades 32 form a helical flow path in the acceleration chamber 33 . The blood flow, which leaves the helix 33 , has a spiral motion as indicated by blood flow arrow 26 . The radial acceleration is strong enough to cause the bubbles to accumulate along the centerline or axis 12 of the device 10 . The length of the discharge tube 34 is sufficiently long to permit nearly complete separation of the bubbles from the particles. In this first embodiment of the device these bubbles coalesce and migrate toward zone 46 .
Eventually the spiral motion of the blood flow is reduced as indicated by blood flow 27 and the bubble free blood flow 28 , leaves the dynamic section 41 and turns to enter the mechanical separation section 40 .
The blood now free of bubbles enters a flow path that intercepts a membrane 42 . The annular membrane 42 filters the blood flow and the particles adheres to the surface of the membrane while the blood passes through the membrane as depicted by blood flow 29 . The blood accumulated behind the membrane 42 is delivered to the output port 18 and the now conditioned blood flow 30 is introduced into the patient.
In operation the particles and blood turn into the mechanical separation section 40 while the buoyancy of the bubbles causes them to coalesce into larger bubble and form a bubble rich volume or zone 46 trapped near the stopcock 44 . The purge stopcock 44 may be used to prime the device during setup and may be used to periodically return the bubble rich accumulated volume 46 to the blood cardiotomy reservoir during operation.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross section of a second embodiment of the blood conditioning device 10 . In this second embodiment a bubble pick off tube 48 is positioned to intercept the stream of micro-bubbles from the dynamic section 41 . The opening 47 of the bubble pick off tube 48 is sized to capture the blood flow near the centerline 12 of the dynamic section. The opening 47 establishes a small regulated blood flow 49 from the device to the cardiotomy reservoir (not shown) which carries the bubbles back to the cardiotomy reservoir. This recirculation line 13 is always open.
FIG. 3 is an alternate embodiment incorporating a bubble pick off 48 which pulls bubbles from the device through opening 47 . In this device operates similar to FIG. 2 but in contrast the particles can directly engage the filter mesh 42 as the blood flow flows in an outward direction from the center of the device.
FIG. 3 also shows the preferred form of momentary operation valve 50 . The momentary operation valve 50 is provided at the top of the housing to allow the user to purge or prime the device. When “open” the valve 50 allows the gross air from the interior volume of the device to be purged into the cardiotomy reservoir. When closed the interior volume of the device is closed off but the bubble pick off tube remains open to the cardiotomy reservoir.
The preferred form of the valve includes a ring 51 which can slide between two positions. In the first position the ring covers side holes 47 in the bubble pick up tube 48 and is in the “closed” position. The valve 50 in FIG. 7A is shown in this state. In the second “open” position the ring 51 uncovers the side holes 47 in the bubble pick off tube 48 as seen in the FIG. 3 among others. In the “open” position the interior volume of the housing 13 is open to the reservoir.
This valve may be operated to bleed the system both prior to use and during a surgery. In general the valve 50 is closed and remains open only while operated by the perfusionist.
FIG. 4 is an alternate embodiment of the invention which includes a diverging channel 53 to decrease the velocity of the blood flow after the bubbles have been picked off at opening 47 . It is expected to be advantageous to decrease the velocity in the mechanical filtration section 40 .
FIG. 5 is an alternate embodiment of the device having a “side by side” configuration the dynamic section 41 located substantially next tot he mechanical filtration section 40 . The principle advantage of this configuration is the ability to see the bubble pick off 48 and related area of the dynamic section during operation and provides more options for flow dynamic optimization in the two sections.
FIG. 6A is side elevation of an alternate embodiment of the device. In this configuration the device is very compact. In this version of the device the particles 20 are captured on the outer surface of the annular filter mesh 42 . while the bubbles pass the helix 33 in advance and are picked up in line 48 . On top of the device the preferred momentary operation valve 50 is schematically shown, opening side hole to the recirculation line to release gross air upon operation.
FIG. 6B is top view of an alternate embodiment of the device. In this view one can see that the helix 33 is located in a circular flow path. In general the input mixed blood flow 24 turns through about 90 degrees before it enters the helix 33 .
The dynamic section 41 extends around the circle and the bubble pick off 48 is downstream through another 90 degrees of turning.
FIG. 7A is side elevation of an alternate embodiment of the device. In this embodiment in contrast to FIG. 6 the blood flow carrying particulates is from the interior of the device to the exterior as typified by the location of particle 20 . In this embossment conical surface or funnel is used to accelerate blood flow as it enters the filter zone.
FIG. 7B is top view of an alternate embodiment of the device. In this version of the device the helix 33 is located part way round the circumference of the device with a bubble pick off 48 located downstream of the helix 33 .
|
A blood conditioning device having a housing with a helical blood acceleration section which includes a helical flow path for impressing centrifugal forces on the entrained bubbles in the blood to concentrate them towards the center of the flow path, a bubble pick off tube aligned with the centerline of the acceleration section which collects and recirculates the bubbles to the cardiotomy reservoir upstream of the device during operation, and a blood filtration section to intercept the flow of particles in the blood.
| 1
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a U.S. national stage entry of International Patent Application No. PCT/US2015/062000 filed on 20 Nov. 2015 and titled “ACTIVATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCING METAL RECOVERY DURING ATMOSPHERIC LEACHING OF METAL SULFIDES,” the contents of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety for any and all purposes as if fully set forth herein. This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/082,293 filed on 20 Nov. 2014 and titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED METAL RECOVERY DURING ATMOSPHERIC LEACHING OF METAL SULFIDES,” the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for any and all purposes as if fully set forth herein. This application also relates to International Patent Application No. PCT/US2015/050045 filed on 14 Sep. 2014 and titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED METAL RECOVERY DURING ATMOSPHERIC LEACHING OF METAL SULFIDES,” the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for any and all purposes as if fully set forth herein. This application further relates to international Patent Application No. PCT/US2015/061761 filed on 20 Nov. 2014 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/526,826 filed on 15 May 2017 titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCED METAL RECOVERY DURING ATMOSPHERIC LEACHING OF METAL SULFIDES,” the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for any and all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Embodiments of the invention relate to equipment, flowsheets, and processes for improving metal value extraction from metal sulfide ores. In particular, systems and methods for increasing metal recovery within an atmospheric, or substantially atmospheric, metal sulfide leach circuit via low-yield metathesis reactions are disclosed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Current and past methods of atmospheric leaching of primary metal sulfides (e.g., Chalcopyrite, Tennamite, and Enargite), may suffer from slow reaction kinetics and poor metal recoveries due to surface passivation effects during oxidative leaching. Surface passivation occurs when the growth of an elemental sulfur product layer occludes the surfaces of the particles being leached. The sulfur reaction product layer acts as a physical barrier, impeding the transport of reactants and products from the reaction plane.
[0004] A number of factors may enhance the detrimental effects of the sulfur product, with regard to metal dissolution, by altering the porosity and/or tortuosity of the product layer. These factors, individually or collectively, include crystal phase transformations, partial melting and recrystallization, or complete crystal melting. The range of passivation effects will depend upon the temperature of the reaction medium and the temperature at the reaction zone which may be different from the overall system temperature. This temperature difference may be sustained throughout the entire leach process or it may be transitory.
[0005] Other mechanisms of passivation can include the formation of non-stoichiometric, metal-deficient sulfide phases that are resistant toward further anodic dissolution reactions. Furthermore, if the dissolution of the metal sulfide is taking place via an electrochemical redox mechanism, the anodic dissolution step will be dependent upon the pH and redox potential at the reaction plane.
[0006] A number of past methods have been attempted to increase metal leach rates by employing leach catalysts. One approach suggested addressing the passivation issue by increasing electron transport though an electrically-resistive, reaction-product layer by doping the layer with fine particulate carbon (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,773). Moreover, a more recently-proposed method (US-2012/0279357) for addressing passivation relies on the addition of an activated carbon catalyst to enhance the leach rate of arsenic-containing copper sulfides. Still other approaches have used silver-based catalytic leach systems for enhancing the copper dissolution rates in acidic ferric sulfate media (J. D. Miller, P. J. McDonough and. P. J. Portillo, Electrochemistry in Silver Catalyzed Ferric Sulfate Leaching of Chalcopyrite, in Process and Fundamental Considerations of Selected Hydrometallurgical Systems, M. C. Kuhn, Ed., SME-AIME, New York, pp. 327-338, 1981), while others have used silver-activated pyrite to accomplish similar results (U.S. Pat. No. 8,795,612). The Applicant has further recently proposed a method and process for the enhanced leaching of copper-bearing sulfide minerals which utilizes microwave irradiation during leaching to combat the adverse effects of passivation on leaching (WO2014074985A1).
[0007] Some have attempted to avoid the surface passivation reactions that plague the leaching of primary sulfides by chemical pre-treatment of chalcopyrite, to effect its complete conversion to more readily leached sulfide phases. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,644 (now abandoned) teaches toward complete conversion of chalcopyrite to covellite and pyrite, prior to leaching under oxidizing conditions; the conversion process being represented by the following equation:
[0000] CuFeS 2 +S°→CuS+FeS 2
[0008] To proceed at commercially viable rates, the reaction must be carried out at elevated temperatures 300-500° C.) and/or catalyzed by irradiation with microwaves. The degree of copper recovery during the leach process depends upon a complete and full degree of conversion of chalcopyrite to covellite, which makes the approach expensive and unattractive for large-scale commercial applications.
[0009] Still other prior art methods have attempted to increase leach rates and copper recoveries through the use of solid-state chemical metathesis of chalcopyrite to covellite, chalcocite, and digenite (Cu 1.8 S) (see, for example, G. M. Swinkels and R. M. G. S. Berezowsky, “The Sherritt-Cominco Copper Process—Part 1 The Process,” CIM Bulletin, February 1978, pp. 105-121; see also R. D. Peterson and M. E Wadsworth, “Solid, Solution Reactions in the Hydrothermal Enrichment of Chalcopyrite at Elevated Temperatures,” The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, EPD Congress, G. Warren Ed., pp. 275-291, 1994; and W. A. Yuill, D. B. Wilson, R. O. Armstrong and B. A. Krebs, “Copper Concentrate Enrichment Process,” presented at the AIME Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, Calif., February 1984). These solid-state reactions involve the replacement of iron within the chalcopyrite lattice by copper with the diffusion of iron through the product layer as the rate controlling step. Several of these approaches may be represented by the following equations:
[0000] CuFeS 2 +CuSO 4 →2CuS+FeSO 4
[0000] CuFeS 2 +3CuSO 4 +3FeSO 4 →2CuS 2 +4Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3
[0000] 5CuFeS 2 +11CuSO 4 +8H 2 O→8Cu 2 S+5FeSO 4 +8H 2 SO 4
[0000] 5CuS+3CuSO 4 +4SO 4 +4H 2 O→4Cu 2 S+4H 2 SO 4
[0000] 6CuS+3CuSO 4 +4H 2 O→5Cu 1.8 S+4H 2 SO 4
[0010] As with other prior art methods, with these approaches, there is a need to achieve near-complete conversion of chalcopyrite to the more readily-leached secondary sulfides. Additionally, these approaches require the use of high temperatures (e.g., 175-200° C.) under autoclave conditions to achieve the required degree of conversion. Even with the use of high temperatures, accompanied by ultra-fine grinding of the feed, reaction times of 10-100 hours are required to reach 40-90% conversion of chalcopyrite to secondary sulfides, which then need to be leached, adding additional hours on top of the 10-100 hour conversion process. Additionally, several of the approaches involve the production of acid which is problematic, because the production of acid involves the oxidation of sulfide to sulfate, thereby adding to the cost of the process.
[0011] Attempts to carry out chemical metathesis reactions under atmospheric conditions have seen little success (see H -J. Sohn and M. E. Wadsworth, “Chemical Conversion of Chalcopyrite to Copper Sulfides,” SME-RIME Annual Meeting, Los Angeles Calif., Feb. 26-Mar. 1, 1984). Reactions at lower temperatures require pre-grinding of the feed in attritor mills for one hour or longer, and reaction conditions of 0.5 wt. % solids, making low-temperature metathesis uneconomical. Even at 90° C., reaction times in excess of 60 hours were required in order to reach chalcopyrite conversion levels of 70-75%. Furthermore, such approaches are also plagued by parasitic side reactions which consume CuSO 4 to yield undesirable products like Cu 1.8 S.
[0012] The present invention departs from all prior art methods involving the copper metathesis of chalcopyrite in that the effectiveness of the novel metathesis systems and methods disclosed herein is, to a large part, independent of the degree of completion of the conversion during the metathesis reaction and the ability to control the reaction to produce an iron-depleted metastable phase that is intermediate between chalcopyrite and covellite. In fact, with the novel metathesis systems and methods disclosed herein, much less than full conversion is required, and as little as less than 5% conversion of chalcopyrite to a metastable non-stoichiometric binary metal sulfide phase is required for favorable copper recovery.
[0013] The inventive activation process is: 1) rapid—requiring very little time or only a few minutes to complete, 2) able to function efficiently at moderate temperatures (e.g., less than about 90-100° C. or the melt temperature of elemental sulfur), 3) able to operate efficiently at high solids concentrations, 4) operates at moderate pH values (e.g., 2-6), 5) capable of enabling chalcopyrite dissolution to levels in excess of 90-95% in 6-9 hours or less, without limitation. Additionally, the inventive activation process is free of parasitic side reactions which could consume Cu ++ .
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0014] It is, therefore, an object of some embodiments, to provide a reductive activation circuit for improving the hydrometallurgical processing of primary metal sulfides which promotes rapid metal dissolution in a downstream oxidative leach circuit.
[0015] It is also an object of some embodiments of the present invention, to provide a reductive activation circuit for improving, the hydrometallurgical processing of primary metal sulfides, wherein metal dissolution in a downstream oxidative leach circuit may be able to function efficiently at low to moderate temperatures below the melting point of sulfur.
[0016] It is yet even another object of some embodiments, to provide a reductive activation circuit for improving the hydrometallurgical processing of primary metal sulfides, which may be capable of enabling chalcopyrite dissolution in a downstream oxidative leach circuit to levels in excess of 90-95% within approximately 1-10 hours, for example, within approximately 1.5-6 hours or within approximately 2-5 hours.
[0017] It is also an object of some embodiments, to provide a reductive activation circuit for improving the hydrometallurgical processing of primary metal sulfides, such that metal dissolution in a downstream oxidative leach circuit may be substantially free of parasitic side reactions which might consume Cu++.
[0018] It is also an object of some embodiments of the present invention, to improve leach kinetics and metal recovery through the employment of a reductive activation circuit upstream of an oxidative leach circuit.
[0019] It is a further object of some embodiments, to provide a reductive activation circuit prior to an oxidative leach circuit; wherein the reductive activation circuit may be configured to induce lattice strain and alter the electrochemical properties within leach particles through small levels of conversion to one or more transitory/transitionary, metastable, non stoichiometric binary metal sulfide phases.
[0020] According to yet further objects of some embodiments, the efficiency of tank or vat leaching operations may be improved through the provision of a reductive activation circuit configured for reductively activating an ore prior to a tank or vat leaching circuit.
[0021] It is further desired to mitigate the effects of mechanical and/or electrochemical passivation by employing reductive activation techniques within a reductive activation circuit prior to oxidative leaching in an oxidative leach circuit.
[0022] It is another object of some embodiments to mitigate the effects of mechanical and/or electrochemical passivation within oxidative leach circuits by employing mechano-chemical/physico-chemical activation techniques within a reductive activation circuit.
[0023] These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings and description herein. Although every object of the invention is believed to be attained by at least one embodiment of the invention, there is not necessarily any one embodiment of the invention that achieves all of the objects of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0024] A metal sulfide leach circuit 200 having therein, a reductive activation circuit 220 configured for performing low-yield metathesis reactions which are capable of producing an iron-depleted metastable phase on metal sulfide leach particles is disclosed.
[0025] According to some embodiments, the reductive activation circuit 220 is configured such that the low-yield metathesis reactions produce the iron-depleted metastable phase at outer surface portions of the metal sulfide leach particles. According to some embodiments, the reductive activation circuit 220 is configured such that the low-yield metathesis reactions produce the iron-depleted metastable phase at inner portions of the metal sulfide leach particles which are below outer surface portions of the metal sulfide leach particles. According to some embodiments, the reductive activation circuit 220 is configured such that the low-yield metathesis reactions produce point defects within a portion of each of the metal sulfide leach particles. According to some embodiments, the reductive activation circuit 220 is configured such that the low-yield metathesis reactions produce point defects substantially entirely throughout the metal sulfide leach particles. According to some embodiments, a portion of the iron-depleted metastable phase comprises an intermediate phase between chalcopyrite and covellite. According to some embodiments, a portion of the iron-depleted metastable phase is transitory, transitionary, or metastable.
[0026] According to some embodiments, the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 comprises means for controlling the low-yield metathesis reactions to limit the production of the iron-depleted metastable phase on die metal sulfide leach particles to between about 0.01% and about 10% by weight or volume of the metal sulfide leach particles. According to some embodiments, the low-yield metathesis reactions may be controlled so as to limit the production of an iron-depleted metastable phase on metal sulfide leach particles to between about 0.01% and about 5.0% by weight or volume of the metal sulfide leach particles. According to some embodiments, the low-yield metathesis reactions may be controlled so as to limit the production of an iron-depleted metastable phase on metal sulfide leach particles to between about 0.01% and about 4.0% by weight or volume of the metal sulfide leach particles. According to some embodiments, the low-yield metathesis reactions may be controlled so as to limit the production of an iron-depleted metastable phase on metal sulfide leach particles to between about 0.01% and about 3.0% by weight or volume of the metal sulfide leach particles. According to some embodiments, the low-yield metathesis reactions may be controlled so as to limit the production of an iron-depleted metastable phase on metal sulfide leach particles to between about 0.01% and about 10% by weight or volume of the metal sulfide leach particles. According to some embodiments, the low-yield metathesis reactions may be controlled so as to limit the production of an iron-depleted metastable phase on metal sulfide leach particles to between about 0.01% and about 1.0% by weight or volume of the metal sulfide leach particles. According to some embodiments, the low-yield metathesis reactions may be controlled so as to limit the production of an iron-depleted metastable phase on metal sulfide leach particles to between about 0.01% and about 0.5% by weight or volume of the metal sulfide leach particles. According to some embodiments, the low-yield metathesis reactions may be controlled so as to limit the production of an iron-depleted metastable phase on metal sulfide leach particles to between about 0.01% and about 0.1% by weight or volume of the metal sulfide leach particles.
[0027] According to some embodiments, the reductive activation circuit 220 comprises at least one stirred-tank reactor 202 . According to some embodiments, the reductive activation circuit 220 comprises at least one shear-tank reactor 212 . According to sonic embodiments, the at least one stirred-tank reactor 202 and at least one shear-tank reactor are configured in series within the reductive activation circuit 220 . According to some embodiments, the at least one stirred-tank reactor 202 and the at least one shear-tank reactor are configured in parallel within the reductive activation circuit 220 . According to some embodiments, the at least one shear-tank reactor 212 is disposed within the at least one stirred-tank reactor within the reductive activation circuit 220 .
[0028] According to some embodiments, the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 further comprises an oxidative leach circuit 240 for leaching the metal sulfide leach particles comprising the iron-depleted metastable phase. According to some embodiments, the oxidative leach circuit 240 comprises at least one stirred-tank reactor 202 . According to some embodiments, the oxidative leach circuit 240 comprises at least one shear-tank reactor 212 .
[0029] According to some embodiments, the at least one stirred-tank reactor 202 and at least one shear-tank reactor are configured in series within the oxidative leach circuit 240 . According to some embodiments, at least one stirred-tank reactor 202 and at least one shear-tank reactor are configured in parallel within the oxidative leach circuit 240 . According to some embodiments, at least one shear-tank reactor 212 is disposed within at least one stirred-tank reactor within the oxidative leach circuit 240 .
[0030] According to some embodiments, oxidative dissolution within the oxidative leach circuit 240 is substantially independent of the degree of completion of the conversion of the metal sulfide particles to the iron-depleted metastable phase.
[0031] According to some embodiments, a filter is provided between the reductive activation circuit 220 and the oxidative leach circuit 240 . According to some embodiments, the filter is configured to remove iron from the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 .
[0032] According to some embodiments, a residence time of the metal sulfide leach particles in the reductive activation circuit 220 is less than 1 hour. According to some embodiments, a residence time of the metal sulfide leach particles in the reductive activation circuit 220 is less than 30 minutes. According to sonic embodiments, a residence time of the metal sulfide leach particles in the reductive activation circuit 220 is less than 15 minutes. According to some embodiments, a residence time of the metal sulfide leach particles in the reductive activation circuit 220 is less than 10 minutes. According to some embodiments, a residence time of the metal sulfide leach particles in the reductive activation circuit 220 is less than 5 minutes.
[0033] According to some embodiments, a portion of the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 is maintained at a temperature which is less than the melt temperature of elemental sulfur. According to some embodiments, a portion of the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 is maintained at a temperature which is less than about 100° C. According to some embodiments, a portion of the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 is maintained at a temperature which is less than about 90° C. According to some embodiments, a portion of the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 is maintained at a temperature which is less than about 80° C.
[0034] According to some embodiments, a portion of the reductive activation circuit 220 operates at solids concentrations exceeding 10% solids. According to some embodiments, a portion of the reductive activation circuit 220 operates at solids concentrations exceeding 15% solids. According to some embodiments, a portion of the reductive activation circuit 220 operates at solids concentrations exceeding 20% solids. According to some embodiments, a portion of the reductive activation circuit 220 operates at solids concentrations exceeding 25% solids. According to some embodiments, a portion of the reductive activation circuit 220 operates at solids concentrations exceeding 30% solids. According to some embodiments, a portion of the reductive activation circuit 220 operates at solids concentrations exceeding 35% solids. According to some embodiments, a portion of the reductive activation circuit 220 operates at solids concentrations exceeding 40% solids. According to some embodiments, a portion of the reductive activation circuit 220 operates at solids concentrations exceeding 50% solids. According to some embodiments, a portion of the reductive activation circuit 220 operates at solids concentrations exceeding 60% solids.
[0035] According to some embodiments, the reductive activation circuit 220 operates at pH values between about 1 and about 6. According to some embodiments, the reductive activation circuit 220 operates at pH values between about 2 and about 6. According to some embodiments, the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 is configured for achieving chalcopyrite dissolution levels in excess of 90% in 9 hours or less. According to some embodiments, the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 is configured for achieving chalcopyrite dissolution levels excess of 90% in 6 hours or less. According to some embodiments, the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 is configured for achieving chalcopyrite dissolution levels in excess of 95% in 9 hours or less. According to some embodiments, the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 is configured for achieving chalcopyrite dissolution levels in excess of 95% in 6 hours or less. According to some embodiments, chalcopyrite dissolution is performed at atmospheric or substantially atmospheric conditions. According to some embodiments, an activation process within the reductive activation circuit 220 is substantially free of parasitic side reactions which consume Cu++.
[0036] According to some embodiments, the at least one shear-tank reactor 212 operates at a mixing energy higher than a mixing energy of the stirred-tank reactor 202 . According to some embodiments, the at least one stirred-tank reactor 202 operates at a mixing energy between approximately 0.1 and 0.5 kW/m3. According to some embodiments, the at least one shear-tank reactor 212 operates at a mixing energy between approximately 5 and 100 kW/m3. According to some embodiments, the volumetric ratio of the at least one shear-tank reactor 212 to the at least one stirred-tank reactor 202 is between approximately 1:2 and 1:200. According to some embodiments, the volumetric ratio of the at least one shear-tank reactor 212 to the at least one stirred-tank reactor 202 is between approximately 1:4 and 1:100. According to some embodiments, the at least one shear-tank reactor 212 comprises grinding media, one or more high-shear impellers, or one or more high-shear rotor-stator couplings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] To complement the description which is being made, and for the purpose of aiding to better understand the features of the invention, a set of drawings illustrating preferred apparatus and methods of using the same is attached to the present specification as an integral part thereof, in which the following has been depicted with an illustrative and non-limiting character. It should be understood that like reference numbers used in the drawings (if any are used) may identify like components.
[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a non limiting, exemplary metal recovery flowsheet which might employ certain aspects of the invention, wherein a reductive activation circuit 220 is employed, for example, upstream of oxidative leach circuit 240 . Novel shear-tank reactors 212 may optionally be employed to the reductive activation circuit 202 as shown, without limitation. One or more stirred-tank reactors 202 may be employed in the reductive activation circuit 220 as shown.
[0039] FIGS. 2-5 illustratively show results obtained via bench-scale testing using the circuit shown in FIG. 6 , wherein feed concentrate was activated within a reductive activation circuit to produce particles comprising a transitory/transitionary metastable non-stoichiometric binary metal sulfide phase.
[0040] FIGS. 2 and 4 show results of oxidatively leaching activated concentrates, according to certain embodiments.
[0041] FIG. 3 shows copper uptake during activation within a reductive activation circuit, according to certain embodiments.
[0042] FIG. 5 suggests a range of reaction rates for leaching enargite according to certain embodiments.
[0043] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a non-limiting, exemplary circuit which may be used to obtain batch leach test measurements.
[0044] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a non-limiting, exemplary flowsheet which might employ certain embodiments of the invention.
[0045] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating, in more detail, a portion of the non-limiting, exemplary flowsheet shown in FIG. 7 , wherein a reductive activation/pretreatment step may be performed prior to an oxidative atmospheric (or substantially atmospheric) metal sulfide leach process.
[0046] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system and method of providing a reductive activation step prior to an oxidative atmospheric, substantially atmospheric, or above-atmospheric metal sulfide leach, according to some embodiments.
[0047] In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to drawings in conjunction with exemplary embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0048] The following description of the non-limiting embodiments shown in the drawings is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the inventions disclosed herein, their applications, or uses.
[0049] FIG. 1 suggests a metal sulfide leach circuit 200 of a metal recovery flowsheet 110 , wherein concentrate 1 (e.g., a flotation concentrate 116 from a sulfide concentrator 100 ) enters a re-pulp tank (labeled “Repulp”), wherein additional acid and/or oxygen (not shown) may be added to the re-pulp tank. Re-pulped concentrate 2 may enter a grinding operation. The grinding operation (labeled “Regrind”) may optionally comprise one or more shear-tank reactors 212 arranged in series, or it may comprise a number of mills, such as fine grinding mills. Re-ground slurry 3 leaving the grinding operation enters a reductive activation circuit 220 within the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 . The reductive activation circuit 220 may comprise one or more stirred-tank reactors 202 , which may optionally have sparging means equipped to sparge a reactant gas, liquid, or gas/liquid combination 301 , 302 therein. As shown, more than one stirred-tank reactor 202 may be employed within the reductive activation circuit 220 , without limitation. As shown, stirred-tank reactors 202 may be arranged in series, without limitation.
[0050] hi some embodiments, one, some, or all portions of the activation circuit 220 may be fed with a copper source. For example, in some embodiments, one or more stilted-tank reactors 202 within the reductive activation circuit 220 may be operatively fed by a feed stream 72 comprising copper. In some embodiments, one or more shear-tank reactors 212 within the reductive activation circuit 220 may be operatively fed by a feed stream 72 comprising copper. In some embodiments, the re-pulp tank may be operatively fed by a feed stream 72 comprising copper. In some embodiments, the grinding operation may be operatively fed by a feed stream 72 comprising copper. The source of the copper in the feed stream 72 may comprise, without limitation, copper sulfate derived from off-spec copper cathode, raffinate comprising copper, electrolyte comprising copper, pregnant leach solution comprising copper (e.g., pregnant leach liquor from a copper heap leach operation), or the like, without limitation.
[0051] Optionally, one or more shear-tank reactors 212 (labeled “SMRt”) may optionally be employed within the reductive activation circuit 220 . While not shown, a shear-tank reactor 212 may be arranged in series between stirred-tank reactors 202 , e.g., in an inter-stage configuration, without limitation. While not shown, a shear-tank reactor 212 may be arranged inside of a stirred-tank reactor 202 , e.g., in an in-situ configuration, without limitation. In some embodiments, as shown, a shear-tank reactor 212 may be arranged in parallel with a stirred-tank reactor 202 , in an intra-stage configuration, without limitation. In this regard, a shear-tank reactor 212 may process slurry 100 leaving, a stirred-tank reactor 202 , and return shear-processed slurry 212 back to the same respective stirred-tank reactor 202 . In some embodiments, a shear-tank reactor 212 may be arranged in series with another shear-tank reactor 212 , without limitation.
[0052] Slurry 5 leaving the reductive activation circuit 220 may enter a filter (labeled “Filter”), where a liquid component 74 may be separated from a solid component 6 . The liquid component 74 may comprise iron and processing solution used in the reductive activation circuit 220 . The filter may, accordingly, be utilized to bleed iron from the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 . Activated particles within the solid component 6 may then enter an oxidative leach circuit 240 . As shown, the oxidative leach circuit 240 may comprise at least one stirred-tank reactor 202 . The at least one stirred-tank reactor 202 may receive raffinate 73 (e.g., from a solvent/extraction process). The at least one stilled-tank reactor 202 may comprise sparging means equipped to sparge a reactant gas, liquid, or gas/liquid combination 303 . Oxidatively-processed slurry 7 continues downstream. As suggested in FIG. 8 , and taught in co-pending application PCT/US2015/061761, the oxidative leach circuit 240 may comprise one or more shear-tank reactors 212 , without limitation.
[0053] Turning to FIG. 7 , a metal recovery flowsheet 110 may comprise a unit operation 112 having therein, a sulfide concentrator 100 and a metal sulfide leach circuit 200 . The metal sulfide leach circuit 200 may receive raffinate 206 from a solvent extraction operation, and may deliver pregnant leach solution 204 to a solvent extraction operation. Optionally, precious metals may be recovered from leach residue from the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 .
[0054] Turning now to FIG. 8 , concentrate 116 leaving the sulfide concentrator 100 may enter an optional re-grind step 216 in a metal sulfide leach circuit 200 . The concentrate 116 or re-ground concentrate leaving the optional re-grind step 216 is processed in a reductive activation circuit 220 within the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 . The reductive activation circuit 220 may comprise a number of stirred-tank reactors 202 and/or a number of shear-tank reactors 212 as shown, without limitation. Slurry 231 leaving the reductive activation circuit 220 may enter an optional re-grind step 216 . The slurry 231 or re-ground slurry leaving the optional re-grind step 216 may then be processed in an oxidative leach circuit 240 within the metal sulfide leach circuit 200 . The oxidative leach circuit 220 may comprise a number of stirred-tank reactors 202 and/or a number of shear-tank reactors 212 as shown, without limitation. A portion of raffinate 206 may optionally be sent back to one or more portions of the reductive activation circuit 220 as a copper source.
[0055] In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to drawings in conjunction with exemplary embodiments.
EXAMPLE 1
[0056] In this Example we describe the use of a unique Physico-chemical activation process, involving the use of a shear-tank reactor 212 , to enhance the oxidative leaching of chalcopyrite under atmospheric conditions to produce greater than 97% copper recoveries in under 4 hours.
[0057] Contrary to prior approaches which focused on high-yield metathesis reactions for complete conversions of chalcopyrite to other copper sulfides in order to facilitate secondary sulfide leaching, the inventors have unexpectedly discovered that low-yield metathesis reactions are much more effective and economical for leaching primary metal sulfides. These low-yield metatheses reactions may be advantageously utilized as a pre-activation process via a reductive activation circuit 220 , prior to oxidative leaching in an oxidative leach circuit 240 . Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide a reductive activation circuit 220 which is adequately configured to produce these low-yield metathesis products.
[0058] While not being held to any one particular theory, it is believed that the unexpectedly improved efficiency during oxidative leaching is achieved because embodiments of the inventive method have been shown to produce modified metal sulfide particles comprising a novel synthetic transitory/transitionary metastable non-stoichiometric binary metal sulfide phase which avoids parasitic side reactions found in prior art methods using high-yield metathesis reactions. Moreover, it is believed that the unexpectedly improved efficiency may be because with embodiments of the inventive method, leach kinetics and metal recovery during oxidative dissolution are, beyond a certain point, independent of the degree of solid state conversion of the modified metal sulfide particles. Preferred embodiments of the present inventive method, therefore, require only low-yield metathesis which can be conducted under atmospheric conditions, in short periods of time (e.g., from several hours to as little as only several minutes). This Example illustrates a two-stage process coupling Physico-Chemical activation with oxidative dissolution. In stage one, the primary sulfide (e.g., chalcopyrite) is treated reductively to only partially convert a small amount of chalcopyrite to an activated, non-stoichiometric product covellite, wherein iron is only partially exchanged by copper as illustrated by the equation:
[0000] Cu x Fe y S 2 +ZCuSO 4 →Cu x+z Fe y−z S 2 +ZFeSO 4
[0059] The fractional extent of conversion to the activated product is calculated as (Z/X).
[0060] In the present method, exposed surfaces of the chalcopyrite mineral phases are at least partially converted to a meta-stable, non-stoichiometric binary metal sulfide with the avoidance of parasitic side reactions that are characteristic of prior art methods. Without being held to any particular theory, we believe that partial conversion leads to the generation of point defects and to extensive crystal lattice strain, both of which in turn lead to enhanced oxidative leaching of chalcopyrite during stage two of the inventive method. Evidence for lattice strain was clearly visible as peak broadening in the x-ray diffraction pattern of the activated product.
[0061] In this example, a setup such as that shown in FIG. 6 was utilized, wherein a shear-tank reactor 212 was operatively coupled to a stirred-tank reactor 202 . The shear-tank reactor 212 was configured as a stirred media reactor comprising grinding media. The only copper-bearing mineral in the copper concentrate feed was chalcopyrite. The P80 of the copper concentrate was 61 μm. The Physico-Chemical activation was conducted at 8% solids, pH≈1.8 and 80° C. The concentrate slurry contained an initial 2 g L − 1 total iron, 22.6 g L −1 copper as copper sulfate. During the course of the Physico-Chemical activation process, iron within the chalcopyrite lattice was exchanged by copper in solution. During the activation step, the slurry redox potential dropped from about 565 mV to about 540 mV due to the release of Fe 2+ . After 5.5 hours, the residual copper concentration in solution was about 16.8 g L −1 , giving an estimated conversion of chalcopyrite to covellite. of approximately 29%. XRD analysis of the reaction product showed the absence of secondary, parasitic reaction products like Cu 2 S which are present in prior art metathesis processes.
[0062] Although prior art methods have employed high-yield chemical metathesis reactions in which chalcopyrite is converted to copper sulfides, such as CuS, Cu 2 S, etc., as a potential method for improving copper concentrate grades prior to treatment by pyrometallurgical processes (see for example R. D. Peterson and M. E. Wadsworth, “Solid, Solution Reactions in the Hydrothermal Enrichment of Chalcopyrite at Elevated Temperatures,” EPD Congress 1994, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, pp. 275-291), embodiments of the present invention require only partial amounts of metastatic conversion, with the unexpected benefits of a metathesis reaction that avoids parasitic side reactions, and enhances oxidative dissolution of even un-converted, but surface-modified, chalcopyrite.
EXAMPLE 2
[0063] In this Example we further describe the use of Physico-Chemical activation to enhance the oxidative leaching of chalcopyrite. In stage one, the chalcopyrite is treated reductively to partially convert chalcopyrite to a metastable, non-stoichiometric binary copper sulfide according to the following reaction stoichiometry:
[0000] Cu x Fe y S 2 +ZCuSO 4 →Cu x+z Fe y−z S 2 +ZFeSO 4
[0064] The reductive activation was conducted completely within a shear-tank reactor 212 at 80° C., a solids concentration of 15%, pH≈1.8, and enough copper sulfate to yield approximately 6.5% conversion of chalcopyrite. In this example, the shear-tank reactor was configured as a stirred media reactor comprising grinding media. The molar ratio of the initial solution copper to soluble iron which was contained within the concentrate feed was 0.066. The chalcopyrite concentrate, having a particle size distribution with a P80 of 17.5 μm, along with 2.5 g L −1 copper sulfate and 2 g L −1 ferrous sulfate were charged into the shear-tank reactor and the chalcopyrite was reductively activated with Cu 2° for one hour.
[0065] The total mixing energy during the activation step was 72 kW·h/tonne. Concomitantly, the soluble-copper concentration dropped from about 2.5 g L −1 to below detection as a result of the solid-state exchange reaction between cupric ion and ferrous ion located within the chalcopyrite crystal lattice.
[0066] The theoretical yield of the exchange reaction was 6.5%, relative to the initial amount of chalcopyrite present. While the exchange reaction in this test as allowed to continue for about an hour, the soluble copper was depleted within about 15-20 min. This indicates that Shorter reaction films (i.e., less than about 5 min.) might be equally effective and suggests that the mixing energy in this step could be reduced from 72 kW·h/tonne to under 25-100 kW·h/tonne.
[0067] At the completion of the Physico-Chemical activation, the slurry was transferred to the stirred-tank 202 reactor and the copper was leached oxidatively with O 2 sparging. The slurry Eh increased from less than 50 mV to approximately 650-655 mV during the course of the copper dissolution stage. The leach liquor was an acidic ferric sulfate lixiviant comprising 20 g L −1 iron and an initial acid concentration of 44 g L −1 . The pH was allowed to rise during the course of the test. In this Example, the contents of the stirred-tank reactor 202 were recirculated through the shear-tank reactor 212 only during the oxidative leach stage.
[0068] The resulting leach data are shown in FIG. 2 . Greater than 98% copper recovery was achieved in about 1.5 hours after the start of the oxidative leach. This Example demonstrates that only partial surface conversion of chalcopyrite to a non-stoichiometric, metastable copper binary sulfide through the Physico-Chemical activation process is sufficient and optimal for achieving rapid copper dissolution from refractory minerals like chalcopyrite.
[0069] The present inventive method significantly departs from prior art (e.g., “The Sherritt-Cominco Copper Process—Part I: The Process,” G. M. Swinkels and R. M. G. S. Berezowsky, CIM Bulletin, February, 1978, pp. 105-121 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,816,105) wherein the required high levels of iron removal (i.e., 50-70%) from chalcopyrite necessitates reaction temperatures in excess of 150° C. and activation reaction times in excess of an hour. At these prior art-required temperatures, the following reactions involving bornite and chalcopyrite occur:
[0000] Cu 5 FeSO 4 +CuSO 4 →2Cu 2 S+2CuS+FeSO 4
[0000] CuFe 2 +CuSO 4 →2CuS+FeSO 4
[0000] Along with the undesirable side reaction:
[0000] 5CuS+3CuSO 4 +4H 2 O→4Cu 2 S+4H 2 SO 4
[0070] In the Sherritt-Cominco Copper Process, an activated copper concentrate is subsequently pressure leached at temperatures above 100° C. A distinguishing drawback from such prior art methods, is the fact that unless the O 2 overpressure is significant, copper dissolution from chalcopyrite within the activated copper concentrate is limited to reactions involving only chalcocite (Cu 2 S).
[0071] In the Sherritt-Cominco Copper Process, unreacted chalcopyrite from the activated copper concentrate is “not amenable to further treatment by either an activation leach or an oxidative leach” unless significant O 2 overpressures are used. This is contrary to the present invention, wherein atmospheric pressures and temperatures below about 100° C. are sufficient to achieve greater than 97% copper recovery within about 1-5 hours.
[0072] Unlike prior art methods, embodiments of the present inventive low-yield metathesis methods require only a few percent conversion of chalcopyrite to CuS by a Physico-Chemical activation process, wherein the conversion process may be prematurely stopped with little detriment during oxidative dissolution. Furthermore, the Physico-Chemical activation process does not produce undesirable, parasitic side reactions, such as the production of chalcocite, which serve only to consume copper sulfate.
EXAMPLE 3
[0073] This Example illustrates the use of a Physico-Chemical activation process to enhance chalcopyrite dissolution by atmospheric, acidic ferric sulfate leaching. Test conditions were identical to Example 2, except the residence time in the shear-tank reactor 212 during Physico-Chemical activation was limited to the time it took for complete copper uptake by the chalcopyrite concentrate. The rate of copper uptake by the concentrate is shown in FIG. 3 . Reduction of the soluble copper concentration to below the detection limit was complete within about 15-17 minutes. A total mixing energy for the shear-tank reactor 212 of about 20 kW·h/tonne had been expended during the activation stage. After completing the Physico-Chemical activation, the slurry was transferred to a stirred-tank reactor 202 as shown in FIG. 6 , with a lixiviant composition of 20 g L −1 ferric, and 49 g L −1 H 2 SO 4 and the copper was leached oxidatively at 80° C. The activated slurry was recirculated between the stirred-tank reactor 202 and the shear-tank reactor 212 at the rate of 0.5 L min −1 . Greater than 97% copper dissolution was achieved in about 2.5 hours after the start of the oxidative leach process (see FIG. 4 ).
[0074] An additional, unexpected possible benefit of Physico-Chemical activation is the marked absence of frothing during the oxidative leaching of chalcopyrite. This is in contrast to prior art methods Which have been plagued by frothing, which makes it difficult to control oxygen delivery and particle residence times within the leach vessel(s) (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,635).
[0075] In some preferred embodiments, most or all of the reductive processing may occur at atmospheric pressure conditions e.g., chemical, processing occurring within one or more stirred-tank reactors 202 ). Dissolved copper may be provided to enable or facilitate the reductive activation process. The amount of dissolved copper provided should preferably be sufficient to complete the desired degree of conversion from the primary metal sulfide to the metastable, non-stoichiometric binary metal sulfide. The residence time required to complete the activation processing may typically be between approximately 5 and 60 minutes. For example, a residence time of approximately 10-45 minutes, or a residence time of approximately 15-30 minutes, such as 20 minutes, may be sufficient for a residence time of metal sulfide particles within a reductive activation circuit 220 , prior to moving on to a downstream oxidative leach circuit 240 . The activated metal sulfide concentrate may he optionally re-ground in step 216 , or sent directly to an oxidative leach circuit 240 .
[0076] Pregnant leach solution (PLS) created during the atmospheric or substantially atmospheric leaching of the metal sulfide concentrate may be sent from the oxidative leach circuit 240 to a downstream solvent extraction/electrowinning (SX/EW) circuit, direct electrowinning (D/EW) process, or continuous direct electrowinning (CD/EW) operation, without limitation.
[0077] Raffinate may be recycled from the respective solvent extraction/electrowinning (SX/EW) circuit, direct electrowinning (D/EW) process, or continuous direct electrowinning (CD/EW) operation, and sent back to the oxidative leach circuit 240 . Leach residues formed within the atmospheric or substantially atmospheric metal sulfide leach circuit 200 may optionally be sent to a precious metals recovery circuit and/or ultimately to a leach residues disposal area. While not expressly shown, leach residue sulfur lay be internally or externally processed/recovered/removed, in order to create sulfuric acid for pH control or for re-supplying the leach processes within the metal recovery flowsheet 110 , such as the reductive activation circuit 220 and/or the oxidative leach circuit 240 . Manufactured sulfuric acid produced from the elemental sulfur may also be sent to another unit operation(s) or may be sold or distributed outside of the flowsheet, as a salable byproduct to help offset flowsheet operating costs.
[0078] In some embodiments, a bleed stream may be separated from the main flow of reductively-activated product. The bleed stream may enter a solid/liquid separation circuit which may comprise equipment such as a filter, thickener, centrifuge, cyclone, dewatering screen, or the like, without limitation. The solid fraction leaving the solid/liquid separation circuit may be recombined with the activated concentrate to be processed in the oxidative leach circuit 240 . The liquid fraction leaving the solid/liquid separation circuit may optionally enter one or more downstream processes for recovering other metals or impurities removal, without limitation.
[0079] “Reductive activation”, “reductive processing”, or “reductive (pre)treatment” where described herein, may comprise any metathesis or pre-treatment step, process, system, or device which is capable of converting at least a portion of a leach particle from a first mineral phase to a second transitory/transitionary mineral phase. For example, a reductive pretreatment step may be configured to change or convert an outer surface of a leach particle from a primary metal sulfide (e.g., chalcopyrite) to a synthetic metastable non-stoichiometric binary metal sulfide phase which differs from chalcopyrite and covellite. In some embodiments, a reductive activation step may completely or partially modify, disturb, damage, or alter the crystal lattice of a leach particle sufficiently to enhance the oxidative dissolution process whereby the leach time to reach approximately 95% metal recovery from a metal sulfide concentrate can be achieved in about 6 hours or less.
[0080] In some instances, chalcopyrite leach particles may undergo a reductive activation/pre-treatment step in the one or more stirred tank reactors 202 within the reductive activation circuit 220 , wherein at least a portion of the outer surface product layers of the chalcopyrite leach particles may be at least partially transformed to a transitory/transitionary mineral phase comprising a metastable non-stoichiometric binary metal sulfide phase, wherein the chalcopyrite leach particles are not fully converted to a secondary metal sulfide phase. For example, less than about half of each particle may be converted to said transformed transitory transitionary mineral phase, and more preferably, less than about 10% of each particle by weight, volume, or outer surface area may be converted to said transformed transitory/transitionary mineral phase, and therefore, residence time of the metal sulfide concentrate within the reductive activation circuit 270 may be kept to a minimum.
[0081] In some most preferred instances, the activation may require conversion of 0.01 to 5.0% of the primary sulfide; or alternatively may require conversion of 0.01 to 4.0% of the primary metal sulfide; or alternatively may require conversion of 0.01 to 3.0% of the primary sulfide; or alternatively may require conversion of 0.1 to 2.0% of the primary sulfide; or alternatively may require conversion of 0.1 to 1.0% of the primary sulfide; for example conversion of as little as 0.5 to 0.8% of the primary sulfide. The extent of conversion to the synthetic metastable non-stoichiometric binary metal sulfide phase is carried out so as to introduce a sufficient amount of point defects substantially throughout portions of an activated particle or substantially throughout the entirety of an activated particle, without incurring unnecessary operating expenditures (OPEX).
[0082] Redox potential may, in some instances, vary within the reductive activation process as a function of time or within various stirred-tank reactors 202 . In some instances, reductive processing within portions of the reductive activation circuit 220 may comprise a different pH than a pH maintained during oxidative dissolution within portions of the subsequent oxidative leach circuit 240 . Where redox potential within the reductive activation circuit 220 approaches an Eh regime of the oxidative leach circuit 240 , then pH is a determining factor; wherein higher pH's (e.g., above a pKa of sulfate-bisulfate) will favor metathesis reactions activation processes, and lower pH's (e.g., below a pKa of sulfate-bisulfate) will favor oxidative dissolution reactions. However, in many cases, devices 202 , 212 within the reductive activation circuit 220 will comprise a different redox potential than devices 202 , 212 within the subsequent oxidative leach circuit 240 . For example, the measured redox potential within devices 202 , 212 of the reductive activation circuit 220 may fall within the range of approximately 200 mV (SHE) to about 650 mV (SHE), for example between about 200 mV and 450 mV (SHE), between about 400 mV and 650 mV (SHE) or between about 500 mV and 650 mV (SHE), without limitation; wherein portions of the metal sulfide particles (e.g., chalcopyrite leach particles) may be converted to a transitory/transitionary mineral phase comprising a metastable, nonstoichiometric binary metal sulfide phase. Measured redox potential within devices 202 , 212 of the oxidative leach circuit 240 , may fall within the range of approximately 600 mV (SHE) to about 800 mV (SHE), for example between about 650 mV and 750 mV (SHE) or between about 600 mV and 750 mV (SHE), without limitation. These redox potentials may change or fluctuate with time or depending on the composition of concentrate 1 and/or the metal value desired to be recovered from the concentrate 1 . The reductive activation circuit 220 may maintain a reductive environment at a redox potential between 200 mV (SHE) and 650 mV (SHE) with simultaneous pH control, and the combination of pH and redox may be maintained in such a manner so as to produce a reductively-activated concentrate or metal sulfide product comprising a metastable non-stoichiometric binary metal sulfide phase.
[0083] In some embodiments, the metal sulfide concentrate (e.g., copper sulfide concentrate) may comprise residual flotation reagents. In some preferred embodiments, the metal sulfide comprises copper in the form of Chalcopyrite (CuFeS 2 ), and/or Covellite (CuS). However, it should be known that other metal-bearing minerals occurring in combination with metal sulfides (e.g., including Acanthite Ag 2 S, Chalcocite Cu 2 S, Bornite Cu 5 FeS 4 , Enargite Cu 3 AsS 4 , Tennamite Cu 12 As 4 S 13 , Tetrahedrite Cu 3 SbS 3 .x(Fe, Zn) 6 Sb 2 S 9 , Galena, PbS, Sphalerite ZnS, Chalcopyrite CuFeS 2 , Pyrrhotite Fe 1−x , Millerite NiS, Pentiandite (Fe,Ni) 9 S 8 , Cinnabar HgS, Realgar AsS, Orpiment As 2 S 3 , Stibnite Sb 2 S 3 , Pyrite FeS 2 , Marcasite FeS 2 , Molybdenite MoS 2 , Malachite CuCO 3 .Cu(OH) 2 , Azurite 2CuCO 3 .Cu(OH) 2 , Cuprite Cu 2 O, Chrysocolla CuO.SiO 2 .2H 2 O) may be used with the disclosed systems and methods.
[0084] In some embodiments, portions of the atmospheric or substantially atmospheric metal sulfide leach circuit 200 , such as the plurality of stirred-tank reactors within the oxidative leach circuit 240 , may be maintained below a pH of about 1.8 (e.g., between a pH of 0.5 and a pH of about 1.2).
[0085] In some preferred embodiments, the atmospheric or substantially atmospheric metal sulfide leach 200 may be maintained at a temperature which is below the melting point of elemental sulfur, so as to control passivation of the leaching particles (e.g., prevent smearing of sulfur onto leach particle surfaces).
[0086] It should be known that the particular features, processes, and benefits which are shown and described herein in detail are purely exemplary in nature and should not limit the scope of the invention. For example, where used herein, and in related co-pending applications referenced herein, the term “atmospheric leach” may comprise leaching under very small amounts of pressure which are close, but not exactly, ambient. In other words, while it is most preferred that “atmospheric” leaching is performed completely open to air, it is anticipated by the inventors that some best modes of leaching using the inventive concepts may incorporate the use of a plurality of stirred-tank reactors 202 which are open to air, and one or more smaller shear-tank reactors 212 which may be pressurizable (e.g., to 1-10 bar) to overcome oxygen transfer limitations. Accordingly, portions of the metal sulfide leach 200 (including portions of the reductive activation circuit 220 ) may be performed under slight pressure (e.g., in a covered or pressurizable vessel) or completely atmospherically (e.g., in a plurality of non-pressurized stirred-tank reactors).
[0087] It is further anticipated that in preferred embodiments, most (e.g., up to approximately 95%) of the cumulative oxidative leach time of a metal sulfide leach particle may occur at atmospheric conditions, while less than approximately 10% of the cumulative oxidative leach time may occur at or above atmospheric conditions, giving rise to the term “substantially atmospheric” used throughout this description.
[0088] Without departing from the intent of the invention, reductive and/or oxidative stirred-tank reactor head space may be atmospheric or alternatively pressurized to above ambient pressure to enhance mass transfer. The pressure may be controlled by temperature and/or by an applied gas pressure that is above ambient pressure. It is anticipated that above-atmospheric pressures, where/if used, may approach as much as 20 bar, but are preferably kept between about 1 bar and about 10 bar, for example, approximately 5 bar, without limitation.
[0089] Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.
|
A method of improving metal leach kinetics and recovery during atmospheric or substantially atmospheric leaching of a metal sulfide is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method may comprise the step of processing a metal sulfide concentrate in a reductive activation circuit 220 that operates at a first redox potential, to produce a reductively-activated metal sulfide concentrate. The method may further comprise the step of subsequently processing the activated metal sulfide concentrate in an oxidative leach circuit 240 to extract metal values. In some disclosed embodiments, reductive activation steps and/or oxidative dissolution steps may employ mechano-chemical and/or physico-chemical processing of particles or agglomerates thereof. Reductive activation may be made prior to heap leaching or bio-leaching operations to improve metal extraction. Systems for practicing the aforementioned methods are also disclosed.
| 2
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controlling apparatus and more particularly to a controlling apparatus, such as an inverter, which has been arranged for ease of wiring and handling.
2. Description of the Background Art
Inverters have become important to machine systems used in various industrial fields, particularly as a speed control apparatus for motors in such machine systems. Often, in complex systems employing plural motors, several controllers are mounted together on a common panel in a confined space, necessitating designs that minimize the area required for installation and wiring yet permit easy access for maintenance and repair. However, in direct conflict with this goal, a larger number of functions with greater sophistication have been added to inverters. Even though further reductions in the inverter size may be possible as chip functions are integrated and chip size is reduced, certain basic requirements prevent the panel arrangement for plural controllers from becoming compact.
An inverter unit consists of a main circuit printed wiring board (PWB) with heat generating components such as diode modules and transistor modules that usually are mounted on a PWB rear side, and capacitors, connectors, protective function circuit components and terminal blocks that usually are mounted on the PWB front side. The main circuit PWB is fixed to the inside of an aluminum die casting chassis that is constructed with heat radiation fins, acting as a heat sink. Since the base surfaces of the heat generating diode modules and transistor modules, which are installed on the rear side of the main circuit PWB, are in direct contact with the inside surface of the metal chassis, heat generated by the modules will be conducted through the chassis and radiated from the heat sink structure which extends from the chassis.
Also forming a part of the inverter unit are electric components which constitute a control circuit on a control circuit pWB. The control circuit PWB has terminal blocks for external wiring connection and is installed on the top side of main circuit PWB. Further, an option circuit PWB also may be installed on the top side of the control circuit PWB. This arrangement of main circuit PWB, control circuit PWB and optional function PWB are often arranged in three stages.
Finally, a cover to protect the PWB components ordinarily is installed on the chassis.
External cable connecting terminals are mounted on the bottom side of each printed board and are arranged in the order of main circuit PWB, control circuit PWB, and option circuit PWB. The terminals on a lower PWB usually has a shorter length than those on a PWB above, and the terminal blocks are placed on the side of each PWB. This arrangement presents great difficulty for the connection of a large number of wires to a single controller and the arrangement of a plurality of controllers on a single panel. This difficulty can be better understood from a consideration of the sizes and numbers of wires that must be connected to a conventional controller with presently available functions.
The number of external cable connecting terminal blocks and cable sizes for 200 V 3.7K inverters are as follows:
______________________________________ number of terminals cable size______________________________________main circuit 9 3.5 mm.sup.2 (AWG12)terminal blockcontrol circuit 30 0.75 mm.sup.2 (AWG18)terminal blockoption circuit 28 0.75 mm.sup.2 (AWG18)terminal block______________________________________
When every function is added to the inverter unit so that it can be used in every possible field as an industrial machine system, the product will become very complicated. Depending upon the way such unit actually is used, unnecessary functions may be provided. To avoid this problem, the control circuit PWB is equipped with certain basic functions which are commonly used and the option circuit PWB is provided with functions which will serve only for specific purposes. By selectively combining a customized option circuit PWB with a inverter unit main body, an efficient and economical inverter unit which is appropriate for specific applications, will be provided.
FIG. 13 is a schematic circuit diagram of an inverter unit 51, which is connected to a source of power via plug connectors 55A and to a motor M via connectors 55B for controlling the operation of the motor M. A main circuit PWB 53 in the unit has a diode module 53A and transistor module 53B at a first level. A control circuit PWB 54 is connected by wires to the main PWB and has terminals 56 for external connection. Optional circuit PWB modules 63A and 63B are connectable by a connector 64 to the control circuit PWB 54 and have external terminal blocks 65.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of an inverter unit known in the art. FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the plane 10--10 of FIG. 9.
In this inverter unit 51, a main circuit printed wiring board 53 and a control circuit printed wiring board 54 are contained and secured in an aluminum diecast chassis 52. The main circuit printed wiring board 53 and control circuit printed wiring board 54 are arranged in two stages. The main circuit PWB 53 is disposed in the lower position and the control circuit PWB 54 in the upper position. Within the chassis 52, the bottom of the main circuit PWB 53 is lower than that of the control circuit PWB 54.
A main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 55 is disposed and secured on the bottom of the main circuit PWB 53 which is exposed under the control circuit PWB 54
A control circuit external cable connecting terminal block 56 is disposed and secured to the bottom of the control circuit PWB 54.
A cover 57 is a protective cover for electronic components mounted on the control circuit PWB 54. A wiring cover 61 shown in FIG. 10, which is installed to the area of the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 55 and control circuit external cable connecting terminal block 56, is removable as shown in FIG. 9.
Main circuit external cables 59 are all connected to the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 55. Control circuit external cables 60 are all connected to the control circuit external cable connecting terminal block 56.
A rubber bushing 58 is fitted in an installation hole formed in the bottom side face of the chassis 52.
In the inverter unit 51, the main circuit external cables 59 for power supply, motor, etc. are directed into the chassis 52 through the rubber bushing 58 and the leading edges thereof are connected to the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 55. Further, the control circuit external cables 60 for start, stop, speed setting and other signals are led into the chassis 52 through the rubber bushing 58 and the leading edges thereof are connected to the control circuit external cable connecting terminal block 56.
A related conventional design has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Disclosure Publication No. 105903 of 1990.
Another conventional design for an inverter unit is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 is a front view thereof and FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view of FIG. 11. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the numerals 52 to 57, 59 and 60 designate identical parts to those in FIGS. 9 and 10 and such parts will not be described here.
In this inverter unit 62, a main circuit PWB 53, a control circuit PWB 54, and an option circuit PWB 63 for implementing additional functions as an option are housed and secured in an aluminum diecast chassis 52. The printed wiring boards are arranged in three stages; the main circuit printed wiring board 53 is disposed in the lower position, the control circuit printed wiring board 54 in the middle position, and the option circuit printed wiring board 63 in the upper position. For electrical connections, the main circuit PWB 53 and control circuit PWB 54 are connected by a connector or a flat cable (not shown), and the control circuit PWB 54 and option circuit PWB 63 are connected by a connector 64.
Within the chassis 52, the bottom of the main circuit PWB 53 is lower than that of the control circuit PWB 54, and a main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 55 is disposed and secured to the exposed bottom of the main circuit PWB 53.
A control circuit external cable connecting terminal block 56 is disposed and secured to the bottom of the control circuit PWB 54. Similarly, an option external cable connecting terminal block 65 is disposed and secured in a plane (shown as horizontal) defined by the bottom of the option circuit PWB 63, which is connected with the control circuit PWB 54 by the cable or connector 64.
A cover 57 is a protective cover for electronic components mounted over the control circuit PWB 54 and option circuit PWB 63, and forms an opening in the positions of the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 55, control circuit external cable connecting terminal block 56 and option circuit external cable connecting terminal block 65 so that the terminal blocks are exposed and may be viewed from the outside.
Main circuit external cables 59 are all connected to the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 55. Control circuit external cables 60 are all connected to the control circuit external cable connecting terminal block 56. Option external cables 66 are all connected to the option external cable connecting terminal block 65.
A bottom cover 67 is designed to fit over the opening and protect the whole inverter unit 62 after the cover 57 is fitted and fixed and the external cables are connected to the corresponding terminal blocks.
In the inverter unit 62, the main circuit external cables 59 for power supply, motor, etc. are led into the chassis 52 and the leading edges thereof are connected to the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 55. Further, the control circuit external cables 60 for start, stop, speed setting and other signals are directed into the chassis 52 and the leading edges thereof are connected to the control circuit external cable connecting terminal block 56. Similarly, the option external cables 66 are led into the chassis 52 and their leading edges are connected to the option external cable connecting terminal block 65.
As previously noted, conventional inverter units tend to have enhanced functions and the terminals of external cable connecting terminal blocks, particularly those of a control circuit external cable connecting terminal block, are increasing in number. On the other hand, the inverter units tend to be made more compact in size. As a result, if all of the external cable connecting terminal blocks are arranged in one direction as in the conventional inverter unit 51 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the number of stages increases and wiring space is reduced. Further, since the wiring gages will vary for different input and output connections of the inverter unit, and the number of terminal blocks is substantial, work on installing and maintaining the inverter unit becomes extremely difficult.
Also, since the control circuit external cables 60 hang down in front of the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 55, it is difficult to check, for example, the terminal numbers or connected external cable numbers of the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 55, rendering maintenance and inspection difficult.
The conventional inverter unit shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 also encounters problems. When the option printed wiring board of the inverter unit factory-shipped is to be installed, the cover, etc. must be removed and care must be taken so as not to touch the other parts, for fear of a short circuit other failure. In addition, when an option PWB is to be added after the external cables have been connected, all the external cables must be disconnected, the cover removed, and the option PWB then fitted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a controlling apparatus which facilitates the maintenance and inspection of wiring.
A further object of the invention is to provide a controlling apparatus which not only allows an option printed wiring board to be installed easily after it is assembled and completed but also ensures that external cables are connected easily.
In this controlling apparatus, connecting terminal blocks are disposed in optimum positions for wiring work to provide sufficient wiring space, thereby ensuring ease of wiring work. Also, external cables connected to one terminal block can be routed so as not to conceal the other connecting terminal block.
According to the controlling apparatus of the a first embodiment of the present invention, at least one fuse terminal block is arranged in a first orthogonal (e.g., vertical) direction and then a second terminal block is arranged in a second orthogonal (e.g., horizontal) direction, with a difference in level given by installing the second terminal block in a lower position than the first terminal block. Also, sufficient wiring space is provided, ensuring ease of wiring work. External cables can be routed without covering and hiding the second terminal block, thereby facilitating installation and maintenance work.
According to the second embodiment of the invention, an option printed wiring board and a recess is provided in a cover of the inverter unit to allow an option case to be installed from the outside of the cover. In this manner, an option can be added at a desired time, and when the inverter unit is to be changed due to its failure, etc., the option installed can be removed without requiring the external cables to be disconnected.
According to a further feature of the invention, a control circuit printed wiring board is disposed on a first top portion of a main circuit printed wiring board and an option printed wiring board on a second top portion thereof to arrange the terminal blocks in a U pattern. In this manner, external cables can be routed easily and wiring can be facilitated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an external front view of an inverter unit according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view exposing the inside of the inverter unit according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane 3--3 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an external front view of an inverter unit according to a second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a front view exposing the inside of the inverter unit according to the second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is an external view showing an option case mounted with an option printed wiring board according to the second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 9 is a front view of a conventional inverter unit from which a wiring cover has been removed.
FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the plane X--X of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a front view exposing the inside of the inverter unit known in the art.
FIG. 12 is a vertical sectional view of FIG. 11.
FIG. 13 is a schematic circuit diagram of a conventional inverter unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An inverter unit according to a first embodiment of the present first invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
FIG. 1 is an external front view of an inverter unit 1, wherein the numeral 27 indicates a front cover, 8 designates a rubber bushing, 9 represents main circuit external cables and 10 control circuit external cables. FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating internal terminal blocks which have been exposed by removing the front cover 27. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane 3--3 of FIG. 2 (it should be noted that the front cover 27 remains installed in this Figure).
Mounting holes 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d for installation onto a wall surface or the like are formed on the four corners of the bottom of a chassis 2. The main circuit PWB 3 is placed in the chassis 2 and is mounted with screws in the vicinity of the internal bottom of the chassis 2.
A main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 4 is disposed and mounted in the first orthogonal (horizontal) direction on the bottom of the main circuit PWB 3.
A control circuit PWB 5 also is disposed within the chassis 2 but at a position above the main circuit PWB 3. On the control circuit PWB 5, two control circuit external cable connecting terminal blocks 6 and 7 are arranged in a second orthogonal(vertical) direction with a space provided therebetween.
The main circuit external cables 9 connected to the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 4 are led to the outside through the rubber bushing 8. The control circuit external cables 10 connected to the control circuit external cable connecting terminal blocks 6, 7 are also directed to the outside through the rubber bushing 8.
A cover 11 is used for protection of components mounted on the control circuit printed wiring board 5 and main circuit printed wiring board 3. The cover 11 is shaped to be identical to the external shape of the opening of the chassis 2, and is open in the positions of the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 4 and control circuit external cable connecting terminal blocks 6, 7 so that the terminal blocks may be exposed and seen from the outside.
Installation of a controlling apparatus using the present invention comprises the following steps:
(1) Remove the front cover 27.
(2) Insert the main circuit external cables 9 for power supply and load motor into the chassis 2 through the rubber bushing 8 and connect them to the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 4.
(3) Insert the control circuit external cables 10 for start, stop, speed setting and other signals into the chassis 2 through the rubber bushing 8, route them upward perpendicularly past both ends of the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 4, and connect them to the two vertically disposed control circuit external cable connecting terminal blocks 6, 7 from the outsides thereof.
(4) Finally, reinstall the front cover 27.
In the inverter unit 1, the control circuit external cables 10 do not pass before the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 4 and are connected to the control circuit external cable connecting terminal blocks 6, 7 from the outsides thereof, allowing wiring to be done without the cables hanging down in front of the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 4. As a result, it will be easy to check terminal numbers and tighten terminal screws, ensuring ease of wiring and maintenance work.
It will be recognized that the two control circuit terminal blocks disposed in the second orthogonal (vertical) direction in the first embodiment may be either on the right- or left-hand side.
A second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8.
FIG. 4 is an external front view of an inverter unit 18, wherein 27 indicates a front cover, 59 represents main circuit external cables, 60 control circuit external cables, and 66 option external cables. FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating internal terminal blocks which have been exposed by removing the front cover 27. FIGS. 6 and 7 are cross sectional view and vertical sectional view of FIG. 5, respectively, and FIG. 8 is an external view showing an option case mounted with an option printed wiring board.
On a control circuit printed wiring board 5, as shown in FIG. 7, a control circuit external cable connecting terminal block 6 is disposed and installed in the vertical direction. A plastic cover 12 is used for protection of components mounted on the control circuit printed wiring board 5 and a main circuit printed wiring board 3. The cover 12 is configured to be identical to the external shape of the opening of a chassis 2. It also is high enough so as to protect the components on the control circuit printed wiring board 5. Finally, it is recessed on the right-hand side so as to be high enough to protect the components on the main circuit printed wiring board 3. In addition, the cover 12 is open in the positions of a main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 4 and the control circuit external cable connecting terminal block 6 so that the terminal blocks may be exposed and viewed from the outside, and is also open in the position of a connector section 13 of the control circuit PWB 5.
Both the control circuit PWB 5 and the option circuit PWB 14 are constructed with mating projecting/recess-types of connectors, which permit quick ("one-touch") connect/disconnect of the option circuit PWB. The option case 16 which accommodates option PWB 14 is engaged into a recessed portion of the cover 12, then its connectors are inserted into the corresponding connectors of control circuit PWB, by which electrical connection is completed. By directly connecting with mated projection/recess connectors, installation using cables or wires will be unnecessary. The option circuit PWB can be easily secured with screws.
On option printed wiring board 14, an option external cable connecting terminal block 15 is disposed an installed in the vertical direction. The option printed wiring board 14 is housed in an option case 16 and is open in its front face where the option external cable connecting terminal block 15 is located, thereby exposing the terminal block.
The option printed wiring board 14 housed in the option case 16 is fitted into the recess of the cover 12 and inserted into the connector 13 for making electrical connection. The option case 16 is fastened to the cover 12 by screws 17.
In assembling the connection assembly, first the front cover 27 is removed. When the option printed wiring board 14 is necessary, fit the option printed wiring board 14 housed in the option case 16 into the right-hand side recess of the cover 12 and insert it into the connector 13. Fasten the option case 16 to the cover 12 by means of the screws 17. Insert the main circuit external cables 59 from the bottom into the cover 12 and connect them to the main circuit external cable connecting terminal block 4. Insert the control circuit external cables 60 (for start, stop, speed setting and other control signals) from the bottom into the cover 12, route them upward perpendicularly on the left-hand side, and connect them to the vertically disposed control circuit external cable connecting terminal block 6 from the outside thereof. In a similar manner, also insert the option external cables 66 from the bottom into the cover 12, route them upward perpendicularly on the right-hand side, and connect them to the vertically disposed option external cable connecting terminal block 15 from the outside thereof. Finally, reinstall the front cover 27. In the inverter unit 18, the option printed wiring board 14 contained in the option case 16 can be installed optionally after the cover 12 has been placed on the inverter unit. Also, when the inverter unit is to be replaced after wiring is complete, the option printed wiring board 14 can be removed from the inverter unit, with the external cables remaining intact, and reinstalled to a new inverter unit.
It will be appreciated that the control circui printed wiring board disposed on the left-hand side and the option printed wiring board on the right-hand side in an embodiment may be installed in opposite positions. It should be noted that the present invention is applicable to not only the inverter units but also general compact controlling apparatuses.
The entire disclosure of each and every foreign patent application from which the benefit of foreign priority has been claimed in the present application is incorporated herein by reference, as if fully set forth.
Although this invention has been described in a least one preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure of the preferred embodiment has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details and arrangement of components may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
|
An inverter module design having layered printed wiring boards for main and control circuit components, the printed wiring boards having external terminals for connection to external wiring, the terminals on adjacent boards being arranged orthogonally. An optional printed wiring board is connectable to the control circuit board by quick-connect, one-touch mated connectors.
| 7
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to clean room constructions for electronics or biomedical, manufacturing or research institutions. More specifically, the present invention relates to a trim arrangement which allows trim members to be selected and quickly and easily fitted onto panels without the need for bonding or the need to be fastened with screws, and which can be removed and re-used when the clean room layout is changed to accommodate new requirements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Presently, when constructing clean room walls in which there is a corner at a junction of two walls, a corner angle molding is glued to the wall material to seal and dress the corner of the two intersecting wall panels. This construction, however, usually prevents the reuse of the panels and molding associated with such corner construction. An alternative arrangement is such that the corner angle moldings are fastened with screws. However, this technique suffers from the drawback that the insertion and removal of the screws creates microfine particles during installation or renovating of the panels and thus gives rise to a high possibility of contamination.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example of a conventional corner angle construction. In this example, an outside corner trim 50 is used to interconnect two 0.5" aluminum panels 52. As will be appreciated, the panels 52 are connected to two vertically extending double sided aluminum studs 54, by way of wall panel clips 56. In order to prevent contamination through gaps which inevitably occur in such circumstances, foam gaskets 58 are disposed in the illustrated positions. An inside corner trim 60 is shown fastened to the panels by way of screws 62.
FIGS. 3 to 12 show various different types of wall panels and modules which can be used with the connection with a so-called "studless wall system". FIG. 3 shows a solid panel 70; FIG. 4 shows a single door module 72; FIG. 5 shows a double door module 74; FIG. 6 shows a window panel 76; FIG. 7 shows an auto door module 78; FIG. 8 shows an air return panel 80; FIG. 9 shows a pre-wired panel 82; FIG. 10 shows a solid door 84; FIG. 11 shows a half glazed door 86; and FIG. 12 shows a full glazed door 88. As will be appreciated, these panels can be relatively complex in nature and therefore relatively expensive. In the event that the panels have other members bonded permanently to them, each time a change in floor plan or layout occurs, considerable waste is apt to occur. This, of course, leads to an increase in cost in that many panels usually cannot be recycled unless the exact same corner construction is required.
FIGS. 13 to 17 show various types of structural fasteners and transition elements which are used in the above-mentioned "studless wall system", to provide connections between the wall panels and ceilings and floors of the building in which the clean room is being constructed. FIG. 13 shows a head track 90 which is fastened to an existing ceiling or the like and used to establish a connection with the upper edges of the panels which are used to form the walls. FIG. 14 shows a floor track 92 which is used along the lower edges of the panels. FIG. 15 shows a I/O corner tube 94 while FIGS. 16 and 17 respectively show a three piece batten set 96 and a glazing batten set 98 which use screws to establish a connection between the inner and outer members.
Clean rooms tend to require a considerable amount of so-called "bulkhead" equipment which extend through the walls of the clean room. As this equipment is usually very expensive and delicate, it is inevitably stored in a safe place while the construction or renovation of the clean room(s) is actually taking place. This means that, in order to complete the wall structure, it is necessary to install temporary panels and when the layout is basically completed, bring the production equipment in. However, this means that a number of the wall panels and associated constructions must be in part removed or torn down in order to allow the equipment to be moved into the required positions and the panels which accommodate the bulkheading arrangements to be installed in place of the temporary ones. This, of course, complicates construction and leads to wasteful and time consuming construction and reconstruction types of operations. It also opens up the clean room environment to contamination. Even when screws are used in place of bond, the structures still require that the screws be removed to allow a panel or panels to be removed or replaced so as to allow ingress and installation of the production equipment. The screws must then be reinserted.
As mentioned above, the use of screws tends to create micro-fine particles which are highly apt to create problems in the clean room environment. In order to eliminate this contamination problem, it has been proposed to use snap-in types of connectors and to provide trim members which can be pressed and secured in place without the need for screws to keep them in place. FIGS. 18 and 19 show a trim 100 which has been proposed for use with a stud based wall system. As will be clearly appreciated from FIG. 18, this trim 100 includes a barbed member 101 which is adapted, as shown in FIG. 19, to fit in between the fingers 102 of a springy T-shaped clip member 104, a support arm 106 and a seal seat 108. As shown in FIG. 19, the T-shaped clips 104 are arranged to be slipped into a T-channel groove 110 which extends along the length of one face of a stud 112. These clips are typically about 6" long and are spaced at intervals along the length of the stud 112 which is approximately 8' in length. The support arm 106 is arranged to rest against an edge portion of the stud 112, while the seal seat 108 is arranged to engage an elastomeric rope 114 or the like, in a manner which seals off the gap which tends to be produced between the edge of the trim 100 and the existing wall or structure 116 in which the prefabricated structure is being erected.
However, during the development of this invention, it was discovered that the trim arrangement 100 shown in FIG. 18 suffers from a number of drawbacks. The most disconcerting of these is that the trim tends to rotate about the barb 101a which is retained in the clip 104, and thus open up a clearance between the trim 100 and the outer surface of the wall panel 118. Apart from being unsightly, it tends to open a gap through which contamination can find its way into the interior of the clean room.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a trim arrangement which features a number of different trim members which can be fitted onto wall panels and the like, and which can be readily removed and reused when a change in the wall layout is required in order to expand or renovate the existing clean room facilities.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a trim arrangement which enables panels having integral propriety type connection flanges to be connected with plain panels which are not provided with such connection flanges.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a trim arrangement which allows panels produced by different manufacturers, which have different thicknesses, or which are formed of different materials such as glass, and the like, to be interconnected with the minimum of trouble and time.
In brief, the above objects are achieved in a prefabricated system wherein the panels are adapted to be connected to stud members, through the use of a trim system which features a plurality of different trims. By selecting a suitable trim from the plurality, and fitting it onto an edge of a plain edge panel using a channel or receiving portion provided on each of the trims, it is possible to combine a variety of different panels together while still taking advantage of propriety-type connection flanges which may be formed on some of the panels which are available, and making use of existing structure and double finger T-clips.
A first aspect of the present invention resides in a clean room which features: a plurality of different trim members, the plurality of trim members being so constructed and arranged that a selected one may be used to interconnect a selected one of a plurality of wall panels to a structural stud, each of the trim members having a channel portion in which a edge of a wall panel can be inserted.
A second aspect of the present invention resides in a clean room construction which features: a stud; a wall panel which is located adjacent the stud; a clip member which is detachably connected with the stud; and a trim having a channel shaped receiving portion which is fitted onto a edge of the panel, the trim having a barbed portion which is arranged to be received by the clip member and to be detachably retained in a predetermined spatial relationship with the stud.
A third aspect of the invention resides in a method of constructing a clean room of prefabricated panels and stud members comprising the steps of: fitting a trim having a channel-like receiving portion onto an edge of a panel; connecting a clip having a pair of resilient fingers to a stud; and forcing a barbed portion of the trim between the resilient fingers of the clip in a manner to detachably connect the panel to the stud.
A fourth aspect of the invention resides in a trim for use in a clean room construction wherein prefabricated panels are connected to studs, comprising: a channel-like receiving portion which is adapted to fit along an edge of a panel; and a barbed portion which extends essentially parallel to an end wall of the channel-like receiving portion, the barbed portion being adapted to be inserted between springy fingers of a clip which is detachably connected with a stud.
A fifth aspect of the present invention resides in a clean room wall system comprising: panel means; support means to which the panel means is connected; trim means for dressing an edge of the panel means, the trim means including a channel-like receiving portion which receives an edge of the panel; and connection means for connecting the trim means to the support means, the trim means being constructed and arranged so that in combination with the connection means, assembly of the clean room can be achieved without the use of bond or screws.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more clearly appreciated as a description of the preferred embodiment is made with reference to the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a previously proposed wall construction arrangement suitable for use with clean rooms;
FIG. 2 is an internal perspective view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a solid door which can be used with a so called "studless wall system" to form a clean room;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a single door module which can be used with the so called "studless wall system" to form a clean room;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a double door module which can be used with the so called "studless wall system" to form a clean room;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a window panel module which can be used with the so called "studless wall system" to form a clean room;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an auto door module which can be used with the so called "studless wall system" to form a clean room;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an air return panel which can be used with the so called "studless wall system" to form a clean room;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pre-wired panel which can be used with the so called "studless wall system" to form a clean room;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a solid door which can be used with the so called "studless wall system" to form a clean room;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a half glazed door which can be used with the so called "studless wall system" to form a clean room;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a full glazed door which can be used with the so called "studless wall system" to form a clean room;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a head track which can be used with the so called "studless wall system" to form a clean room;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a floor track which can be used with the types of panels/structures shown in FIGS. 3 to 11 to form a clean room;
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an I/O corner tube which can be used with the types of construction shown in FIGS. 3 to 11 to form a clean room;
FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a 3-piece batten set which can be used with studless wall systems;
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a glazing batten set which can be used in connection with studless wall system type constructions;
FIG. 18 is a plan view of a previously proposed trim member which, as discussed in the opening paragraphs of the disclosure, can be used to complete a wall construction where it joins an existing building wall or the like;
FIG. 19 is a partially sectioned view showing the trim member shown in FIG. 18, used to dress-off the interface defined at the intersection of a wall panel and an existing wall;
FIG. 20 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a trim member according to the present invention;
FIG. 21 is a plan view showing a second embodiment of a trim member according to the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a plan view showing a third embodiment of a trim member according to the present invention;
FIG. 23 is a plan view showing a fourth embodiment of a trim member according to the present invention;
FIG. 24 is a plan view showing a fifth embodiment of a trim member according to the present invention;
FIG. 25 is a plan view showing a sixth embodiment of a trim member according to the present invention;
FIG. 26 is a plan view showing an application of the trim according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 27 is a plan view showing an application of the trim according to the third embodiment
FIG. 28 is a plan view showing the application of the trim according to the third embodiment applied in a construction which forms a corner of a clean room;
FIG. 29 is an enlarged view showing details of the trim arrangement depicted in FIGS. 27 and 28;
FIG. 30 is plan view showing the application of a fourth embodiment of the present invention in a corner construction wherein the corner portion of the room is formed from relatively thin panels;
FIG. 31 is a plan view showing the application of trims according to third and fourth embodiments in combination to allow a wall construction which is in part formed of a thin panel and which in part is formed of a thicker panel; and
FIG. 32 is a plan view showing the back to back usage of two trims according to the third embodiment in a construction wherein the wall is constructed of thick wall panel members.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 20 to 25 show examples of trim members which can be used in accordance with the present invention. As will be appreciated, all of these trim members are provided with a channel or receiver portion into which an edge of a panel can be inserted. This allows each of the trim members to be slipped into place on an edge of a panel and then set in place during assembly of the clean room walling.
FIGS. 20 and 21 show wall end cap trim members 150, 250 which are respectively provided with seal seats 151, 251. The channel member 152 of the wall end cap trim shown in FIG. 20 is adapted to receive a 0.5" panel while the trim member 250 shown in FIG. 21 has a channel member 252 which is adapted to receive a panel which is 0.25" thick. This latter mentioned trim can be used with glass panels as well as opaque panels. These embodiments of the invention may be used about apertures through which bulkheading of equipment takes place, wherein a snug seal between the equipment and trim is required, and wherein some form of connection means such as a stud and clip arrangement of the nature which is set forth in more detail with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 22, 23 and 25, are not available. By seating a suitable sealing member in the seal seat of the selected trim, e.g. a silicon rope or the like, the gap between the apparatus and the trim can be securely closed off.
FIGS. 22 and 23 show wall end cap trims 350, 450 which are respectively provided with barbed connection members 354, 454, wherein the barbs 354a, 454a are located at remote ends of the connection members 354, 454. The trim 450 shown in FIG. 23 has a channel member 452 which is designed to receive panels having a 0.25" thickness. This trim 450 is also provided with a support arm 456. The reason for this provision will become more apparent when a discussion of a specific example of the trims is made in conjunction with the arrangement shown in FIG. 31 for example.
FIG. 24 shows a bulkhead end cap trim 550 which is used to enclose the edge of a door opening or the like type of aperture which is required to be made through a wall panel in order to facilitate the installation of production equipment and the like.
FIG. 25 shows a wall end cap bulkhead trim member which is arranged to dress off a corner where a wall panel meets an existing wall member of a structure in which the clean room is being constructed. This trim includes a channel member 652, a double barbed connection member 654, a support arm 656 and a seal seat 651. It should be noted at this point that the provision of the double barb 654a helps to prevent the rotational tendency exhibited by the prior art arrangement shown in FIG. 18. The provision of the channel or receiving member 652 of course further strongly resists rotation.
FIG. 26 shows an application of the wall end cap bulkhead trim 650 shown in FIG. 25. As shown, in this environment the trim 650 is fitted onto an edge of a 0.5" panel 701 and then pressed into position into what shall be referred to as a "double finger T-clip" 702 which is received in a T-channel 704 formed in the stud member 706. A silicon rope 708 or the like type of elastomeric seal member can be fitted into the seal seat 651 prior to the trim being pressed into position, or can be alternatively fixed to the wall member 707 and the trim then pressed into position. It is of course within the scope of the present invention to use a strip of foam material which is provided with an adhesive edge or edges which enables the strip to be set in place on the seal seat.
FIG. 27 shows the use of a trim member 350 shown in FIG. 22 along with a trim member 550 of the type shown in FIG. 24 with a plain panel and a combination of this arrangement with a proprietary type panel 710 which is marketed by DAW Technologies Inc., of Salt Lake City, Utah, and which is provided with a special connection flange 712 along at least one of its edges. As will be appreciated from FIG. 27, the double-finger T-clip 702 is such that it can grasp both the single barbed member 354 and the connection flange 712. By proving only a single barb on the barbed connection member 354 of the trim member 350, it is possible for the barbed member 354 and the connection flange 712 to gaplessly abut one another and thus provide an aesthetic closure to the gap which exists between the ends of the two panels.
As will be appreciated, this trim arrangement allows a panel produced by one company (i.e. one having a propriety connection flange 712 formed thereon) to be used in combination with a panel 714 produced by another without the need to consider a change in the stud 706 or the double-finger T-clip 702 constructions. The increase in design flexibility and the ease with which existing panels can be reused or interchanged will be immediately be recognized by those skilled in the art to which the instant invention pertains.
FIG. 28 shows the application of the type of trim 350 shown in FIG. 22, in a corner construction. As shown, the inner and outer wall panels are clipped to studs 706 using the same combination as illustrated in FIG. 27.
FIG. 29 is an enlarged view showing the manner in which the proprietary panel 710 having the connection flange 712 can be combined with a wall panel 714 which is not provided with such a connection flange 712. As will be appreciated, the cost of a panel 710 having the connection flange 712 integrally formed therewith is considerably higher than one which is not provided with such a flange. In fact, is possible to use plastic covered rock board under many circumstances. This type of board is of course much less expensive than the proprietary panels and thus the ready introduction of a number of these types of panels can mean considerable reductions in construction costs.
FIG. 30 shows an example of a corner construction wherein a thinner type of panel 718 is combined with the thicker proprietary type wall panel. In this instance, trims 450 of the nature illustrated in FIG. 23 are used. As this construction is essentially identical to that shown in FIG. 28, the constructional features will therefore not be redundantly reiterated. It is, however, worth noting that strips of foam type gasket material 720 can be applied along the length of the studs 706 so as to enable the free end of the support arm 456 of the trims to be pressed thereinto and thus provide both a seal and a resilient reaction member.
FIG. 31 is an enlarged view showing the use of trims 350, 450 shown in FIGS. 22 and 23 in a back-to-back configuration. The single barb arrangements of the barbed members 352, 354 are received by the double-finger T-clip 702 in the illustrated manner. The two trims 350, 450 are therefore held together in a manner which prevents any gaps between the two trims 350, 450 and thus provides aesthetic sealing arrangements.
FIG. 32 shows two trims 350, 350 of the nature illustrated in FIG. 22, used in a face-to-face arrangement to enable two plain-edged wall panels 714, 714 to be clipped to a stud member 706.
Although the arrangements which use the double-finger T-clips 702 have been disclosed in connection with studs, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this type of connection environment and it is within the scope of the present invention to connect the clips directly to an existing wall structure such as a dry wall, or a wall which is made of brick or the like, either by furring the clips to the wall or by slipping the clips into suitably slotted brackets which are furred in position on the wall or existing structure.
It is to be noted that the trims according to the present invention are not limited to vertical joints and can be used along horizontal edges with equal effect. The trims can be made of a variety of different plastics or aluminum, and can be painted with suitable paints such as two part electrically conductive epoxy paint if required.
From the foregoing disclosure it will be appreciated that a large number of connection variations and arrangements are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention which is not limited to the disclosed arrangements, and which is limited only by the appended claims.
|
In order to simplify the quick and easy re-construction of a clean room which is constructed of prefabricated panels that are adapted to be connected to stud members, and to avoid the use of screws and bonds, a trim system which features a plurality of different trims is provided. By selecting a suitable trim from the plurality, and fitting it onto an edge of a panel by way of a channel or receiving portion provided thereon, it is possible to use existing studs and double finger T-clips to combine a variety of different panels together while taking advantage of a propriety type connection flanges which may be formed on some of the panels which are available.
| 4
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pushbutton switch or pushbutton-actuated slide switch which is capable of being engaged and disengaged by means of a heart cam comprising an engaging and disengaging curved path, and an engaging pin which is capable of being laterally deflected and longitudinally displaced in relation thereto, and is capable of being combined with further switches, in particular of the same type, to form a pushbutton assembly.
Switches comprising these conventional heart cams serving as detent means, are designed as individual pushbuttons with individual release for the on-off switching and may be combined to form pushbutton assemblies.
Pushbutton switches or pushbutton-actuated slide switch assemblies are also known, in which the individual pushbutton switches, if so required, are capable of being engaged and disengaged either individually or in common with the aid of a common disengaging rail or engaging flap. In this way several pushbutton keys can be depressed simultaneously or one at a time in turn, and quite depending on the detent mechanism, either several or all pushbuttons can be released simultaneously either by a special key or by one of the other keys.
It is the object of the present invention, amongst others, to design switches with heart cams as detent means, in such a way that these switches can be used as pushbuttons with an individual engagement, and can also be designed in such a way that several can be switched simultaneously, in particular of being disengaged simultaneously.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved in that the heart cam is provided with a second, central disengaging curved path extending from the detent or engaging position to the zero position. Owing to this embodiment of the heart cam, the pushbutton switch or pushbutton-actuated slide switch can be used at first as a "non-locking type" pushbutton switch, because by the additional disengaging curve is not yet enabled an engagement. According to an advantageous further embodiment of the invention, the switch is provided with a detent member, e.g., in the form of a detent rail, which is capable of being actuated by a detent profile capable of being displaced as well during the pushbutton actuation, and is capable of retaining the switching slide in the detent position. On account of this additional measure, the switch according to the invention can be used as a single-release switch or else, when the detent member is capable of being actuated by other means, such as by other switches, for effecting a group release. By the entirety of these measures, therefore, the novel switch can be used very universally either as a non-locking pushbutton switch or as a switch suitable for individual or group release without any alterations having to be carried out on the switch itself.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further advantageous details of the invention will now be described hereinafter with reference to an example of embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1, in a top view, shows a switch slide designed in accordance with the invention, in a simplified representation, without contacts, with the housing thereof merely being denoted by the dashlines,
FIG. 2 shows the bottom side of the switch slide according to FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 shows the heart cam on an enlarged scale,
FIG. 4 is the sectional side view of a switch inserted into a frame of a pushbutton assembly,
FIG. 5 shows the arrangement of FIG. 4 in a top view, and
FIGS. 6a to 6d show the various operating positions of the heart cam together with an associated detent rail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 indicates a switch slide of a pushbutton switch or pushbutton-actuated slide switch, onto the finger 2 of which a not shown pushbutton keytop is capable of being placed. The surface of the switch slide 1 is provided with a heart cam 3, in the curved paths 4, 5, 6 and 7 of which a detent pin 8 is guided. The latter consists of a wire member 9 whose one end is the detent pin 8 and whose other end serves as the hold pin 10. In the example of embodiment, this hold pin 10 is pivotally mounted in an opening 11 of an extension 12 of the housing 13. Between the housing 13 and a stop plate 14 of the switch slide 1 there is clamped a return spring 15. With some of its turns, this return spring 15 presses simultaneously upon the wire member 9, so that the detent pin 8 is resiliently applied to the bottom of the curved paths of the heart cam.
The bottom side of the switch slide 1 as shown in FIG. 2, is provided on its side with a detent profile 16 which cooperates with a detent member designed to have the shape of a detent rail or bar 17, as is particularly shown in FIGS. 4 through 6.
According to the invention, the heart cam 3 is provided with an additional central disengaging curved path 6. This will now be explained in greater detail with reference to FIG. 3. The crosslines in the curved paths 4, 5, 6 and 7 are indicative of the respective position thereof in a vertical sense. The nearer the crosslines are to one another, i.e., the darker the path appears, the lower is the bottom thereof. The curved path of the heart cam 3 consists of a first curved-path section 4 with a sliding edge 18 along which the detent pin 8, upon depressing the switch slide 1, can be slowly lifted from the zero position 19 thereof until it, via the final edge 20 of the curved path 4, drops downwardly upon the engaging curved path 5. Upon letting go the switch slide 1, the detent pin 8 is moved along the sliding edge 21 of the engaging curved path 5, is lifted thereby and slips over the final edge 22 of the engaging curved path 5 onto the central disengaging curved path 6 as arranged according to the invention. In the course of the further return movement of the switch slide 1, the detent pin 8 slides along the slidings edge 23 of the disengaging curved path 6, is lifted thereby and, via the upper final edge 24, drops into the curved path 4 and, consequently back to the zero or initial position 19.
When the switch slide 1, after the detent pin 8 has jumped over the final edge 22, is further moved in the sliding direction, it will slide along a second sliding edge 25 of the disengaging curved path 6, and, via the lower final edge 26 of the curved path 6, will drop onto the outer disengaging path 7. When the switch slide 1 is moved in the backward direction, the detent pin 8 slides along the sliding surface 27 of the outer disengaging curved path 7, is lifted within this curved path and, via the upper final edge 24 which is common to the central disengaging curved path 6, is brought onto the curved path 4 and into the zero position 19.
In this form, the switch is capable of being used as a non-locking pushbutton switch, because there is not effected any locking of the detent pin 8, and because the latter only passes through the curved paths 4, 5 and 6.
The possible individual and group release will now be described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 6a through 6d.
FIG. 6a shows the switch slide 1 in the non-depressed position. The detent pin 8 is in its zero or initial position 19. By way of its stop edge 28, the detent slide 17 cooperates with the detent profile 16. The detent slide 17 can be displaced vertically in relation to the sliding direction of the switch slide 1 by means of a first slanting run-up surface 29 in opposition to the action of a spring 30, hence in the drawing, in the downward direction. The detent profile 16 still has a detent surface 31 lying within the range of action of the detent rail 17, and a second slanting run-up surface 32, as well as a disengaging surface 33.
To the detent slide 17 there is rigidly coupled a stop 34 which may also form one structural unit therewith. The end of the stop is designed as a pressure surface 35. In the zero position 19, this surface comes to lie close to the detent pin 8.
In order to avoid a high surface pressure at the slanting run-up surfaces 29 and 32, the detent slide 17 can be preferably provided with an edge 36 extending parallel in relation thereto.
The mode of operation of this arrangement according to the invention is as follows:
When the switch slide 1 is actuated from the position as shown in FIG. 6a in the direction as indicated by the arrow 37 as shown in FIG. 6b, the detent pin 8 moves along the sliding edge 18 over the final edge 20 onto the engaging curved path 5. At the same time, the slanting run-up surface 29 cooperates with the edge 36 of the detent slide 17 and displaces the latter in the downward direction. Subsequently thereto, it slides with its pointed end 38 along the disengaging edge 33, slips onto the detent surface 31 and finally comes into an operative connection with the second slanting run-up surface 32.
If now, under the action of the return spring 15, the switch slide 1 is permitted to slide back, it hits the detent slide 17 with its pointed end 38 against the detent surface 31 and retains the switch slide 1 in the detent position. In the course of this, the detent pin 8 slips from the engaging curved path 5 via the final edge 22 onto the disengaging curved path 6. At the same time, by the displacement of the detent slide 17, the pressure surface 35 is always carried along in such a way that it will not affect the movement of the detent pin 8.
If, in this position as shown in FIG. 6b, the detent slide 17, by actuating another pushbutton switch or any other suitable means, is moved in the downward direction until it slips out of the detent effect of the detent surface 31 of the detent profile 16, then the switch slide 1, owing to the force of the return spring 15, will slide back to normal, because the detent pin 8, along the disengaging curved path 6 and via the final edge 24, is capable of sliding into the initial (zero) position 19, in the course of which the pointed end 38 of the detent slide 17 slides along the disengaging edge 33 and is pressed by the latter in the downward direction until it, if so required, and along the detent profile 16, meets against the stop edge 28. This is the mode of operation in the case of a foreign or group release.
If no external or foreign release is effected in the position as shown in FIG. 6b, the switch slide 1, by being repeatedly depressed in the direction as indicated by the arrow 39 in FIG. 6c, can be actuated in the over-travel. In the course of this, the detent slide 17 and the pressure surface 35, by cooperating with the slanting run-up surface 32, are displaced in the downward direction. At the same time, the detent pin 8 slides along the sliding edge 25 over the upper final edge 26 of the central disengaging curved path 6, onto the outer disengaging curved path 7. This position is shown in FIG. 6c. When letting go the switch slide 1, the latter is capable of sliding into its normal position owing to the resetting force of the return spring 14. This is accomplished in that at first the detent slide 17 slides in the upward direction, i.e., until the stop 34 presses with its pressure surface 35 against the detent pin 8, thus pushing the latter against the sliding surface 27. Subsequently thereto, the detent pin 8 slides along the sliding surface 27 (FIG. 6d) to the zero position 19, thus pressing the detent slide continuously in the downward direction. This slide 17, therefore, is prevented from coming into an operative connection with the detent surface 31, so that a locking thereof is no longer possible. In this way, the initial position as shown in FIG. 6a is reached again.
FIG. 4 shows the U-shaped frame 40 of a pushbutton assembly comprising an inserted switch 41 according to the invention, whose switch slide 1 is provided with the heart cam 3. The detent slides 17 and the associated stops 34 for each individual switch 41 to be inserted, are mounted on a common rail 42 designed as a cross slide, or consists, together therewith, of one single component part which may be either e.g., an injection-molded part or a molded article. The compression spring 30 is clamped between a stop member 43 of either the rail 42 or the stop 34 and the housing 13 of a switch 41. The stops 34 are of hook-shaped design and extend from the rail 42 (cross slide) to the detent pin 8 on the top side of the switch 41.
The rail (or cross slide) 42 is guided by an interspace provided for between the bottom side of the switch housing and the bottom 44 of the U-shaped frame 40, as well as by the side walls of the U-shaped frame 40. In such or a similar frame 40 there may also be provided switches 41 to which there is assigned a detent slide 44 which is not coupled to the rail 42, or which is only supposed to perform the function of a pushbutton switch.
If so required, it is possible that also additional functions can be performed by the detent rail 17 or the rail 42 during the switching on and/or the over-travel, such as the actuation of an additional switch, for example, for an indicating lamp and/or for a mechanical indication, such as a drop indicator or diaphragm, etc.
|
In a pushbutton switch or pushbutton-actuated slide switch having a detent mechanism designed to have the shape of a heart cam, an individual latching and a mutual unlatching is made possible in that, according to the invention, the heart cam is provided with a further, center curved path for the unlatching (disengaging) purpose. Within this area of the position of the detent pin, the latching is accomplished by a cross slide which, during the off-switching process, can be pressed via a limit stop and by the detent pin into the unlatching (disengaging) position.
| 7
|
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to upgrading of hydrocarbons, especially heavy hydrocarbons such as whole heavy oil, bitumen, and the like using supercritical water.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Oil produced from a significant number of oil reserves around the world is simply too heavy to flow under ambient conditions. This makes it challenging to bring remote, heavy oil resources closer to the markets. One typical example is the Hamaca field in Venezuela. In order to render such heavy oils flowable, one of the most common methods known in the art is to reduce the viscosity and density by mixing the heavy oil with a sufficient diluent. The diluent may be naphtha, or any other stream with a significantly higher API gravity (,i.e. much lower density) than the heavy oil.
[0003] For a case such as Hamaca, diluted crude oil is sent from the production wellhead via pipeline to an upgrading facility. Two key operations occur at the upgrading facility: (1) the diluent stream is recovered and recycled back to the production wellhead in a separate pipelines and (2) the heavy oil is upgraded with suitable technology known in the art (coking, hydrocracking, hydrotreating, etc.) to produce higher-value products for market. Some typical characteristics of these higher-value products include: lower sulfur content, lower metals content, lower total acid number (TAN), lower residuum content, higher API gravity, and lower viscosity. Most of these desirable characteristics are achieved by reacting the heavy oil with hydrogen gas at high temperatures and pressures in the presence of a catalyst. In the case of Hamaca, the upgraded crude is sent further to the end-users via tankers.
[0004] These diluent addition/removal processes and hydrogen-addition or other upgrading processes have a number of disadvantages:
[0005] 1. The infrastructure required for the handling, recovery, and recycle of diluent could be expensive, especially over long distances. Diluent availability is another potential issue.
[0006] 2. Hydrogen-addition processes such as hydrotreating or hydrocracking require significant investments in capital and infrastructure.
[0007] 3. Hydrogen-addition processes also have high operating costs, since hydrogen production costs are highly sensitive to natural gas prices. Some remote heavy oil reserves may not even have access to sufficient quantities of low-cost natural gas to support a hydrogen plant. These hydrogen-addition processes also generally require expensive catalysts and resource intensive catalyst handling techniques, including catalyst regeneration.
[0008] 4. In some cases, the refineries and/or upgrading facilities that are located closest to the production site may have neither the capacity nor the facilities to accept the heavy oil.
[0009] 5. Coking is often used at refineries or upgrading facilities. Significant amounts of by-product solid coke are rejected during the coking process, leading to lower liquid hydrocarbon yield. In addition, the liquid products from a coking plant often need further hydrotreating. Further, the volume of the product from the coking process is significantly less than the volume of the feed crude oil.
[0010] A process according to the present invention overcomes these disadvantages by using supercritical water to upgrade a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into an upgraded hydrocarbon product or syncrude with highly desirable properties (low sulfur content, low metals content, lower density (higher API), lower viscosity, lower residuum content, etc.). The process neither requires external supply of hydrogen nor must it use catalysts. Further, the process in the present invention does not produce an appreciable coke by-products.
[0011] In comparison with the traditional processes for syncrude production, advantages that may be obtained by the practice of the present invention include a high liquid hydrocarbon yield; no need for externally-supplied hydrogen; no need to provide catalyst; significant increases in API gravity in the upgraded hydrocarbon product; significant viscosity reduction in the upgraded hydrocarbon product; and significant reduction in sulfur, metals, nitrogen, TAN, and MCR (micro-carbon residue) in the upgraded hydrocarbon product.
[0012] Various methods of treating heavy hydrocarbons using supercritical water are disclosed in the patent literature. Examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,948,754, 3,948,755, 3,960,706, 3,983,027, 3,988,238, 3,989,618, 4,005,0015, 4,151,0688, 4,557,820, 4,559,127, 4,594,141, 4,840,725, 5,611,915, 5,914,031 and 6,887,369 and EP671454.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No 4,840,725 discloses a process for conversion of high boiling liquid organic materials to lower boiling materials using supercritical water in a tubular continuous reactor. The water and hydrocarbon are separately preheated and mixed in a high-pressure feed pump just before being fed to the reactor.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,031 discloses a three zone reactor design so that the reactant activity, reactant solubility and phase separation of products can be optimized separately by controlling temperature and pressure. However, all the examples given in the patent were obtained using batch operation.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 6,887,369 discloses a supercritical water pretreatment process using hydrogen or carbon monoxide preferably carried out in a deep well reactor to hydrotreat and hydrocrack carbonaceous material. The deep well reactor is adapted from underground oil wells, and consists of multiple, concentric tubes. The deep well reactor described in the patent is operated by introducing feed streams in the core tubes and returning reactor effluent in the outer annular section.
[0016] Although the above-mentioned patents disclosed and claimed various methods and processes for heavy oil upgrading using supercritical water, such as operating range of temperature and pressure, water to oil ratio, etc, none has disclosed the design of the reactor or design related process controls for heavy oil upgrading using supercritical water. In fact, most of the examples disclosed in the patents were obtained through batch tests using an autoclave. Although there are numerous references to reactor design for processes involving supercritical water, most of them are for the application of waste treatment and none of those references has addressed the design of a reactor for both heavy oil and supercritical water, which is fundamentally different from processes of waste treatment using supercritical water, as discussed below,
[0017] It has long been known in the art that supercritical water can be used for waste treatment, especially for treating wastewater containing organic contaminants. Therefore, there are numerous disclosures in the literature on reactor design for waste treatment using supercritical water, tended to address the following issues,
(1) Solid handling. Waste streams typically contain both organic and inorganic materials. Although organic materials can be destroyed quickly through supercritical water oxidation, inorganic materials are insoluble in supercritical water. Several patents address this concern. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,560,823 and 5,567,698 incorporated by reference herein disclose a reversible flow reactor having two reaction zones which are alternately used for supercritical water oxidation while the remaining reaction zone is flushed with subcritical effluent from the active reaction zone. U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,844, incorporated by reference herein, discloses a tubular reactor for supercritical water oxidation. The velocity of the reaction mixture is sufficient to prevent settling of solid. Inorganic salts in the effluent mixture, which are insoluble at conditions of supercritical temperature and pressure for water, are dissolved in a liquid water phase during cooling down of the effluent mixture at an outlet end of the reactor. (2) Oxidizer management. U.S. Pat. Nos, 5,384,051 and 5,568,783, incorporated by reference herein, disclose a reactor design for supercritical wastewater oxidation. It contains a reaction zone, inside the containment vessel and a permeable liner around the reaction zone. An oxidizer is mixed with a carrier fluid such as water. The mixture is heated and pressurized to supercritical conditions, and then introduced to the reaction zone gradually and uniformly by forcing it radially inward through the permeable liner and toward the reaction zone. The permeable liner permits the continuous, gradual, uniform dispersion of a reactant and therefore promotes an even and efficient reaction. The liner also isolates the pressure vessel from high temperature and oxidizing conditions found in the reaction zone, allowing a reduction in cost of the pressure vessel. EP 1489046 discloses a double-vessel design with a reaction vessel placed inside a pressure vessel. Reaction takes place inside the reactor vessel at high temperature, pressure and corrosive environments. The outer pressure vessel will only see water. (3) Containment of toxic material. Some waste stream contains contaminants that are extremely harmful to humans and the environment, therefore the possibility of releasing of such harmful material has to be addressed in the reactor design. U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,771, incorporated by reference herein, discloses a reactor design including an autoclave inside a pressure vessel. The pressure between autoclave and pressure vessel is essentially equal to that inside the autoclave, therefore eliminating possible leaking of toxic material inside the autoclave.
[0021] Although heavy oil upgrading using supercritical water may be considered similar in some respects to waste treatment using supercritical water, and can be implemented using various elements of reactors designed for waste treatment, there are significant differences in requirement for reactor design for heavy hydrocarbon upgrading from that for waste treatment. Specifically, the following are among the many issues to be addressed in designing a reactor in which to conduct an effective process for heavy oil upgrading using supercritical water:
(1) Importance of selectivity. For waste treatment the only performance target is conversion. In other words, the reaction is non-selective total oxidation and there is no need to worry about selectivity, which makes the reactor design much easier. For heavy oil upgrading, the feed is a mixture containing broad range of materials, and the reactions involved are much more complex. We need not only to consider conversion, but also more importantly to pursue high selectivity, since non-selective reactions will lead to low-value byproducts such as solid coke or gases. Obviously, reactor design for selective reactions in a complex system is very different and much more challenging than that for non-selective total oxidation. (2) High concentration of feed. Typically the organic component concentration in the waste stream is low, and in many situations the concentration is only in the ppm range. For oil upgrading, it is preferable to run the reaction using the lowest possible water to oil ratio to reduce capital and operating cost. The oil concentration is typically several orders of magnitude higher in upgrading as opposed to waste treatment. (3) High density and viscosity. One distinguishing feature of heavy oil is high density and viscosity. In fact, this is one of the primary reasons that the oil has to be upgraded. The density of heavy oil is very close to liquid water and viscosity can be as high as 10,000 cp. High density and viscosity, together with high concentration make the dispersion of heavy oil into supercritical water an important consideration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0025] The present invention relates to a process for upgrading hydrocarbons comprising: mixing hydrocarbons with a fluid comprising water that has been heated to a temperature higher than its critical temperature in a mixing zone under conditions that disfavor thermal cracking and formation of coke to form a mixture; passing the mixture to a reaction zone, reacting the mixture in the reaction zone having a substantially uniform temperature distribution and being configured to reduce the settling of solids within the reaction zone said reaction occurring under supercritical water conditions in the absence of externally added hydrogen for a residence time controlled within determined limits to allow upgrading reactions to occur; withdrawing a single-phase reaction product from the reaction zone; and separating the reaction product into gas, effluent water, and upgraded hydrocarbon phases.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] FIG. 1 is a process flow diagram of one embodiment of the present invention
[0027] FIG. 2 is a process flow diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 3 is a process flow diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] Reactants
[0032] Water and hydrocarbons, preferably heavy hydrocarbons are the two reactants employed in a process according to the present invention.
[0033] Any hydrocarbon can be suitably upgraded by a process according to the present invention. Preferred are heavy hydrocarbons having an API gravity of less than 20°. Among the preferred heavy hydrocarbons are heavy crude oil, heavy hydrocarbons extracted from tar sands, commonly called tar sand bitumen, such as Athabasca tar sand bitumen obtained from Canada, heavy petroleum crude oils such as Venezuelan Orinoco heavy oil belt crudes Boscan heavy oil, heavy hydrocarbon fractions obtained from crude petroleum oils particularly heavy vacuum gas oils, vacuum residuum as well as petroleum tar, tar sands and coal tar. Other examples of heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks which can be used are oil shale, shale oil, and asphaltenes.
[0034] Water
[0035] Any source of water may be used in the fluid comprising water in practicing the present invention. Sources of water include but are not limited to drinking water, treated or untreated wastewater, river water, lake water, seawater, produced water or the like.
[0036] Mixing
[0037] In accordance with the invention, the heavy hydrocarbon feed and a fluid comprising water that has been heated to a temperature higher than its critical temperature are contacted in a mixing zone prior to entering the reaction zone. In accordance with the invention, mixing may be accomplished in many ways and is preferably accomplished by a technique that does not employ mechanical moving parts. Such means of mixing may include, but are not limited to, use of static mixers, spray nozzles, sonic or ultrasonic agitation. The oil and water should be heated and mixed so that the combined stream will reach supercritical water conditions in the reaction zone.
[0038] The oil and water should be heated and mixed so that the combined stream will reach supercritical conditions in the reaction zone.
[0039] It was found that by avoiding excessive heating of the feed oil, the formation of byproduct such as solid residues is reduced significantly. One aspect of this invention is to employ a heating sequence so that the temperature and pressure of the hydrocarbons and water will reach supercritical reaction conditions in a controlled manner. This will avoid excessive local heating of oil, which will lead to solid formation and lower quality product. In order to achieve better performances the oil should only be heated up with sufficient amount of water present and around the hydrocarbon molecules. This requirement can be met by mixing oil with water before heating.
[0040] In one embodiment of the present invention, water is heated to a temperature higher than its critical temperature, and then mixed with oil. The temperature of heavy oil feed should be kept in the range of about 100° C. to 200° C. to avoid thermal cracking but still high enough to maintain a reasonable pressure drop. The water stream temperature should be high enough to make sure that after mixing with oil, the temperature of the oil-water mixture is still higher than the water supercritical temperature. In this embodiment, the oil is actually heated up by water. An abundance of water molecules surrounding the hydrocarbon molecules will significantly suppress condensation reactions and therefore reduce formation of coke and solid product.
[0041] The required temperature of the supercritical water stream, T SCW , can be estimated based on reaction temperature, T R , and water to oil ratio. Since the heat capacity of water changes significantly in the range near its critical conditions, for a given reaction temperature, the required temperature for the supercritical water stream increases almost exponentially with decreasing water-to-oil ratio. The lower the water-to-oil ratio, the higher the T SCW . The relationship, however, is very nonlinear since higher T SCW leads to a lower heat capacity (far away from the critical point).
[0042] In another embodiment, water is heated up to supercritical conditions. Then the supercritical water mixed with heavy oil feed in a mixer. The temperature of heavy oil feed should be kept in the range of about 100° C. to 200° C. to avoid thermal cracking but still high enough to maintain reasonable pressure drop. After mixing with heavy oil, the temperature of the water-oil mixture would be lower than critical temperature of water; therefore a second heater is needed to raise the temperature of the mixture stream to above the critical temperature of water. In this embodiment, the heavy oil is first partially heated up by water, and then the water-oil mixture is heated to supercritical conditions by the second heater.
[0043] Other methods of mixing and heating sequences based on the above teachings may be used to accomplish these objectives as will be recognized by those skilled in the art.
[0044] Reaction Conditions
[0045] After the reactants have been mixed, they are passed into a reaction zone in which they are allowed to react under temperature and pressure conditions of supercritical water, i.e. supercritical water conditions, in the absence of externally added hydrogen, for a residence time sufficient to allow upgrading reactions to occur. The reaction is preferably allowed to occur in the absence of externally added catalysts or promoters, although the use of such catalysts and promoters is permissible in accordance with the present invention.
[0046] “Hydrogen” as used herein in the phrase, “in the absence of externally added hydrogen” means hydrogen gas. This phrase is not intended to exclude all sources of hydrogen that are available as reactants. Other molecules such as saturated hydrocarbons may act as a hydrogen source during the reaction by donating hydrogen to other unsaturated hydrocarbons. In addition, H 2 may be formed in-situ during the reaction through steam reforming of hydrocarbons and water-gas-shift reaction.
[0047] The reaction zone preferably comprises a reactor, which is equipped with a means for collecting the reaction products (syncrude, water, and gases), and a section, preferably at the bottom, where any metals or solids (the “dreg stream”) may accumulate.
[0048] Supercritical water conditions include a temperature from 374° C. (the critical temperature of water) to 1000° C., preferably from 374° C. to 600° C. and most preferably from 374° C. to 400° C., a pressure from, 3,205 (the critical pressure of water) to 10,000 psia, preferably from 3,205 psia to 7,200 psia and most preferably from 3,205 to 4,000 psia, an oil/water volume ratio from 1:0.1 to 1:10, preferably from 1:0.5 to 1:3 and most preferably about 1:1 to 1:2.
[0049] The reactants are allowed to react under these conditions for a sufficient time to allow upgrading reactions to occur. Preferably, the residence time will be selected to allow the upgrading reactions to occur selectively and to the fullest extent without having undesirable side reactions of coking or residue formation. Reactor residence times may be from 1 minute to 6 hours, preferably from 8 minutes to 2 hours and most preferably from 20 to 40 minutes.
[0050] The Reactor
[0051] A reactor designed for heavy oil upgrading using supercritical water in accordance with the present invention will preferably include the following features:
[0052] The reactor will have means for adequate oil-water mixing and dispersion. Contrary to the conventional thermal cracking in an uncontrolled fashion that will lead to excessive formation of light hydrocarbon and therefore lower liquid hydrocarbon yield at the temperature and pressure under supercritical water conditions, heavy hydrocarbons will hydrothermally crack into lighter components. Furthermore, hydrocarbon radicals formed from thermal cracking will also recombine and polymerize and eventually become coke. Water molecules, especially under supercritical conditions, can quench and stabilize hydrocarbon radicals and therefore prevent them from over cracking and polymerization. To avoid over cracking into light hydrocarbons and coke formation, the heavy hydrocarbon molecules are preferably surrounded by water molecules to the greatest practical extent. Therefore, the reactor includes means to assure adequate mixing of oil with water for the purpose of achieving a high yield of liquid hydrocarbons. Such means should be chosen so as to be able to handle heavy oil feed which has low API gravity and high viscosity at high oil to water ratio. Depending on specific applications such means can include, among others, (a) nozzles; (b) static mixer; (c) stirring vessel; (d) micro-channel device; and sonic and ultrasonic device.
[0053] The reaction zone in accordance with the present invention will preferably:
(1) Provide an appropriate residence time to achieve high conversion and liquid yield. Controlling the residence time narrowly within determined limits is a very important factor for heavy oil upgrading using supercritical water. The desired products of heavy oil upgrading are liquid hydrocarbons. Insufficient residence time will lead to low conversion and hence low liquid hydrocarbon yield. On the other hand, excess conversion will lead to low value by products such as light hydrocarbon gas and coke. In order to achieve highly selective conversion to liquid hydrocarbons, it is critical to maintain adequate residence time. (2) Provide sufficient heat transfer rate to maintain uniform temperature distribution. In comparing other supercritical water applications, heavy oil is a much more complicated feed and heavy oil upgrading is a very complex process. In addition, as indicated above, the desired liquid hydrocarbon is an intermediate product from selective, partial reaction. Therefore, it is extremely important to control reaction temperature to achieve high liquid hydrocarbon yield. Adequate control of reaction temperature can be achieved by providing enough heat transfer area, uniform feed distribution; or by quenching. (3) Be able to handle solid formed during the reaction. During the reaction, small amounts of solid byproducts, primarily inorganic materials (metals, sulfur, coke etc), will be formed, and the reaction zone must be able to handle such solids so they will not cause operating problems and will not contaminate the liquid hydrocarbon product.
[0057] The present invention also employs a separation zone for product recovery. The effluent stream from the reaction zone contains liquid hydrocarbon product, gas, water under supercritical conditions and solids. The liquid hydrocarbons are generally separated from other components to achieve high yield. The preferred way is to remove the solid first, and then bring the fluid phase containing hydrocarbon products, supercritical water and gas byproducts out of supercritical condition by lowing temperature, pressure or both so that hydrocarbon product and water will condense into liquid phase. The solids are primarily inorganic materials formed during the reactions and can be separated from the supercritical fluid phase using separation techniques known in the art, which could be a disengaging zone in the reactor or a separate device such as settling vessel, filter, cyclone etc,
[0058] Another option for separating the solids is to bring the product stream out of supercritical regime by lowing temperature or pressure or both. Then the solid will precipitate. A potential disadvantage of this option is that some of the inorganic components in the solid may dissolve in water, which may contaminate the liquid hydrocarbon product. It should be noted that depending on the specific applications, a reactor for heavy oil upgrading using supercritical water in accordance with the present invention may have more than one of each of the three components listed above.
[0059] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, which has been used in a laboratory. An inline mixer is used for mixing heavy oil with water. For this specific embodiment it is a static mixer. The reaction zone comprises a spiral tube reactor with large length to diameter ratio to attain high velocity inside the reactor, which is helpful to maintain oil-water dispersion. This design also makes the fluid flow inside the reactor close to plug flow and therefore achieves narrow residence time distribution for selective conversion to desired liquid hydrocarbons. Inorganic solids in the feed and formed during the reaction will not dissolve in supercritical water. High velocity inside the reactor also prevents settling of those inorganic solids. The small diameter of the reactor body also provides large specific surface area for heat transfer to maintain uniform temperature distribution inside the reactor. The length of the reactor can be designed based on residence time needed for specific conversion. A second vessel is added to settle the solids. The temperature and pressure is maintained at the same values as those in the spiral tube so that the fluid in the second vessel is still at supercritical water conditions. Due to the larger cross-sectional area of the second vessel the fluid velocity is much lower. As a result, inorganic materials separated from the fluid will settle down in the vessel, and can be removed from the system. The fluid containing hydrocarbon products, supercritical water and gas byproducts is cooled while maintaining at the same pressure as in the reactor, and hydrocarbon products and water are condensed in the high pressure separator.
[0060] A spiral tube with a high length to diameter ratio, which may be from 50 to 10,000, preferably from 100 to 4,000 may be used as reactor body. Use of such a reactor has the advantages of high velocity, narrow residence time distribution, and large surface for heat transfer. The length to diameter ratio is a useful parameter to determine preferred reactor configurations. The diameter may be determined by velocity needed to avoid solids precipitation and then the length can be selected to provide the desired residence time. Other reactor configurations known to those in the art can be used to achieve similar effects, such as a serpentine reactor.
[0061] In the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 the separation zone for removing solid and recovering hydrocarbon products is a vessel with a dip tube. Other fluid-solid separation devices known in the art can be used to achieve the separation effect, which includes, but not limited to, cyclone, filter, ceramic membrane, settling tank, etc.
[0062] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , as well as in other embodiments described herein, the mixer, reaction and separation zones are separated. Such arrangement is convenient for laboratory research, and is used as an illustrative example. It is within the scope of the present invention and in some applications will be beneficial to integrate these three functions into one vessel.
[0063] As mentioned above, the reactor may include more than one piece of each function devices. FIG. 2 shows an example. In order to avoid over cracking of the feed to form undesired byproducts such as light hydrocarbon gases and coke, heavy hydrocarbon molecules are preferably surrounded by sufficient water molecules. Generally speaking, a higher water to oil ratio will be helpful to maintain the desired environment. However, high water to oil ratio also means high equipment and operating cost. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 can achieve high water to oil ratio locally without increasing overall water to feed ratio. Instead of mixing all the feed oil with water at reactor inlet, this embodiment uses multiple injections of oil to maintain a desired water to oil ratio. Such a design is also helpful to control reaction temperature. By distributing feed oil more uniformly through the reactor length, reaction temperature will not increase too much due to the exothermic nature of the reactions.
[0064] Only two injections were shown in FIG. 2 . This is not intended as a limitation. A reactor with multiple injections may also be used. In addition, one or more settling vessels can be added to a reactor with a multiple injection configuration to achieve solid separation under supercritical conditions.
[0065] FIG. 3 shows yet another embodiment with more than one mixing and reaction zones. A second mixer, which may or may not be the same as the first mixer, is added between reaction zone to enhance the oil/supercritical water mixing. Again, multiple mixers and reaction zones can be used. The upgrading reaction is exothermic. A reactor with a large surface area helps to maintain uniform temperature distribution inside the reactor.
[0066] Depending on feed properties, heat exchange through the surface area provided by the reactor may or may not be enough. Water can be used to quench the reaction stream and thereby control the reaction temperature.
[0067] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of using water to quench the reaction stream between two reaction zones. The amount of water used for quenching should be enough to bring down the reaction temperature while the reaction stream after quenching still maintain supercritical conditions. Multiple reaction zones and water quenching may be necessary for some feeds.
[0068] The quenching water can also be used to for product recovery, as shown in FIG. 5 . After reaction the product stream is quenched by liquid water. The solid will be washed out by the water, and due to the temperature reduction caused by quenching water and the hydrocarbons will condense as liquid.
[0069] Reaction Product Separation
[0070] After the reaction has progressed sufficiently a single phase reaction product is withdrawn from the reaction zone, cooled, and separated into gas, effluent water, and upgraded hydrocarbon phases. This separation is preferably done by cooling the stream and using one or more two-phase separators, three-phase separators, or other gas-oil-water separation device known in the art. However, any method of separation can be used in accordance with the invention.
[0071] The composition of gaseous product obtained by treatment of the heavy hydrocarbons in accordance with the process of the present invention will depend on feed properties and typically comprises light hydrocarbons, water vapor, acid gas (CO 2 and H 2 S), methane and hydrogen. The effluent water may be used, reused or discarded. It may be recycled to e.g. the feed water tank, the feed water treatment system or to the reaction zone.
[0072] The upgraded hydrocarbon product, which is sometimes referred to as “syncrude” herein may be upgraded further or processed into other hydrocarbon products using methods that are known in the hydrocarbon processing art.
[0073] The process of the present invention may be carried out either as a continuous or semi-continuous process or a batch process or as a continuous process. In the continuous process the entire system operates with a feed stream of oil and a separate feed stream of supercritical water and reaches a steady state, whereby all the flow rates, temperatures, pressures, and composition of the inlet, outlet, and recycle streams do not vary appreciably with time.
[0074] While not being bound to any theory of operation, it is believed that a number of upgrading reactions are occurring simultaneously at the supercritical water conditions used in the present process. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the major chemical/upgrading reactions are believed to be:
[0075] Thermal Cracking: C x H y →lighter hydrocarbons
[0076] Steam Reforming: C x H y +2xH 2 O=xCO 2 +(2x+y/2)H 2
[0077] Water-Gas-Shift: CO+H 2 O═CO 2 +H 2
[0078] Demetalization: C x H y Ni w +H 2 O/H 2 →NiO/Ni(OH) 2 +lighter hydrocarbons
[0079] Desulfurization: C x H y S z +H 2 O/H 2 ═H 2 S+lighter hydrocarbons
[0080] The exact pathway may depend on the reactor operating conditions (temperature, pressure, O/W volume ratio), reactor design (mode of contact/mixing, sequence of heating), and the hydrocarbon feedstock
[0081] The following Examples are illustrative of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the invention in any way beyond what is contained in the claims which follow.
EXAMPLE 1
Process Conditions
[0082] Oil and supercritical water are contacted in a mixer prior to entering the reactor. The reactor is equipped with an inner tube for collecting the products (syncrude, excess water, and gas), and a bottom section where any metals or solids comprising a “dreg stream” of indeterminate properties or composition may accumulate. The shell-side of the reactor is kept isothermal during the reaction with a clamshell furnace and temperature controller. Preferred reactor residence times are 20-40 minutes, with preferred oil/water volume ratios on the order of 1:3. Preferred temperatures are around 374°-400° C., with the pressure at 3200-4000 psig. The reactor product stream leaves as a single phase, and is cooled and separated into gas, syncrude, and effluent water. The effluent water is recycled back to the reactor. Sulfur from the original feedstock accumulates in the dreg stream for the most part, with lesser amounts primarily in the form of H 2 S found in the gas phase and water phase.
[0083] As the next examples will show, very little gas is produced in most cases. With suitable choice of operating conditions, it is also possible to reduce or nearly eliminate the “dreg stream.” Elimination of the dreg stream means that a greater degree of hydrocarbon is recovered as syncrude, but it also means that metals and sulfur will accumulate elsewhere, such as in the water and gas streams.
EXAMPLE 2
Properties of the Product Syncrude
[0084] A Hamaca crude oil was diluted with a diluent hydrocarbon at a ratio of 5:1 (20 vol % of diluent). The diluted Hamaca crude oil properties were measured before reacting it with the supercritical water process as referred to in Example 1 and FIG. 2 . The properties of the crude were as follows: 12.8 API gravity at 60/60; 1329 CST viscosity @40° C.; 7.66 wt % C/H ratio; 13.04 wt % MCRT; 3.54 wt % sulfur; 0.56 wt % nitrogen; 3.05 mg KOH/gm acid number; 1.41 wt % water; 371 ppm Vanadium; and 86 ppm Nickel. The diluted Hamaca crude oil after the super critical water treatment was converted into a syncrude with the following properties: 24.1 API gravity at 60/60; 51.75 CST viscosity @40° C.; 7.40 wt % C/H ratio; 2.25 wt % MCRT; 2.83 wt % sulfur; 0.28 wt % nitrogen; 1.54 mg KOH/gm acid number; 0.96 wt % water; 24 ppm
[0085] Vanadium,; and 3 ppm Nickel. Substantial reductions in metals and residues were observed, with simultaneous increase in the API gravity and a significant decrease in the viscosity of the original crude oil feedstock. There were modest reductions in the Total Acid number, sulfur concentration, and nitrogen concentration which could be improved with further optimization of the reaction conditions.
[0086] When the diluted Hamaca crude was sent directly to the reactor without being first heated with supercritical water, the product syncrude had the following properties: 14.0 API gravity at 60/60; 188 CST viscosity @40° C.; 8.7 wt % MCRT; 3.11 wt % sulfur; 267 ppm Vanadium; and 59 ppm Nickel. This comparison demonstrates the importance of the heating sequence of the present invention.
[0087] Apart from the occasional, small accumulation of a dreg stream, there is very little coking or solid byproducts formed in the supercritical water reaction. The material balance was performed for two separate experimental runs.
[0088] In the experimental run width no dreg stream formed, the starting feedstock of diluted Hamaca crude at 60 grams produced a syncrude product of 59.25 grams which corresponds to a high overall recovery of 99 percent. It was thought that due to the absence of a dreg stream the experimental mass balance was impacted in the determination of the sulfur and metals. The gas phase did not contain metals species and had little sulfur compounds. It was hypothesized that a portion of the metal and sulfur may have accumulated on the walls of the reactor or downstream plumbing.
[0089] In the experimental run with a dreg stream formed, the starting feedstock of diluted Hamaca crude at 30 grams produced a syncrude product of 22.73 grams. The dreg stream that was formed accounted for 5.5 grams. The overall recovery with the dreg stream was 96.7 percent. In the dreg stream, sulfur accounted for 31% of the total sulfur with the remaining sulfur in the oil product, water phase, and gas phase. The metals content of the dreg stream accounted for 82% of the total metals with the remaining metals in the oil product. For commercial operations, it may be preferable to minimize the formation of a dreg streams since it represents a 18% reduction in syncrude product, and generates a lower value product stream that impacts the process in terms of economics and disposal concerns.
[0090] Undiluted Boscan crude oil properties were measured before reacting it with the supercritical water process of the present invention. The properties of the crude were as follows; 9 API gravity at 60/60; 1,140 CST viscosity @40° C.; 8.0 wt % C/H ratio; 16 wt % MCRT; 5.8 wt % Sulfur; and 1,280 ppm Vanadium. The undiluted Boscan crude oil after the super critical water treatment was converted into a syncrude with the following properties: 22 API gravity at 60/60; 9 CST viscosity @40° C.; 7.6 wt % C/H ratio; 2.5 wt % MCRT; 4.6% sulfur, and 130 ppm) Vanadium.
[0091] A simulated distillation analysis of the original crude oil vs. the syncrude products from different experimental runs shows that the syncrude prepared in accordance with the present invention clearly has superior properties than the original crude. Specifically, the syncrudes contain a higher fraction of lower-boiling fractions. 51% of the diluted Hamaca crude boils across a range of temperatures of less than 1000° F., while employing a process according to the present invention using supercritical water depending on process configurations, between 79 to 94% of the syncrude boils across a range of temperatures of less than 1000° F. 40% of the undiluted Boscan crude boils across a range of temperatures of less than 1000° F., while employing a process according to the present invention using supercritical water, 93% of the syncrude boils across a range of temperatures of less than 1000° F.
[0092] There are numerous variations on the present invention which are possible in light of the teachings and supporting examples described herein. It is therefore understood that within the scope of the following claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described or exemplified herein.
|
A process using supercritical water to upgrade a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into an upgraded hydrocarbon product or syncrude with highly desirable properties (low sulfur content, low metals content, lower density (higher API) lower viscosity, lower residuum content, etc.) is described. The process does not require external supply of hydrogen nor does it use externally supplied catalysts. A reactor design to carry out the process is also described,
| 2
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION AND CLAIM TO PRIORITY
The present application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/996/206, filed Nov. 28, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,866,740 the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, and to which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §120.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to wood products and, more particularly, relates to methods of manufacturing consolidated cellulosic panels.
2. Description of Related Technology
Consolidated cellulosic panels, such as fiber board, paper board, particle board, and the like, are typically comprised of wood furnish such as saw dust, shavings, chips, or specially ground fibers, compressed with a binding agent or resin under heat and pressure. Such boards can be used in a variety of applications including, but not limited to, exterior house siding, interior and exterior door facing panels or door skins, cabinet doors, paneling, moulding, etc.
It is often desirable to manufacture such panels to a uniform basis weight and caliper. If the panels are flat this can be accomplished by compressing a mat between first and second flat faced dies. However, if one of the faces needs to be deeply contoured, such die compressions have proven to be problematic. For example, if a first die has a contour corresponding to the desired shape of the panel, and the second die has a flat face, the mat compressed therebetween will have a non-uniform caliper, with the thinner areas of the mat being compressed to a higher density than thicker areas. This is especially true with fiberous materials that do not flow under pressure.
Current methods of producing such panels therefore typically require that a mat having first and second opposed flat surfaces be compressed according to conventional methods, and that one or more of the surfaces then be machined to have the desired contour. For example, a router may be used to shape the surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,106, assigned to the present assignee, discloses such a process. Such tools, however, cannot easily produce sharp inside corners, are relatively slow, and require complex, expensive equipment.
Another method requires contoured, complementary, dies on both the top and bottom to produce a substantially uniform thickness through the contoured and non-contoured areas. If one of the top or bottom needs to be flat, or alternatively shaped, the panel must undergo an added machining step adding time, expense and waste to the operation. Shallow contouring of one face is typically done in an embossing operation, or with an embossing die, but the depth of embossing is greatly limited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing a contoured, consolidated cellulosic article having a variable basis weight is provided. The method comprises the steps of forming a loose mat of cellulosic material and a binder resin, the mat having a top surface and a bottom surface, machining at least one of the top surface and bottom surfaces to have a pattern, and consolidating the mat between a top platen and a bottom platen. The top and bottom platens have contours complementary to the patterns machined into the mat top and bottom surfaces, respectively.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing a consolidated cellulosic article is provided comprising the steps of depositing cellulosic fiber and a binding agent onto a moving conveyor to form a mat, applying suction through the conveyor belt, scalping a top surface of the mat, compressing the mat between upper and lower platens at a first pressure, machining a pattern into the top surface by removing cellulosic material in a desired pattern, gathering the removed cellulosic material, and compressing the mat between third and fourth platens. The conveyor is perforated so as to enable the suction to hold the mat onto the belt. The scalping step creates a mat of uniform height. The third and fourth platens are contoured complementarily to contours of the top and bottom surfaces, respectively.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing a contoured, consolidated cellulosic article with variable basis weight is provided, which comprises the steps of forming a loose mat of cellulosic material and a binder resin, the mat having a top surface and a bottom surface, prepressing the loose mat to a first density and caliper, machining at least one of the top surface and bottom surface to have a pattern, and consolidating the mat between a top platen and a bottom platen. The top and bottom platens have contours complementary to the pattern machined into the mat top and bottom surface, respectively. The consolidating step compresses the mat to a second density and caliper. The second density is greater than the first density.
These and other aspects and features of the invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an article constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a mat being preliminarily formed according to the teachings of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of a mat being pre-pressed according to the teachings of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a mat being machined in two dimensions according to the teachings of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a mat being machined in three dimensions according to the teachings of the invention;
FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of a mat being compressed under heat and pressure according to the teachings of the invention; and
FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a system constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, and with specific reference to FIG. 1 , an article constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention is generally referred to by reference numeral 20 . While the article 20 is depicted as a six panel door facing, it is to be understood that the teachings of the invention can be employed in the construction of any number of other consolidated cellulosic articles having a contoured surfaces such as, but not limited to, exterior house siding, interior and exterior door facing panels or door skins, cabinet doors, paneling, and moulding.
As shown in FIG. 1 , the article 20 includes a first or top surface 22 , a second or bottom surface 24 , first and second side edges 26 , 28 , and first and second end edges 30 , 32 . The top surface 22 is contoured, whereas the bottom surface 24 is flat or planar in the depicted embodiment. More specifically, the top surface 22 includes a plurality of indentations 34 of various dimension and depth to provide an appearance desirable for the end application of the article 20 . In the depicted embodiment, the bottom surface 24 is flat to facilitate attachment of the article 20 to a door core, but it is to be understood that the article 20 may include a back surface having a non-flat contour as well.
Referring now to FIG. 2 , a former 36 according to the teachings of the invention is depicted generating a mat 38 . The former 36 includes a hopper 40 from which a combination of cellulosic fibers and a binding agent or resin are deposited onto a moving conveyor belt 42 . The binding agent may be any number of different known agents including, but not limited to, phenolic resin or isocyanate. The conveyor belt 42 is preferably perforated, with a suction device 44 being proximate the conveyor belt 42 . The suction device 44 generates a pressure differential across the conveyor belt 42 thereby holding the mat 38 to the conveyor belt 42 .
As can be seen in FIG. 2 , the cellulosic material is deposited upon the conveyor belt 42 at an inconsistent height (exaggerated in FIG. 2 for the purpose of illustration). Accordingly, downstream of the hopper 40 a rotary scalper 46 may be provided. The scalper 46 includes a rotating axle 48 from which a plurality of blades 50 radially extend. Rotation of the scalper 46 causes the blades 50 to engage the mat 38 and thereby reduce the mat 38 to a consistent thickness. It is to be understood that the scalper 46 may be provided in alternative forms, such as saw blades, for removal of the cellulosic material.
Referring now to FIG. 3 , a pre-press 52 according to the teachings of the invention is depicted. The pre-press 52 includes a first platen 54 as well as a second platen 56 which are adapted to be compressed together as by hydraulic cylinders 58 . The pre-press 52 compresses the mat 38 to a softboard 53 , defined herein as a compressed mat of cellulosic fiber and a binding agent having a relatively low density, e.g., 10 to 30 lbs. per cubic foot. Such a softboard has sufficient density and strength to maintain its shape, as opposed to being a loose pile of fibers, but would not be suitable for use as a solid product such as siding or doors. The softboard 53 is preferably formed in the absence of heat or moisture so as to avoid curing of the binding agent and thereby allow for the material removed, as by the rotary scalper 46 , to be recycled.
Once the softboard 53 is formed, it is machined as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , resulting in a softboard 53 having a variable basis weight across its dimension. For example, as shown in FIG. 4 , the top surface 22 of the softboard 53 may be machined along a single axis, e.g., a longitudinal axis α, to provide a contoured top surface 22 while maintaining the bottom surface 24 in a planar configuration. If the softboard 53 is machined as depicted in FIG. 4 , wherein a second rotary scalper 60 removes material along the longitudinal axis ∝, (as well as a depth axis Δ) material such as house siding can be easily manufactured. If the end product needs to be machined along the longitudinal and lateral axes α and β (as well as along the depth axis Δ) as with a six panel door as depicted in FIG. 1 , a router 62 may be employed as shown in FIG. 5 . The router 62 is preferably mounted on a track system 64 and connected to a CNC control (Computer Numerical Control) or the like for movement of the router 62 in appropriate directions.
Referring now to FIG. 6 , a secondary press 68 according to the teachings of the invention is shown in partial sectional view. The secondary press 68 preferably includes an upper platen 70 , a lower platen 72 and a mechanism for compressing the upper and lower platens 70 and 72 together. Such a mechanism may be provided in the form of hydraulic cylinders 74 , but may be provided in any other type of actuator including, but not limited to, pneumatic cylinders, motors, and the like.
In the depicted embodiment, the upper platen 70 includes a plurality of protrusions 76 such that the contour of the upper platen 70 is complementarily shaped to a pattern 78 formed in the upper or top surface 22 of the mat 38 . Also in the depicted embodiment, the lower platen 72 is flat or planar so as to match the planar shape of the bottom surface 24 , but it is to be understood that if the bottom surface 24 is otherwise contoured, the lower platen 72 would be shaped to correspond to the contour of the bottom surface 24 .
The secondary press 68 preferably has a heat source 75 associated therewith to compress the softboard 53 under heat and pressure. The heat source 75 may be provided in the form of heat exchanger coils or channels through the platens 70 , 72 , through which heated fluid, e.g., water, is circulated, or in the form of separate hot platens.
Referring now to FIG. 7 , a system 80 according to the teachings of the invention is shown in schematic fashion. As shown therein, the system 80 includes the former 36 , the pre-press 52 , a machining mechanism 82 , the secondary press 68 , as well as a gathering mechanism 84 and a recycling mechanism 86 .
The machining mechanism 82 may be provided in the form of the aforementioned rotary scalper 60 or router 62 , but can alternatively be provided in the form of any other type of mechanism for removing cellulosic material from the mat 38 including, but not limited to, circular saw blades, band saw blades, sanders, and the like. The gathering mechanism 84 may be provided in the form of a conveyor provided below the machining mechanism 82 , or may be provided in the form of a vacuum device for drawing the removed cellulosic material away. The recycling mechanism 86 preferably communicates the material gathered by mechanism 84 back to the former 36 for use in the formation of subsequent articles 20 . Accordingly, the recycling mechanism 86 may include conveyors, suction lines, or the like.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the teachings of the invention may be employed to manufacture a contoured, consolidated cellulosic article having variable basis weight.
|
A method of manufacturing a contoured, consolidated cellulosic article, with variable basis weight, is disclosed. The method employs a former to create a mat having a substantially uniform thickness which is pre-pressed to retain its shape. The pre-pressed mat is then machined along at least one surface to result in a desirable contour. The contoured mat is then consolidated within a secondary press. The secondary press preferably includes platens shaped complementarily to the surfaces of the mat.
| 1
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a fluid operated control system for a variable displacement pump or pumps driven by a prime mover such as an internal combustion engine. More particularly, the invention is directed to a system for controlling the per cycle displacement of a variable displacement pump or pumps supplying fluid under pressure to implements actuators in which the torque requirement of the pump or pumps can be varied without changing the setting output condition of the prime mover.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional control of a variable displacement pump (which will be hereinafter referred simply to as a variable pump), a device for controlling displacement of the variable pump is known for example, wherein a discharge oil of a control hydraulic pump is supplied through a control valve to a servo cylinder for changing a swash plate angle of the variable pump, and a pressure reducing operation of the control valve is controlled according to a discharge pressure of the variable pump, thus controlling displacement of the variable pump according to the discharge pressure thereof and maintaining a torque requirement or torque demand of the variable pump (displacement per cycle of pump x pressure) constant. Namely, a control device defining a self pressure as a control signal is known.
In such a control device as above, because the torque requirement of the variable pump is constant, it is common that the torque requirement is set to a torque requirement corresponding to a rated point under a maximum set output condition (full load) of an engine for purpose of effective utilization of engine horse power, and the torque requirement of the variable pump is dependent upon set output conditions of the engine, that is, lever positions of a fuel injection pump of the engine.
Further, when the set output condition of the engine is set to a partial load, that is, the lever position of the fuel injection pump is set to a low speed side to reduce a set output, a rotational speed of the engine is reduced, but the torque requirement of the variable pump is not temporarily changed. However, as a rotational speed of the variable pump is reduced, the torque requirement of the variable pump is resultantly reduced to decrease displacement per unit time of the variable pump. Therefore, an operating speed of implement actuators is reduced. For example, in a constructional machine such as a power shovel, when loading work of light-weight materials and ground levelling work are carried out, it is necessary to quickly operate implements with no need for large power. In such light work as above, if the engine is driven at low speeds, displacement per unit time of the variable pump is reduced as mentioned above, resulting in reduction in operating speed of the implement actuators and reduction in working efficiency. On the other hand, in such a partial loaded condition of a set engine output as above, a maximum torque of the engine is rendered lower than a rated torque under full load, and accordingly the torque of the engine is rendered lower than the torque requirement of the variable pump, resulting in the possibility of engine stall.
Accordingly, in the case that the engine is driven where air density is small or a crude fuel is used as engine fuel, the engine output corresponding to the lever position may not be obtained. Therefore the torque corresponding to the rated torque may not be obtained in spite of setting of the engine under full load. As a result, the torque requirement of the variable pump with respect to an effective torque of the engine is enlarged to disadvantageously decrease the engine rotational speed, and in the worst case, to stop the engine. To avoid these disadvantages, when the engine is set at a full loaded rotational speed so as to sufficiently secure displacement per unit time of the variable pump, fuel consumption of the engine is uneconomically increased instead.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fluid operated pump displacement control system which may change a torque requirement of the variable pump according to the difference between each of a set of reference output rotational speeds in engine set output conditions and an actual rotational speed of the engine.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fluid operated pump displacement control system which may change a torque requirement of the variable pump without varying set output conditions of the engine by defining a self pressure as a first control signal, arbitrarily selecting a second control signal to be added to the first control signal, and controlling the torque requirement to a capacity corresponding to the second control signal, that is, the torque requirement of the variable pump.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fluid operated pump displacement control system which may set a torque requirement of the variable pump corresponding to applications of the implements (content of work), and improve working efficiency and simultaneously suppress fuel consumption of the engine.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, there is provided according to the present invention a fluid operated pump displacement control system wherein a self pressure is defined as a first control signal, and characterized in that an arbitrary switchable second control signal different from the first control signal is added to the first control signal, and a displacement is adapted to be switched to a displacement corresponding to a value of the second control signal as added to the first control signal.
According to the present invention, there is further provided a fluid operated pump displacement control system comprising a control means connected to respective displacement control devices of variable displacement pumps and adapted to be operated by discharge pressure fluid from a discrete control pump, a variable torque control valve having a proportional electromagnetic solenoid provided in a circuit connecting the control means with the control pump and adapted to operate pressure reduction by a discharge fluid pressure of the variable displacement pumps and a propelling force of the proportional electromagnetic solenoid, means for detecting set output conditions of a prime mover for driving the variable displacement pumps, and means for supplying current to the proportional electromagnetic solenoid according to the difference between a set reference rotational speed in each of the set output conditions and an actual rotational speed of the prime mover.
The above and many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which preferred structural embodiments incorporating the principles of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagrammatic view showing a general constitution of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a controller to be used in the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view of the essential part of the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a graph showing relation among a control lever position, potentiometer output voltage and set reference rotational speed of the prime mover;
FIG. 5 is a graph showing relation between a rotational speed of the prime mover and a current value;
FIG. 6 is a graph showing relation between a current value and a torque requirement of the variable displacement pump;
FIG. 7 is a graph showing relation between a pressure and a per cycle displacement of the variable displacement pump; and
FIG. 8 is a graph showing relation between a torque requirement of the variable displacement and a torque curve of the prime mover.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 which shows a general circuit diagram, first and second variable displacement hydraulic pumps (which will be hereinafter referred to as first and second variable pumps) P 1 and P 2 and a fixed displacement hydraulic control pump (which will be hereinafter referred to as a control pump) P 3 of a small capacity are driven by an engine E. First, second and third operating valves 2 1 , 2 2 and 2 3 are connected in parallel to a discharge passage 1 of the first variable pump P 1 , and fourth, fifth and sixth operating valves 2 4 , 2 5 and 2 6 are connected in parallel to a discharge passage 3 of the second variable pump P 2 . Each of the operating valves 2 1 to 2 6 is a known three position selector valve for supplying a discharge oil to first to sixth actuators 4 1 to 4 6 for a motor and a cylinder, etc.
Displacement control members (which will be hereinafter referred to as swash plates) 5 and 6 of the first and second variable pumps P 1 and P 2 are controlled by control mechanisms 7 and 8, and the control mechanisms 7 and 8 are controlled by a discharge oil from the control pump P 3 . There are provided in a discharge passage 16, neutral control valves (which will be hereinafter referred to as NC valves) 12, cut-off valves (which will be hereinafter referred to as CO valves) 13 and a variable torque control valve 14 which are adapted to be operated by jet sensor 11 provided in drain passages 9 and 10 leading from the discharge passages 1 and 3 of the first and second variable pumps P 1 and P 2 .
Reference numeral 17 designates a potentiometer for detecting a position of a control lever 18 of a fuel injection pump E 1 of the engine E, while reference numeral 19 designates a speed sensor for detecting an actual rotational speed of the engine E. Respective detection values (signal voltages) are fed to a controller 20 which in turn outputs a signal current to the variable torque control valve 14.
Reference numerals 21, 22 and 23 designate a mode selector switch, power supply and selector switch. The selector switch 23 normally connects an output circuit 20' of the controller 20 with a circuit 14' to the variable torque control valve 14, and when the controller 20, etc. malfunctions, the selector switch 23 acts to connect the circuit 14' with a redundant circuit 25 having a resistor 24 connected to a battery 22.
The mode selector switch 21 is manually selected to an ordinary mode position I, medium mode position II and low mode position III to output a control signal to the controller 20.
In other words, as shown in FIG. 2, when the mode selector switch 21 is selected to the ordinary mode position I, a set output condition of the engine (e.g., maximum output condition, medium output condition and low output condition) is detected according to a position of the control lever 18 as detected by the potentiometer 17, and a detection value as obtained above is inputted to a memory unit 20a FIG. 2, of the controller 20, where a set reference rotational speed N set in the set output condition is read from the memory unit 20a to be inputted to an operating unit 20b. Simultaneously, an actual rotational speed N detected by the speed sensor 19 is inputted to the operating unit 20b. When the actual rotational speed N becomes lower than the set reference rotational speed N set , current is supplied to the circuit 14' of the variable torque control valve 14 according to a value of (N set -N). Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-210383 shows a controller similar to the one shown in FIG. 2.
When the mode selector switch 21 is selected to the medium mode position II, current as set by a first setting unit 26 of the controller 20 is supplied to the output circuit 20'. On the other hand, when the mode selector switch 21 is selected to the low mode position III, current as set by a second setting unit 27 is supplied to the output circuit 20', where the position of the control lever 18 and the actual rotational speed N are no longer required.
The variable torque control valve 14 serves as varying a discharge pressure of the control pump P 3 according to the discharge pressures of the first and second varible pumps P 1 and P 2 , that is, a first control signal S 1 and an arbitrary suitable second control signal S 2a , S 2b , or S 2c to be fed from the controller 20. The control mechanisms 7 and 8 act to change angles of the swash plates 5 and 6 to increase or decrease per cycle displacements of the first and second variable pumps P 1 and P 2 , thereby changing a torque requirement.
In this manner, when the mode selector switch 21 is selected to the low mode position III, an output pressure of the variable torque control valve 14 is controlled according to the set current as set by the second setting unit 27, that is, a second control signal S 2a irrespective of a set output condition and an actual rotational speed of the engine, thereby determining the torque requirement. The set current as set by the second setting unit 27 is a value corresponding to a torque requirement suitable for a light work, and the torque requirement in this case is shown by X in FIG. 8, where an engine speed is increased with respect to a torque requirement Y as determined to a rated point under full load, and accordingly the displacement per unit time of the first and second variable pumps P 1 and P 2 is increased, while the discharge pressure is decreased, thereby reducing fuel consumption of the engine and rendering the torque requirement suitable for the light work under low pressure at high speed.
Similarly, when the mode selector switch 21 is selected to the medium mode position II, an output pressure of the variable torque control valve 14 is controlled according to the set current as set by the first setting unit 26, that is, a different second control S 2b signal, thereby determining a torque requirement. The set current as set by the first setting unit 26 is a value corresponding to a torque requirement suitable for normal work, and the torque requirement in this case is shown by Z in FIG. 8, where it is in an intermediate position between the torque requirements Y and X, thereby resulting in an intermediate pressure and an intermediate displacement per unit time which are suitable for normal work.
Further, when the mode selector switch 21 is selected to the normal mode position I, an output pressure of the varible torque control vave 14 is controlled according to the set current as set by the operating unit 20b of the controller 20, that is, a further different second control signal S 2c , thereby determining a torque requirement. The set current as set by operating unit 20b is a value corresponding to a torque requirement suitable for heavy work as shown by Y in FIG. 8, thereby resulting in a high pressure and a small displacement per unit time which are suitable for the heavy work.
Upon selection of the ordinary mode position I in the preferred embodiment, since the output current is controlled according to a set output condition and an actual rotational speed of the engine, it is possible to obtain a torque requirement corresponding to an effective torque of the engine. Even when an engine output corresponding to the set output condition of the engine may not be obtained in such a case that the engine is operated at a high altitude where the density of the atmosphere is small and a crude fuel is used as engine fuel, there is no possibility that the torque requirement is increased with respect to the effective torque of the engine to decrease an engine rotational speed, and in the worst case, to cause an engine stall.
In this manner, the torque requirement may be controlled to a value corresponding to each work condition by simply selecting the mode selector switch 21 to add a different arbitrary second control signal to a first control signal, thus permitting various works to be efficiently carried out without increasing fuel consumption of the engine.
Referring to FIG. 3 which shows a detailed sectional view of each member on the first variable pump P 1 side, the control device 7 includes a servo piston 31, input signal section A and guide valve section B in a casing 30. The servo piston 31 is connected through a rod 32 to a swash plate 5, and is normally retained in a minimum swash angle position (minimum displacement position) as shown in the drawing by a pair of springs 33 which are held by end covers 34 and 35.
The input signal section A is provided with a control piston 36 having a projecting rod 37 on one side thereof to define a first chamber 38, and there is linearly provided a spring 39 on the other side of the control piston 36.
The guide valve section B comprises a guide spool 42 inserted in a sleeve 41, and the casing 20 is formed with a cut-away portion 43 opening through the sleeve 41, the control piston 36 and the servo piston 31. An arm 44 is provided in the cut-away portion 43, and is pivotably supported by a pin 45 to the control piston 36 at a central portion thereof. One end 44a of the arm 44 is engaged with a recess 31a of the servo piston 31, while the other end 44b is engaged with a recess 42a of the guide spool 42 through a bore 41a of the sleeve 41.
The sleeve 41 is formed with an inlet port 56 and first and second outlet ports 57 and 58. The inlet port 56 opens to an inlet hole 59, and the first and second outlet ports 57 and 58 are communicated through first and second passages 60 and 61 formed in the casing 30 with first and second pressure chambers 62 and 63 of the servo piston 31, respectively. One end surface of the sleeve 41 abuts through a spring seat 64 and a free piston 65 against an adjusting plug 67 threadedly engaged with a cap 66, while the other end surface abuts through a free piston 68 against an adjusting plug 70 threadedly engaged with a cap 69. Reference numerals 71 and 72 designate lock nuts.
The guide spool 42 is formed with an annular recess 73 blockably communicating the inlet port 56 with the first and second outlet ports 57 and 58, and is normally urged rightwardly by a spring 74 to retain the servo piston 31 in the minimum swash angle position. Further, the guide spool 42 is formed with first and second annular recesses 75 and 76 blockably communicating the first and second outlet ports 57 and 58 with the cut-away portion 43 and is formed with a shaft hole 77.
The CO valve 13 and the NC valve 12 are formed integrally with each other.
The cut-off valve 13 is constituted in the following manner. That is, a valve body 100 is provided with a sleeve 102 incorporating a piston 101 and with a spool 103 which are linearly arranged. A first pressure receiving chamber 104 is defined by a shoulder 101a of the piston 101 and a hole 102a of the sleeve 102. A small diametrical portion 101b of the piston 101 is exposed to a second pressure receiving chamber 105 at a free end thereof, and the second pressure receiving chamber 105 is blockably communicated through a passage 106 with a port 109 by the spool 103. The first pressure receiving chamber 104 is connected through a port 108 to the discharge passage 1. The spool 103 is leftwardly biased by a spring 110 to blockably communicate the passage 106 with a port 109.
On the other hand, the neutral control valve 12 is constituted in the following manner. That is, the valve body 100 is provided with a sleeve 112 incorporating a piston 111 and with a spool 113 which are linearly arranged. A third pressure receiving chamber 114 is defined by a shoulder 111a of the piston 111 and a hole 112a of the sleeve 112. A small diametrical portion 111b of the piston 111 is exposed to a fourth pressure receiving chamber 115. The third pressure receiving chamber 114 is communicated through a passage 116 with a port 117 which is in turn blockably communicated with the passage 106 by the spool 113. The fourth pressure receiving chamber 115 opens to a port 118. The spool 113 is rightwardly biased by a spring 119, and a spring chamber 120' opens to a port 121'.
The jet sensor 11 is provided with a restriction 82 between an inlet port 80 and an outlet port 81, and is designed to detect a total pressure (static pressure+dynamic pressure) at a first port 83 and a static pressure at a second port 84. The first port 83 is communicated through the port 118 with the fourth pressure receiving chamber 115, while the second port 84 is communicated through the port 121' with the spring chamber 120'. The port 117 is communicated with the first chamber 38.
The variable torque control valve 14 includes in a valve body 120 a spool 123 blockably communicating an inlet port 121 with an outlet port 122 and a sleeve 127 incorporating first, second and third pistons 124, 125 and 126 which are linearly arranged. The spool 123 is biased by a spring 128 in such a direction as to communicate the inlet port 121 with the outlet port 122, and commnicate a pressure receiving portion 124a of the first piston 124 with the outlet port 122, thus forming a pressure reducing valve. A pressure receiving portion 125a of the second piston 125 is connected through a port 129 to the discharge passage 1 to leftwardly urge the spool 123 by the second piston 125 against the spring 128. A pressure receiving portion 126a of the third piston 126 is connected through a port 90 to the discharge passage 3 of the second variable pump P 2 . An adjusting bolt 93 threadedly engaged with an end cover 92 is provided in opposed relation with a spring seat 91 of the spring 128. An output plunger 95 of a proportional electromagnetic solenoid 94 is provided in opposed relation with an end surface of the third piston 126. The input port 121 is connected to the discharge passage 16 of the control pump P 3 , while the outlet port 122 is connected to the port 109 of the cut-off valve 13.
In operation, when the first to third operating valves 2 1 to 2 3 are in a neutral position, a flow rate in the drain passage 9 is large, and pressure differential between the total pressure and the static pressure of the jet sensor 11 becomes maximum, while pressure differential between the total pressure supplied to the fourth pressure receiving chamber 115 of the neutral control valve 12 and the static pressure supplied to the spring chamber 120' becomes maximum. Accordingly, a biasing force of the spring 119 leftwardly biasing the spool 113 is rendered maximum. At the same time, the pressure at the port 117 is supplied to the third pressure receiving chamber 114 to leftwardly urge the spool 113 against the spring 119, thus rendering an output pressure of the neutral control valve 12 (output pressure from the port 117) minimum.
At this time, as the pressure in the discharge passage 1 is minimum, the pressure at the pressure receiving portion 125a of the variable torque control valve 14 becomes minimum to minimize a pushing force of the second piston 125 against the spool 123. Accordingly, the spool 123 is rightwardly biased by a spring 128 to communicate the inlet port 121 with the outlet port 122 and allow an original pressure set by a relief valve 96 of the control pump P 3 to be discharged from the outlet port 122 and be supplied to the port 106 of the cut-off valve 13.
As the pressure supplied to the first pressure receiving portion 104 of the cut-off valve 13 is also minimum, a rightward pushing force of the piston 101 is rendered minimum, and accordingly the spool 103 is leftwardly biased by the spring 110 to communicate the port 109 with the passage 106 and supply the original pressure of the control pump P 3 through the passage 106 to the neutral control valve 12.
However, since the output pressure of the neutral control valve 12 is designed to be minimum as mentioned above, the original pressure of the control pump P 3 is reduced to its minimum discharge pressure, and is supplied as a control pressure through the port 117 to the first chamber 38 of the input signal section A.
As the control pressure as mentioned above is minimum, the control piston 36 is rightwardly biased by the spring 39 to allow the projecting rod 37 to abut against the plug as shown in the drawing. In such a position of the servo piston 31 as shown in the drawing, the swash plate 5 is set to a minimum swash angle position to minimize a per cycle displacement of the first variable pump P 1 .
In other words, the sleeve 41 is set to the position shown in the drawing to block communication between the inlet port 56 and the first and second outlet ports 57 and 58, thereby balancing pressures in the first and second pressure chambers 62 and 63 of the servo piston 31.
When the first operating valve 2 1 is selected to supply a part of the discharged oil from the first variable pump P 1 to a first actuator 4 1 , a flow rate in the drain passage 9 is reduced to decrease detection pressure differential of the jet sensor 11, and accordingly pressure differential between the pressure in the spring chamber 120' and the pressure in the fourth pressure chamber 115 of the neutral control valve 12 is reduced. As a result, a rightward pushing force against the spool 113 is enlarged to increase the pressure at the port 117. Accordingly, the pressure in the first chamber 38 is increased to leftwardly urge the control piston 36 and leftwardly rock the arm 44 as a fulcrum of the servo piston 31 to leftwardly move the guide spool 42, thereby permitting the inlet port 56 to be communicated with the second outlet port 58. As a result, the discharge oil from the control pump P 3 is supplied to the second pressure chamber 63 of the servo piston 31 to move the servo piston 31 leftwardly and thereby to increase the swash angle of the swash plate 5 and increase the per cycle displacement of the first variable pump P 1 .
As a result, the arm 44 is rocked clockwise about the pin 45 of the control piston 36, and the guide spool 42 is rightwardly urged by the end 44b of the arm 44 to block communication between the inlet port 56 and the second outlet port 58, thus increasing the displacement of the first variable pump P 1 by the amount of reduction in the detection pressure differential of the jet sensor 11.
Namely, movement of the servo piston 31 is fed back through the arm 44 to the guide spool 42.
At this time, since the control piston 36 is leftwardly moved according to spring characteristics of the spring 39, increase in the per cycle displacement of the first variable pump P 1 may be arbitrarily modified according to the spring charactristics.
Further, when the pressure in the discharge passage 1 is increased, the pressure at the pressure receiving portion 125a of the variable torque control valve 14 is increased to increase a pushing force of the second piston 125. Accordingly, the spool 123 is strongly urged leftwardly against the spring 128 to enhance a pressure reducing effect, resulting in reduction in the output pressure at the outlet port 122.
As a result, a control pressure to be supplied through the cut-off valve 13 and the neutral control valve 12 to the first chamber 38 of the input signal section A is reduced, and the control piston 36 is rightwardly moved in opposition to the above case to reduce the per cycle displacement of the first variable pump P 1 .
When the pressure in the discharge passage 1 is increased near a set pressure of the main relief valve, the pressure in the first pressure receiving chamber 104 of the cut-off valve 13 is enlarged and accordingly the spool 103 is rightwardly urged against the spring 110 by the piston 101 to block communication between the port 109 and the passage 106 and start a pressure reducing operation, thereby reducing an output pressure from the neutral control valve 12.
Subsequently, when the pressure in the discharge passage 1 is further increased, the pressure reducing operation is further carried out to minimize the output pressure from the neutral control valve 12. As a result, the control pressure in the first chamber 38 of the input signal section A is minimized, and accordingly the per cycle displacement of the first variable pump P 1 is also minimized, while a discharge pressure only is increased to the relief set pressure of the circuit and is retained at the pressure. Summarizing the above-mentioned operation, the variable control valve 14 functions to control the output pressure in such a manner as to decrease the per cycle displacement when the discharge pressure of the first and second variable pumps P 1 and P 2 is increased, and increase the same when the discharge pressure is decreased.
The above-mentioned operation is adapted to such a condition where a control current from the controller 20 is not supplied. There will be hereinafter described the case where the control current from the controller 20 is supplied.
An output voltage of the potentiometer 17 is minimum at a full position (full load) as shown in FIG. 4, and is gradually increased toward slow position (partial load). Accordingly, it is possible to detect a set reference rotational speed of the engine stored in the memory unit 20a, that is, a set output condition of the engine, e.g., full load or partial load.
Then, the set reference rotational speed N set is inputted to the operating unit 20b of the controller 20, and is compared with an actual rotational speed N detected by the speed sensor 19. As a result, an output current to the output circuit 20' is controlled according to a value of (N set -N) as shown in FIG. 5.
Concretely, when the actual rotational speed N is lower by the amount of 200 rpm than the set reference rotational speed N set , the output current is controlled according to the value of (N set -N). In the case that the set reference rotational speed N set is not more than 1500 rpm, a maximum output current is supplied.
On the other hand, when a current value to be supplied to the proportional electromagnetic solenoid of the variable torque control valve 14 is increased, a pushing force applied to the spool 123 is enlarged to decrease a discharge pressure at the outlet port 122. Conversely, the current value is decreased, the pushing force is reduced to increase the discharge pressure at the outlet port 122. In other words, when the current supply is increased, the per cycle displacement of the variable pump is decreased, while when decreased, the per cycle displacement is increased. Accordingly, relation between the torque requirement and the current value is such that the torque requirement is decreased with increase in the current value, while the former is increased with decrease in the latter as shown in FIG. 6.
As a result, relation between the per cycle displacement of the variable pump and the pressure is varied according to a set reference rotational speed in the range of I' to II' as shown in FIG. 7, but is always constant in a certain set reference rotational speed.
As is above described, the torque requirement is changed according to a position of the control lever 18, that is, a set output condition of the engine to increase and decrease a per cycle displacement of the variable pump according to its discharge pressure and provide a torque requirement corresponding to the set output condition. Accordingly, even when the set output condition of the engine is under partial load as well as full load, it is possible to control a displacement of the variable pump without occurence of engine stall.
Concretely, when the control lever 18 is in its full position, that is, an engine rotational speed is not less than the rated point (set reference rotational speed N set ) of 2100 rpm under full load, current to be supplied to the proportional electromagnetic solenoid 94 is minimum (0.3 A). Until a torque requirement reaches the rated output of the engine, a per cycle displacement (swash plate angle) is maximum. When the engine rotational speed becomes lower than the rated point, the current to be supplied to the proportional electromagnetic solenoid 94 is increased according to (N set -N) to decrease the per cycle displacement. When the engine rotational speed becomes lower than 1900 rpm, the current to be supplied is rendered maximum to minimize the per cycle displacement, and thereby minimize the torque requirement.
Although, in the preferred embodiment, the torque requirement is controlled in the same manner as above under the condition where the engine set reference rotational speed N set is higher than 1500 rpm, while it is controlled so as to maximize the supply current value without occurence of engine stall and thereby minimize the per cycle displacement, it may be controlled in the same manner as above even when the value of N set is in the range of not more than 1500 rpm.
Further, as current set by the first setting unit 26 is supplied from the controller 20 to the proportional electromagnetic solenoid 94 under the condition where the mode selector switch 21 is in the medium mode position II, and a pushing force applied to the spool 123 becomes a predetermined value, a torque requirement may be rendered corresponding to the supply current value irrespective of the set output condition of the engine.
Similarly, as current by the second setting unit 27 is supplied from the controller 20 to the proportional electromagnetic solenoid 94 under the condition where the mode selector switch 21 is in the low mode position III, a torque requirement may be rendered corresponding to the supply current value irrespective of the set output condition of the engine.
In this manner, since the torque requirement may be arbitrarily set irrespective of the set output condition of the engine by selecting the mode selector switch 21, it is possible to effectively utilize an engine output suitable for operation of the actuator 2, that is, content of work, and improve fuel consumption.
In the event that the controller 20 is troubled for some reason, current is not supplied to the coil 23a of the selector switch 23, and accordingly the selector switch 23 is switched to connect the redundant circuit 25 with the circuit 14'. As a result, a set current is supplied from the redundant circuit 25 to the proportional electromagnetic solenoid 94, thus providing a predetermined torque requirement irrespective of the set output condition of the engine and controlling the per cycle displacement of the variable pump.
Concretely, as shown in FIG. 8, the torque requirement in the medium mode position is indicated by Z where relation between the pressure and the per cycle displacement is shown by II' in FIG. 7. The torque requirement in the low mode position is indicated by X where relation between the pressure and the per cycle displacement is shown by III' in FIG. 7. The torque requirement under the connected condition of the redundant circuit 25 is indicated by S. The torque requirement in the ordinary mode position is indicated by Y.
Further, since the discharge pressure of the variable pump is introduced to the variable torque control valve 14 so as to control the pressure at the outlet port 122 by the discharge pressure, the displacement of the variable pump may be controlled in a certain range even if current is supplied to the proportional electromagnetic solenoid 94.
|
A fluid operated pump displacement control system is provided wherein a self pressure is defined as a first control signal, and characterized in that an arbitrary switchable second control signal different from the first control signal is added to the first control signal, and a displacement is adapted to be switched to a displacement corresponding to a value of the second control signal as added to the first control signal. Further, a fluid operated pump displacement control system is provided comprising a control circuit connected to respective displacement control devices of variable displacement pumps and adapted to be operated by discharge pressure fluid from a discrete control pump. A variable torque control valve has a proportional electromagnetic solenoid provided in a circuit connecting the control circuit with the control pump and is adapted to produce a pressure reduction by a discharge fluid pressure of the variable displacement pumps and a propelling force of the proportional electromagnetic solenoid. A detector detects set output conditions of a prime mover for driving the variable displacement pumps, and current is supplied to the proportional electromagnetic solenoid according to the difference between a set reference rotational speed in each of the set output conditions and an actual rotational speed of the prime mover.
| 5
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a metals recovery apparatus and process for recovering valuable metals from a used electroplating solution and, more particularly, to a metals recovery apparatus where additional plating solution is added at a controlled rate and directional nozzles dictate the plating pattern.
A lot of the electroplating done in this country is done by speciality companies such as electronics manufacturers, eyeglass frame manufacturers, watch makers and similar type industries. In order to cut costs it is a common practice among these speciality companies to recover as much of the valuable metals from used plating solutions as possible. Frequently, the used plating solutions are shipped out of the country to a foreign company for processing since the domestic companies dealing in metals recovery are usually very expensive and their processing has a high turn-around time. The problems of dealing with foreign companies are that shipping costs make the total cost expensive and the turn-around time sometimes runs into several weeks or months. Many of the speciality companies have had to choose between dealing with a high cost and sometimes inefficient domestic company or a foreign company which has a high turn-around time. Some companies have attempted to adapt existing apparatus to their purposes, however, this has only met with limited success. Until the present invention there has not been an inexpensive efficient metals recovery unit which meets the needs of the speciality items industry.
It is well known that electroplating processes can be better carried out at high speeds in agitated plating baths than in non-agitated baths and that vigorously agitated solutions act faster than gently agitated solutions. The reason for such faster rate of deposition is that the turbulence set up within the solution insures constant replacement with fresh solution of the film of electrolyte over the cathode.
It is also known that electroplating processes can be carried out with recirculation of the plating solution between a plating tank and a holding tank. The purpose of the recirculation of the solution is usually to remove metal sediments and the like.
Until the present invention it has not been suggested to vigorously agitate a plating solution between a pair of parallel electrodes in a predetermined pattern and at the same time constantly add untreated plating solution at a controlled rate.
Prior art patents which show agitation of the plating solution and re-circulation of the solution are well known, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,431,022, issued to Mumford, discloses such a plating system. In Mumford an electrolytic plating solution is re-circulated between a plating tank and a holding tank, and the solution is agitated between the electrode plates.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,046,467, issued to Krause, a liquid sterilization apparatus and process is disclosed where an untreated liquid is mixed with a portion of the treated liquid to control the degree of treatment. A liquid to be treated is sprayed against parallel plate electrodes where an oligodynamically active metal is supplied to the liquid by an electric current.
Other prior art patents which show agitation of the plating solution between the electrodes include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,503,856, Blackmore, and 4,028,272, Bowen et al. The electroposition process of Blackmore discloses a plating tank with spaced electrodes and apertured pipework between the electrodes to direct a jet of electrolyte solution upon the cathodes. It is suggested in Blackmore that better electroplating is achieved by controlling the solution flow rate, aperture size, spacing and distance from the cathode. However, the Blackmore patent like other prior patents does not disclose an inventive process for controlling the solution flow.
The prior art patents in fact are directed to electroplating solution circulating systems which are of general interest to the present invention but do not suggest the present apparatus and process for recovering metals from used plating solutions. It is therefore the purpose of this invention to provide an apparatus and process for recovering metals from electroplating solutions which includes an improved solution recirculation system for controlling the mixing of an untreated solution with a treated solution, and to provide an efficient nozzle arrangement which agitates the solution in a described pattern between a pair of electrodes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of this invention to provide a metals recovery apparatus and process which has a high rate of recovery.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a metals recovery apparatus and process which has a controlled mixing ratio between treated and untreated plating solutions.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a metals recovery apparatus with an improved nozzle arrangement for describing an agitation pattern for the plating solution.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a metals recovery apparatus of improved construction and design.
Another object of this invention is to provide a metals recovery process for recovering valuable metals from solution in short periods of time.
Another object of this invention is to provide a compact metals recovery apparatus that is simple to operate.
According to the invention, there is provided a casing which contains a plating tank and a constant flow re-circulating pump. The pump is connected to a used electroplating solution drag-out tank to pump the solution to the plating tank. The outlet side of the pump is connected to circulating tubing in the plating tank which has nozzles arranged to move the solution in a circular pattern. A pair of electrode plates are positioned on either side of the circulating tubing and parallel to one another to attract the metals in solution.
The process for recovering metals from a plating solution includes the steps of circulating the plating solution from the drag-out tank to the plating tank and returning part of the treated solution to the drag-out tank. The untreated solution circulated to the plating tank is mixed at a predetermined ratio with treated plating solution recycled from the plating tank. By keeping the ratio of untreated solution to treated solution fixed, the amount of metal plated out of the solution on the cathode can be maintained at an optimum. This is particularly true where the untreated solution is pumped at a constant flow rate and the treated solution is pumped at a flow rate which is calculated for each metal thereby providing the proper amount of metal in solution in the plating tank at all times. The amount of treated solution passing through the constant flow pump is regulated by a valve where the flow from the plating tank can be shut off, partially restricted, or fully opened.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description thereof and the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 shows the metals recovery apparatus of this invention in use with an electroplating system;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the metals recovery apparatus of this invention;
FIG. 3 is a sectional end view of the metals recovery apparatus of this invention taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the metals recovery apparatus of this invention taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a top cross-sectional view of the metals recovery apparatus of this invention taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a graph showing the results of test data in recovering gold from a plating solution; and
FIG. 7 is a graph showing the results of test data in recovering silver from a plating solution.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown a metals recovery apparatus 10 of this invention and an electroplating system tank 12. Articles such as electronic components, eyeglass frames and watches are electroplated in tank 12. Used electroplating solution is removed from tank 12 and emptied into a drag-out tank 14. In the past, the solution in drag-out tank 14 would be bottled and shipped to a metals recovery company for processing, however, with the metals recovery apparatus 10 of this invention the valuable metals can be recovered as a continuous process step of the electroplating process. The used electroplating solution is pumped from the drag-out tank 14 to the metals recovery apparatus through inlet tubing 16. After the solution has been treated to remove the valuable metals a portion of the treated solution is returned to the drag-out tank through overflow tubing 18 to eventually overflow into a dilute solution water tank 20 for disposal through overflow tubing 22.
In FIG. 2 the metals recovery apparatus 10 is shown with a housing 24, a lower front cover plate 26 covering a constant flow circulating pump 28, and an upper electric components support panel 30. Mounted on the side of the housing 24 is a plastic nipple 32 which is connected to the inlet tubing 16. The other end of the plastic nipple 32, not shown, is connected to a lead-in tubing 34 which connects to the inlet side 35 of a check valve 36. The lead-in tubing 36 will usually be fixed to the check valve 36 by a pinch clamp, which has been left off to more clearly show the connection. Check valve 36 is a conventional valve arrangement which controls the back flow of a liquid; therefore, there are many such valves which can be used with this invention. The outlet side 37 of check valve 36 connects to a T-fitting 38. One end of the T-fitting 38 is connected to the inlet 40 of pump 28, and the free end of the fitting is connected to a return tubing 42 which will be discussed in detail later. The constant flow circulating pump assembly 28 includes a pump 44 and a motor 46. A bracket support 48 is fixed to an interior dividing wall 50 to support the motor assembly 28. There is a bracket device 52 on the pump assembly 28 which is attached to bracket support 48 by a pair of bolts 54 and 56.
In between the return tubing line 42 and the T-fitting 38 there is a rubber hose connection 58 with pinch clamps 60 and 62. The rubber hose connection 58 is sufficiently flexible to allow the hose opening to be restricted by a pinch valve 64. There are situations where proper mixing of a treated solution with an untreated solution can be better controlled by restricting the return flow through tubing line 42, hence the pinch valve 64 has been included in return tubing line 42.
Electrical support panel 30 includes an off-on switch 66, a fuse holder 68, a rheostat control knob 70 and an ampere meter 72. Mounted in the housing 24 adjacent to panel 30 is a rheostat which controls the amount of D.C. amperes output, a transformer and other electrical components, such as diodes, and circuits for controlling the electrical current flow.
Interior wall 50 separates the metals recovery apparatus 10 into two compartments; the first holds the constant flow circulating pump assembly 28 and associated tubing, and the second compartment forms a plating tank 74 as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Turning to FIG. 3, there is a plating solution circulating tubing 76 connected to the outlet tubing 78 from constant flow circulating pump assembly 28. The plating solution circulating tubing 76 has a pair of vertical tubes 80 and 82 sealed at their upper ends by plugs 84 and connected at their lower ends to a cross tubing 86 by elbow connectors 88 and 90. The outlet tubing 78 is tapped into the circulating tubing 76 in the side of elbow connector 90. A pair of support brackets 92 and 94 mounted to housing 24 are connected to the plugs 84 by bolts 96 and 98. The brackets 92 and 94 support the circulating tubing 76 equally spaced between the interior wall 50 and outside wall 100. The interior wall 50 has an L-shaped lower end 102 which is welded to outside wall 100 and to side walls 104 and 106 of the housing 24, as shown in FIG. 5.
The vertical tubes 80 and 82 have inwardly facing nozzles 128, 130, 132, 134, 136 and 138, respectively. The nozzles are arranged to create a swirling or agitating motion of the solution between the plate electrodes 108 and 110. In other words, nozzles 128, 130 and 132 are directed downwardly and nozzles 134, 136 and 138 are either directed upwardly or, as in the case of nozzle 134, directed horizontally across the tank. While the downwardly and upwardly directed nozzles may work at a wide range of angles, it has been found through experimentation that by having the nozzles at a slightly different angle better circulation of the solution can be achieved. The preferred angle for each of the nozzles which works well with the constant flow circulation pump assembly 28 is where nozzles 128, 130 and 132 are angled downwardly at an angle of about 45 degrees, and the opposite top nozzle 134 is directed horizontally at an angle of about 90 degrees, middle nozzle 136 is angled upwardly at an angle of about 10 degrees and bottom nozzle 138 is angled upwardly at an angle of about 45 degrees. It should be understood that good plating can be had by using more or less nozzles and that the nozzles may be arranged at various angles without departing from the invention.
Supported in the plating tank 74 are two plate electrodes 108 and 110. These plate electrodes 108 and 110 are supported by an insulated bracket 112 that is mounted to the top portion of panel 30 by fastener 114. There are electrical leads connecting the electrodes 108 and 110 to the electrical circuitry contained within the housing 24. One of the electrodes forms the cathode for collecting metals and the other the anode for collecting non-metals. The electrodes 108 and 110 are positioned in the plating tank 74 on either side of the plating solution circulating tubing 76 and in a parallel spaced relationship to one another.
The return tubing line 42 is welded to an orifice 116 on the interior wall 50 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to constantly remove a portion of the treated plating solution from the plating tank for recycling. The orifice 116 is positioned about one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the wall 50.
There is shown in FIG. 4 an overflow outlet 118 in side wall 106 for removing excess treated plating solution from the plating tank 74. The overflow outlet is connected to the overflow tubing 18 which empties into drag-out tank 14.
The metals recovery appatatus 10 is completed by a plating tank cover 120 which is L-shaped and includes a locking means. The cover 120 has an interior flat element 122 which engages the inside surface of wall 100 and an outside flat element 124 which engages the outside top surface of panel 30. The outside element 124 has a slot, not shown, for receiving a hasp 126 affixed to interior wall 50. The hasp has a hole 128 for a lock, not shown, to prevent removal of the cover 120 from the apparatus 10.
The constant flow circulating pump assembly 28 pumps about 550 gallons per hour, and the plate electrodes which are stainless steel plates with a surface area of about one foot square receive about two or more amps of current.
The metals recovery housing and other non-conductive parts may be made of chemical resistant plastic or rubber material.
In operation the constant flow circulating pump assembly 28 draws electroplating solution from the drag-out tank 14 through inlet tubing 16 and feeds it through outlet tubing 78 through circulating tubing 76 and out outlet nozzles. The electroplating solution emerges under pressure through the nozzles into the body of the solution in plating tank 74 as a series of streams or jets between the plate electrodes 108 and 110. The rate at which the solution is pumped into the nozzles, the diameter and number of nozzles and the distance between the circulating tubing and the plate electrodes 108 and 110 should be so provided that electroplating can be effected rapidly on the cathode whilst avoiding adverse effects on the structure of the deposited layer through too vigorous impingement of the solution on the plate electrodes.
The invention is further illustrated in the examples below using the following testing procedures where the pumping rates were checked with different openings of the pinch valve. The results of these preliminary tests are as follows:
______________________________________Pinch Valve Circulation FromPosition Drag-Out Tank______________________________________Test A Pinch valve open No flow rate from the outside tank circulated into the unitTest B Pinch valve Flow rate to and from partially closed outside tank = 2.85 liters/min.Test C Pinch valve closed Flow rate to and from outside tank = 4.0 liters/min.______________________________________
For these tests the top level of the drag-out tank was five inches below the bottom of the apparatus, and the pump was rated at 9.17 gallons per minute (550 gal./hr.). Before running the electroplating solutions experiments a preliminary test using an acid copper solution was performed to get the "feel" of the unit and to judge such conditions as allowable current densities, deposit patterns, etc. No data was accumulated from this preliminary test other than the apparatus plated well with a good deposit. A total of two amps of current was used with a cathode area of one square foot (2 A.S.F.).
SILVER-PLATING SOLUTION EXPERIMENTS
Fourteen liters of fresh silver-plating solution were prepared to contain approximately what would be found in the drag-out water from a standard silver cyanide plating solution. It contained the following:
Silver = 0.04 Troy oz./gal.
Potassium cyanide = 0.12 oz./gal.
Potassium carbonate = 0.02 oz./gal.
The metals recovery apparatus holds 12 liters and the drag-out tank (simulated drag-out tank) held the other 2 liters. The apparatus was turned on with the cathode removed so that the solution could circulate through the unit. Once the cathode was put in place it was noted that the total amperes available was less than 0.5 amps. It was finally deduced that the conductivity of the solution was too low, so an additional 0.88 oz./gal. of potassium cyanide was introduced to the plating solution. This made a total of 1.0 oz./gal. This amount was enough to allow the unit to reach a total current of over 3 amps. (In practical application this additional amount will not be necessary because of the build up of cyanide in the rinse tank. On new installations a small addition may be needed to reach the desired ampere reading of 2 or more.)
Once the unit was put under test it was also noted that the initial deposition took some time to occur, even with the stainless steel cathode cleaned and "activated". The cathode was then copper-plated (flash) and an additional test was started. The copper flash allowed the silver to begin depositing a uniform deposit at the beginning of the test.
Three experiments were run with the silver solution; all three were under identical conditions except for the flow rates as noted above.
Preliminary data
With a metal concentration of 0.04 oz./gal. the total content is 4.6 grams. At 100% cathode eff. the total time required to deposit this amount is 68.58 amp min. A total surface area of one square foot was used, a total current of 2 amps and the current density was 2 A.S.F.
______________________________________RESULTS OF THE SILVER EXPERIMENTS Theoretical Time Actual Weight Weight______________________________________Experiment C after 10 min. 1.28 grams 1.30 grams(Valve Open) after 20 min. 2.58 grams 2.60 grams after 30 min. 3.88 grams 3.90 grams after 35 min. 4.53 grams 4.60 grams Eff. = 98.5%Experiment B after 10 min. 1.27 grams 1.30 grams(Valve PartiallyOpen) after 20 min. 2.55 grams 2.60 grams after 30 min. 3.83 grams 3.90 grams after 35 min. 4.54 grams 4.60 grams Eff. = 98.7%Experiment A after 10 min. 1.12 grams 1.13 grams(Valve Closed) after 20 min. 2.23 grams 2.26 grams after 30 min. 3.34 grams 3.39 grams after 35 min. 3.90 grams 3.94 grams Eff. = 99%______________________________________ Note: In Experiment A only 12 liters were being circulated.
The results of these experiments show that the entire cathode was uniformly plated and that its weight was much greater than the weight of the deposit. It was, therefore, decided that a more accurate means of determining the deposit weight would be to measure the loss in metal concentration in the plating solution. So all figures are based on metal concentrations in the plating solution rather than on actual deposit weights. FIG. 6 shows the results of these experiments in grams of silver deposited versus minutes of plating time. It can be seen that there is a predictable straight line graph between grams of deposit and time.
A similar experiment was conducted on a gold solution with the pinch valve partially open.
A test solution containing 14 liters of fresh gold-plating solution was prepared to contain the following:
Gold = 0.04 Troy oz./gal.
Potassium cyanide = 1.0 oz./gal.
Potassium phosphate = 0.10 oz./gal.
Potassium carbonate = 0.10 oz./gal.
As before a current density of 2 A.S.F. was used. And since the total weight of the gold was 4.6 grams the time required to deposit this amount was 18.76 min. or 37.52 amp min. (100% eff.).
______________________________________RESULTS OF THE GOLD EXPERIMENT Theoretical Time Actual Weight Weight______________________________________ after 5 min. 1.222 grams 1.226 grams after 10 min. 2.448 grams 2.452 grams after 15 min. 3.674 grams 3.678 grams after 19 min. 4.596 grams 4.600 gramsEff. = 99+%______________________________________
FIG. 7 shows the results of this experiment, where a straight line graph depicts the grams of gold deposited versus minutes of plating time.
From the above experiments it has been determined that the apparatus performs well and is easy to operate. It is expected that under normal operating conditions a copper flash would not be required for initial start up since the metal does eventually start to plate on the stainless steel cathode. It is also expected that a current density of 2-4 A.S.F. will result in good fine-grained deposits, with a solution at room temperature.
With the pinch valve wide open the maximum flow rate into the apparatus is about one gallon per min. With drag-out tanks larger than 60 gallons this rate may have an effect on the overall efficiency when the metal concentrations are low. However, the apparatus when used at a current density of only 2 A.S.F. is capable of depositing 11.35 Troy ounces per 8 hour day of gold or 6.21 Troy ounces of silver.
Although only one embodiment of the metals recovery apparatus and process has been described and illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the inventive concept. Reference should therefore be had to the appended claims for a definition of the scope of the invention.
|
A metals recovery apparatus and process for use with an electroplating system acting to remove metals from a used plating solution. The present apparatus includes a plating tank and a pair of electrode plates in spaced parallel relationship. There is a plating solution circulating system in the plating tank for moving the solution between the electrodes in a swirling motion and for adding a controlled amount of additional solution. The circulating system is provided with directional nozzles to cause the swirling motion of the plating solution, which provides a more uniformly distributed plating pattern on the cathode plate.
| 2
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to process and system for converting thermal energy from moderately low temperature sources, especially from geothermal fluids, into mechanical and/or electrical energy.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a process and system for converting thermal energy from moderately low temperature sources, especially from geothermal fluids, into mechanical and/or electrical energy including high pressure and low pressure circuits, where all partially condensed liquid from the high pressure circuit is combined with the stream coming from the low pressure circuit forming a lean stream which can be condensed at a pressure lower than a pressure required to condense the stream had its composition not been made lean or its concentration lowered.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior art methods and systems for converting heat into useful energy at well documented in the art. In fact, many such methods and systems have been invented and patented by the inventor. These prior art systems include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,346,561, 4,489,563, 4,548,043, 4,586,340, 4,604,867, 4,674,285, 4,732,005, 4,763,480, 4,899,545, 4,982,568, 5,029,444, 5,095,708, 5,440,882, 5,450,821, 5,572,871, 5,588,298, 5,603,218, 5,649,426, 5,822,990, 5,950,433 and 5,593,918; Foreign References:7-9481 JP and Journal References: NEDO Brochure, “ECO-Energy City Project”, 1994 and NEDO Report published 1996, pp. 4-6, 4-7, 4-43, 4-63, 4-53, incorporated herein by reference.
Although all of these prior art systems and methods relate to the conversion of thermal energy into other more useful forms of energy from moderately low temperature sources, all suffer from certain inefficiencies. Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved system and method for converting thermal energy from moderately low temperature sources to more useful forms of energy, especially for converting geothermal energy from moderately low temperature geothermal streams into more useful forms of energy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention also provides a method and a systems for implementing a thermodynamic cycle including a higher pressure and a lower pressure circuit, where one novel feature of the system or method involves combining a separated spent liquid stream from the higher pressure circuit with a spent stream from the lower pressure circuit prior to the condensing steps. Because the separated spent liquid stream has a leaner composition than the initial fully condensed working fluid, the stream can be condensed at a lower pressure and then combined with the separated vapor from the higher pressure circuit to form the fully condensed initial working fluid liquid stream.
The present invention provides a method for implementing a thermodynamic cycle to convert a greater amount of thermal energy from an external heat source into useful electric and/or mechanical energy, where the method includes the steps of transforming thermal energy from a fully vaporized higher pressure stream into a usable energy form to product a spent higher pressure stream and transforming thermal energy from a vaporized lower pressure stream into a usable energy form to product a spent lower pressure stream. The method further includes the steps of heating a higher pressure liquid stream with a portion of a spent higher pressure stream to form a heated higher pressure stream and a first partially condensed spent higher pressure stream and heating a lower pressure stream with a remaining portion of the spent higher pressure stream to form a heated lower pressure stream and a second partially condensed spent higher pressure stream. The method also includes the steps of heating the heated higher pressure liquid stream with a portion of an external heat source stream to form a hotter higher pressure stream and a first spent external heat source stream and heating the heated lower pressure stream with a remaining portion of the external hear source stream to form a vaporized lower pressure stream and a second spent external heat source stream. The method also includes the steps of heating the hotter higher pressure stream with the external heat source stream to form the fully vaporized higher pressure stream, separating the partially condensed spent higher pressure streams into a spent higher pressure liquid stream and a spent higher pressure vapor stream, mixing the spent higher pressure liquid stream with the spent lower pressure stream at the pressure of the spent lower pressure stream to form a combined spent lower pressure stream and condensing the combined spent lower pressure stream with an external cooling stream to form a condensed spent lower pressure stream. The method further includes the steps of mixing the condensed spent lower pressure stream with the spent higher pressure vapor stream to form a combined partially condensed spent higher pressure stream at the pressure of the spent higher pressure vapor stream, condensing the combined partially condensed spent high pressure stream to form a fully condensed liquid stream; and forming the higher pressure stream and the lower pressure stream from a fully condensed liquid stream.
The present invention also provides a method for improved energy conversion of heat from external heat sources including the steps of forming a higher pressure working fluid stream and a lower pressure working fluid stream from a fully condensed working fluid stream. After the two streams are formed, the higher pressure working fluid stream is heated with a portion of a spent higher pressure working fluid stream to form a heated higher pressure working fluid stream and a first partially condensed spent higher pressure working fluid stream, the heated higher pressure working fluid stream is heated with a portion of a partially cooled external source stream to form a hotter higher pressure working fluid stream and a first spent external source stream and finally the hotter higher pressure working fluid stream is vaporized with an external source stream to form a fully vaporized higher pressure working fluid stream and the partially cooled external source stream. Once fully vaporized, the thermal energy from the fully vaporized higher pressure working fluid stream is transformed into a usable energy form to product a spent higher pressure working fluid stream. While the higher pressure stream is being processed, the lower pressure, working fluid stream is heated with a remaining portion of the spent higher pressure working fluid stream to form a heated lower pressure working fluid stream and a second partially condensed spent higher pressure working fluid stream, and the heated lower pressure working fluid stream is heated with a remaining portion of the partially cooled external source stream to form a vaporized lower pressure working fluid stream and a second spent external source stream. Once vaporized, the thermal energy from the vaporized lower pressure working fluid stream is transformed into a usable energy form to product a spent lower pressure working fluid stream. The first and second partially condensed, spent higher pressure working fluid streams are separated into a spent higher pressure liquid working fluid stream and a higher pressure vapor working fluid stream and the spent lower pressure working fluid stream is mixed with the spent higher pressure liquid working fluid stream at the lower pressure to form a combined spent lower pressure working fluid stream. The combined spent lower pressure working fluid stream is cooled with an external cooling stream to form a condensed lower pressure working fluid stream, while the condensed lower pressure working fluid stream and the spent higher pressure vapor working fluid stream at a pressure of the spent higher pressure vapor working fluid stream is cooled with another external cooling stream to form the fully condensed working fluid stream.
The present invention also provides an apparatus for improved conversion of thermal energy into mechanical and/or electrical energy including a first means for expanding a fully vaporized higher pressure stream, transferring its energy into usable form and producing a higher pressure spent stream and a second means for expanding a fully vaporized lower pressure stream, transferring its energy into usable form and producing a lower pressure spent stream. The apparatus also includes a first heat exchanger adapted to condense a combined lower pressure spent stream with an external coolant stream to form a condensed combined lower pressure spent stream, a first pump adapted to increase a pressure of the condensed combined lower pressure spent stream to form an increased pressure, condensed combined lower pressure spent stream, and a first stream mixer adapted to combine the increased pressure, condensed combined lower pressure spent stream and a vapor higher pressures spent stream to form a partially condensed stream. The apparatus also includes a second heat exchanger adapted to condense the partially condensed stream with an external coolant stream to form a fully condensed liquid stream and a first stream splitter adapted to form first and second portions of the fully condensed liquid stream. The apparatus also includes a second pump adapted to increase a pressure the first portion of the fully condensed liquid stream to form a higher pressure liquid stream and a third pump adapted to increase a pressure the second portion of the fully condensed liquid stream to form a lower pressure liquid stream. The apparatus also includes a third heat exchanger adapted to heat the higher pressure liquid stream with a first portion of a higher pressure spent stream to form a heated higher pressure liquid stream and a first partially condensed higher pressure spent stream and a fourth heat exchanger adapted to heat the lower pressure liquid stream with a remaining portion of the higher pressure spent stream to form a heated lower pressure liquid stream and a second partially condensed higher pressure spent stream. The apparatus also includes a fifth heat exchanger adapted to heat the heated higher pressure liquid stream with a first portion of a partially cooled external heat source stream to form a hotter higher pressure liquid stream and a first spent external heat source stream and a sixth heat exchanger adapted to heat the heated lower pressure liquid stream with a remaining portion of the partially cooled external heat source stream to form a vaporized lower pressure stream and a second spent external heat source stream. The apparatus also includes a seventh heat exchanger adapted to vaporize the hotter higher pressure liquid stream with an external heat source stream mixer to form the fully vaporized higher pressure stream and the partially cooled external heat source stream. The apparatus also includes a second stream splitter adapted to form the first and second portions of the higher pressure spent stream, a third stream splitter adapted to form the first and second portions of the cooled external heat source stream, a second stream mixer adapted to combine the first and second partially condensed higher pressure spent stream to form a combined partially condensed higher pressure spent stream, a gravity separator adapted to separate combined partially condensed higher pressure spent stream into a lean liquid stream and a rich vapor stream, a throttle valve adapted to change the pressure of the lean liquid stream to a pressure of the lower pressure spent stream and a third stream mixer adapted to combine the pressure adjusted lean liquid stream with the lower pressure spent stream. The apparatus is capable of achieving improved efficiency due to the mixing of the lean liquid stream with the spent lower pressure stream so that the combined stream can be condensed at a lower pressure than a non-lean stream.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention can be better understood with reference to the following detailed description together with the appended illustrative drawings in which like elements are numbered the same:
FIG. 1A depicts a preferred embodiment of an apparatus for implementing the novel thermodynamic method and system of this invention; and
FIG. 1B depicts another preferred embodiment of an apparatus for implementing the novel thermodynamic method and system of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The inventors have found a novel thermodynamical cycle (system and process) can be implements using a working fluid including a mixture of at least two components. The preferred working fluid being a water-ammonia mixture, though other mixtures, such as mixtures of hydrocarbons and/or freons can be used with practically the same results. The systems and methods of this invention are more efficient for converting heat from relatively low temperature fluid such as geothermal source fluids into a more useful form of energy. The systems use a multi-component basic working fluid to extract energy from one or more (at least one) geothermal source streams in one or more (at least one) heat exchangers or heat exchanges zones. The heat exchanged basic working fluid then transfers its gained thermal energy to one or more (at least one) turbines (or other system for extracting thermal energy from a vapor stream and converting the thermal energy into mechanical and/or electrical energy) and the turbines convert the gained thermal energy into mechanical energy and/or electrical energy. The systems also include pumps to increase the pressure of the basic working fluid at certain points in the systems and one or more (at least one) heat exchangers which bring the basic working fluid in heat exchange relationships with one or more (at least one) cool streams. One novel feature of the systems and methods of this invention, and one of the features that increases the efficiency of the systems, is the result of using a two circuit design having a higher pressure circuit and a lower pressure circuit and where a stream comprising spent liquid separated for spent vapor from the higher pressure circuit is combined with a stream comprising the spent lower pressure stream at the pressure of the spent lower pressure stream prior to condensation to from the initial fully condensed liquid stream and where the combined stream is leaner than the initial fully condensed liquid stream.
The working fluid used in the systems of this inventions preferably is a multi-component fluid that comprises a lower boiling point component fluid—the low-boiling component—and a higher boiling point component—the high-boiling component. Preferred working fluids include an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freon, a mixture of hydrocarbons and freon, or the like. In general, the fluid can comprise mixtures of any number of compounds with favorable thermodynamic characteristics and solubility. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the fluid comprises a mixture of water and ammonia.
Referring now to FIG. 1A, a flow diagram, generally 100 , is shown that illustrates a preferred embodiment a system and method of energy conversion of this invention and will be described in terms of its components and its operation.
A condensed working fluid having parameters as at a point 1 is divided into two sub streams having parameters as at points 2 and 27 , respectively. The stream having the parameters of the point 2 enters pump P 1 , where the stream is pumped to a desired high pressure and obtains parameters as at a point 3 . Thereafter, the stream having the parameters of the point 3 passes through a first heat exchanger HE 3 , where it is heated in counter flow with a returning, condensing stream in a condensing step defined by points 9 - 12 (described below), and obtains parameters as at a point 4 . The state of the working fluid at the point 4 corresponds to a sub cooled liquid. Thereafter, the stream having the parameters of the point 4 passes through a second heat exchanger HE 2 where it is further heated by an external heat source stream (e.g., a geothermal brine stream) and obtains parameters as at a point 5 , where the parameters at the point 5 correspond to a saturated liquid.
Next, the stream having the parameters of the point 5 passes through a third heat exchanger HE 1 in counter flow with the external heat source stream (the geothermal brine stream), where the stream of working liquid is fully evaporated and slightly superheated to obtain parameters as at a point 6 . The vapor stream having the parameters of the point 6 passes through a first high pressure turbine T 1 where the vapor stream expands, producing mechanical work, and obtains parameters as at a point 7 . The stream having the parameters of the point 7 is then divided into two sub streams having parameters as at points 8 and 9 , respectively. The stream having the parameters of the point 9 passes through the first heat exchanger HE 3 where it is cooled and condensed providing heat for the 3 - 4 heating step (described above) and obtains parameters as at a point 12 .
The stream having the parameters of the point 8 is then mixed with a stream having parameters as at a point 20 (described below) and obtains parameters as at a point 10 . Thereafter, the stream having the parameters of the point 10 passes through a fourth heat exchanger HE 6 , where it is cooled and condensed, releasing heat for a heating step 28 - 19 (described below), and obtains parameters as at a point 11 . Thereafter, streams having the parameters of the points 11 and 12 , respectively, are combined forming a stream having parameters as at a point 13 . The stream having the parameters of the point 13 enters a gravity separator Sl, where it is separated into a rich vapor having parameters as at a point 14 and into a lean liquid having parameters as at a point 15 . The term a rich vapor stream means that the vapor has a higher concentration of the light boiling component than the original basic working fluid as at the point 1 , while the lean liquid stream means that the liquid has a lower concentration of the light boiling component than the original basic working fluid as at the point 1 .
The sub-stream of fully condensed working fluid having the parameters of the point 27 (as described above) enters into a second pump P 2 , where it is pumped to a desired elevated pressure and obtains parameters as at a point 28 . The pressure at point 28 is substantially lower than the pressure at the point 3 . The stream having the parameters of the point 28 then passes through the fourth heat exchanger HE 6 where it is heated by heat released in the process step 10 - 11 (described above) and obtains parameters as at a point 19 . Thereafter, the stream having the parameters as at the point 19 passes through a fifth heat exchanger HE 5 , where it is further heated and evaporated by the external heat source sub-stream (e.g., the geothermal brine stream) and obtains parameters as at point a 18 . Usually working fluid having the parameters as at the point 18 is not fully vaporized. A pressure of the working fluid in the process step 19 - 18 is substantially lower than the pressure of the working fluid in the process step 5 - 6 (described above). Therefore, the stream in the process step 19 - 18 starts to boil at a substantially lower temperature than the stream in the process step 5 - 6 . This allows the use of geothermal brine stream to heat the working fluid in the process step 5 - 6 and thereafter to use a portion of the same brine stream having a lower temperature, to provide heat for the process step 19 - 18 .
The geothermal brine stream, which is the heat source for a preferred use of the system of this invention, has initial parameters as at a point 30 . The brine stream having the parameters of the point 30 initially passes though the third heat exchanger HE 1 , providing heat for the process step 5 - 6 and obtains parameters as at a point 31 . Thereafter, the brine stream having the parameters of the point 31 is divided into two brine sub streams having parameters as at points 32 and 34 , respectively. The stream having the parameters of the point 32 passes through the second heat exchanger HE 2 providing heat for the process step 4 - 5 , and obtains parameters as at a point 33 . Meanwhile, the stream having the parameters of the point 34 passes through the fifth heat exchanger HE 5 , providing heat for the process step 19 - 18 , and obtains parameters as at a point 35 (described above). Thereafter, the cooled brine sub streams having the parameters of the points 33 and 35 are combined, forming a spent brine stream having parameters as at a point 36 , at which point the brine stream is removed from the system.
The stream of working fluid having the parameters of the point 18 (described above) enters a second gravity separator S 2 , where it is separated into a rich vapor stream having parameters as at a point 21 (i.e., rich means a higher concentration of the low boiling component—ammonia in water-ammonia fluids) and a relatively lean liquid stream having parameters as at a point 16 (i.e., rich means a lower concentration of the low boiling component—ammonia in water-ammonia fluids). The liquid stream having the parameters of the point 16 passes through a second throttle valve TV 2 , where its pressure is reduced to a pressure equal to the pressure of the stream having the parameters of the point 8 , and obtains parameters as at a point 20 . The stream having the parameters of the point 20 is combined with the stream having the parameters of the point 8 forming a combined stream having parameters of the point 10 (described above). The stream having the parameters of the point 20 is substantially leaner (i.e., lower concentration of low boiling component) than the stream having the parameters of the point 8 , and therefore, the combined stream having the parameters of the points 10 and 11 is leaner than the stream having the parameters of the point 8 . The stream having the parameters of the point 11 , is then combined with the stream having the parameters of the point 12 , forming a stream having parameters as at a point 13 , which is likewise leaner than the streams having the parameters of the points 8 and 9 .
The vapor stream having the parameters of the point 21 passes though a low pressure turbine T 2 , where the vapor stream having the parameters of the point 21 expands producing mechanical work and obtains parameters as at a point 22 . Meanwhile, the liquid stream having the parameters of the point 15 (described above) passes through a second throttle value TV 1 , where its pressure is reduced to a pressure equal to the pressure of the stream having the parameters of the point 22 , and obtains parameters as at a point 17 . Thereafter, the stream having the parameters of the point 17 is combined with the stream having the parameters of the point 22 forming a stream with parameters as at a point 23 . The stream having the parameters of the point 23 is formed by combining the lean liquid stream having the parameters of the point 15 coming from the separator S 1 with the turbine exhaust stream having the parameters of the point 22 coming from the turbine T 2 . As a result, the concentration of the low boiling component in the stream having the parameters of the point 23 is substantially lower than the concentration of the low boiling component in the working fluid stream having the parameters of the point 1 . This allows the stream having the parameters of the point 23 to be condensed at a lower pressure than the pressure of the stream having the parameters of the point 1 , increasing the power output from the turbine T 2 .
The stream having the parameters of the point 23 passes through an air (or water cooled) condenser or sixth heat exchanger HE 7 , where the stream having the parameters of the point 23 is fully condensed and obtains parameters as at a point 24 . The stream having the parameters of the point 24 , where the parameters correspond to a saturated liquid, enters pump P 3 where its pressure is increased to a pressure equal to the pressure of the stream having parameter of the point 14 , and obtains parameters as at a point 25 . Thereafter the streams having the parameters of the points 14 and 25 are combined forming a stream having parameters as at a point 26 . The composition of working fluid at the point 26 is the same as the composition of the working fluid at the point 1 . The stream having the parameters of the point 26 then passes though an air or water cooled condenser or a seventh heat exchanger HE 4 where it is fully condensed, obtaining the stream having the parameters of the point 1 . This preferred embodiment is, therefore, a closed cycle.
The parameters of all points of the proposed system are presented in Table 1.
TABLE 1
Parameter of Points in the Embodiment of FIG. 1A
Point
Concentration
Temperature
Pressure
Enthalpy
Weight
No.
X
T (°F.)
P (psia)
h (btu/lb)
(g/g6)
Parameters of Working Fluid Streams
1
0.95
80.0
145.2535
36.7479
1.4169
2
0.95
80.0
145.2535
36.7479
1.0
3
0.95
82.6617
855.0
40.8130
1.0
4
0.95
145.0
845.0
113.7445
1.0
5
0.95
211.1676
835.0
200.6857
1.0
6
0.95
296.0
820.0
653.1787
1.0
7
0.95
152.8503
150.0
561.9714
1.0
8
0.95
152.8503
150.0
561.9714
0.175
9
0.95
152.8503
150.0
561.9714
0.825
10
0.8847
147.3266
150.0
476.1683
0.2154
11
0.8847
113.2951-
148.0
392.8725
0.2154
12
0.95
102.6927
148.0
473.5696
0.825
13
0.9365
105.6343
148.0
456.8624
1.0404
14
0.9989
105.6343
148.0
572.4092
0.83274
15
0.68629
105.6343
148.0
−6.4813
0.20766
16
0.60227
211.1676
465.0
104.7724
0.04043
17
0.68629
105.5611
132.2
−6.4813
0.20766
18
0.95
211.1676
465.0
559.5074
0.4169
19
0.95
118.4247
475.0
81.7763
0.4169
20
0.60227
139.2362
150.0
104.7727
0.04043
21
0.98735
211.1676
465.0
608.3474
0.37647
22
0.98735
96.1707
132.2
545.6323
0.37647
23
0.88030
98.6711
132.2
349.3722
0.5841
24
0.88030
78.0
130.1772
11.9150
0.5841
25
0.88030
78.1332
148.0
12.0976
0.5841
26
0.95
85.9850
148.0
341.4032
1.4169
27
0.95
80.0
145.2535
36.7479
0.4169
28
0.95
81.3188
485.0
38.7398
0.4169
29
0.95
161.1303
470.0
133.9673
0.4169
Parameters of Geothermal Source Stream
30
brine
305.0
273.0
5.0938
31
brine
216.168
184.168
5.0938
32
brine
216.168
184.168
1.5479
33
brine
160.0
128.0
1.5479
34
brine
216.168
184.168
3.5459
35
brine
160.0
128.0
3.5459
36
brine
160.0
121.0
5.0938
37
brine
166.1303
134.1303
3.5459
Parameters of Air Cooling Stream
40
air
60.0
6.7330
40.9713
41
air
80.0
11.5439
40.9713
42
air
60.0
6.7330
119.6414
43
air
75.0
10.3410
119.6414
The term concentration is defined as the ratio of the number of pounds of the low boiling component are each pound of working fluid. Thus, for an ammonia-water working fluid, a concentration of 0.95 means that working fluid comprises 0.95 lbs of ammonia and 0.5 lbs of water. The term weight represents that number of pounds of material passing through a given point relative to the number of pounds of material passing through the point 6 or the first part of the high temperature circuit defined by points 2 - 7 .
The system of this invention comprises two circuits; one circuit is a high pressure circuit and the other circuit is a lower pressure circuit. The use of two circuits having different pressures makes it possible to utilize heat from the geothermal brine stream for heating the stream of the working fluid in the high pressure circuit, and heat from a portion of a cooled or lower temperature geothermal brine stream for heating the stream of the working fluid in the lower pressure circuit. Unlike known two-pressure circuit systems, in the systems of this invention, the liquid produced after the partial condensation of the spent returning stream from the high pressure circuit (i.e., the stream having the parameters of the point 15 ) is added to the returning stream from the low pressure circuit. Thus the concentration of the returning stream from the low pressure circuit is substantially lowered which in its turn allows this returning stream to be condensed at a pressure lower than the pressure at which it would be condensed if its composition had not been lowered. This results in an increased power output And efficiency of the whole system. The summary of the performance of the entire system is presented in Table 2.
TABLE 2
Performance Summary
Heat Input
btu
738.6010
Heat Rejection
btu
628.7749
Σ Turbine enthalpy drops
btu
114.8177
Turbines work
btu
111.9511
Feed pumps work
btu
5.0022
Air fans work
btu
9.10667
Network
btu
97.8422
Net thermal efficiency
%
13.25
Second Law efficiency
%
57.24
Specific brine consumption
lb/btu
0.0521
Specific Power output
btu/lb
19.2081
The most efficient system previously developed for the same application is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,568. A comparison of the performance of that system and the system of this invention is presented in table 3. As shown in table 3, the system of this invention out performs the prior art by about 18.83%.
TABLE 3
Comparison of System Performance
Current
System of U.S.
System Characteristics
System
Pat. No. 4982568
Ratio
Net Thermal Efficiency (%)
13.25
11.15
1.1883
Specific Power Output (btu/lb. of
19.2081
16.1716
1.1878
brine)
Heat Rejection per btu of Net
6.4264
7.8257
0.8212
Output (btu/btu)
Referring now to FIG. 1B, a modified system of this invention is shown to include a fourth pump P 4 which is used to increase the pressure of a portion of the stream having the parameters of the point 25 which is combined with the lower pressure liquid stream having the parameter of the point 28 .
It should be recognized by persons of ordinary skill in the art that the apparatus of this inventions also includes stream mixer valves and stream splitter valves which are designed to combine stream and split streams, respectively. In the system of FIG. 1A, the separator S 2 may not be need if the composition of the working fluid is adjusted so that the heated lower pressure stream is fully vaporized in the heat exchanger HE 5 , which requires a fluid having a concentration of about 0.965 or higher.
All references cited herein are incorporated by reference. While this invention has been described fully and completely, it should be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. Although the invention has been disclosed with reference to its preferred embodiments, from reading this description those of skill in the art may appreciate changes and modification that may be made which do not depart from the scope and spirit of the invention as described above and claimed hereafter.
|
a new thermodynamic cycle is disclosed for converting energy from a low temperature stream from an external source into useable energy using a working fluid comprising of a mixture of a low boiling component and a higher boiling component and including a higher pressure circuit and a lower pressure circuit. The cycle is designed to improve the efficiency of the energy extraction process by mixing the liquid stream from the high pressure circuit with the spent low pressure circuit stream forming a lean system that can be condensed at a low pressure. The new thermodynamic process and the system for accomplishing it are especially well-suited for streams from low-temperature geothermal sources.
| 5
|
RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2002-0044224, filed on Jul. 26, 2002, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to ferroelectric memory devices with plate lines and methods of fabricating the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ferroelectric memory devices are nonvolatile devices that retain data after supply of power is stopped. They may also be operated at a supply voltage for the device, like some DRAM or SRAM devices. Ferroelectric memory devices may be used in, for example, smart cards or other memory cards.
FIGS. 1 through 4 are cross-sectional views illustrating a method of fabricating a conventional ferroelectric memory device.
Referring to FIG. 1 , a device isolation layer 13 is formed at predetermined regions of a semiconductor substrate 11 to define active regions. Insulated gate electrodes 15 , which serve as word lines, are formed to cross over the active regions and the device isolation layer 13 . Impurity ions are implanted into the active region between the gate electrodes 15 , to form source/drain regions 17 s and 17 d. A first lower interlayer dielectric (ILD) 19 is formed on the entire surface of the resultant structure on the source/drain regions 17 s and 17 d. The first lower ILD 19 is patterned to form storage node contact holes, which expose the source regions 17 s. Contact plugs 21 are formed in the storage node contact holes.
Referring to FIG. 2 , ferroelectric capacitors 32 , which are 2-dimensionally arranged, are formed on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate 11 including the contact plugs 21 . Each of the ferroelectric capacitors 32 includes a lower electrode 27 , a ferroelectric pattern 29 , and an upper electrode 31 , which are sequentially stacked. Each of the lower electrodes 27 covers one of the contact plugs 21 . A first upper ILD 33 is formed on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate including the ferroelectric capacitors 32 . A plurality of main word lines 35 , which are parallel to the gate electrodes 15 , are formed on the first upper ILD 33 . Each of the main word lines 35 may, for example, control four gate electrodes 15 .
The upper and lower electrodes 31 and 27 may be formed of noble metals of the platinum group. Sidewalls of the ferroelectric capacitor 32 have sloped sidewalls, as illustrated in FIG. 4 .
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , a second upper ILD 37 is formed on the entire surface of the semiconductor and the main word lines 35 . The second upper ILD 37 and first upper ILD 33 are patterned to form via holes 39 , which expose the upper electrodes 31 . A wet etch process and a dry etch process may be performed to reduce an aspect ratio of each via hole 39 . As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the via hole 39 has sloped upper sidewalls 39 a. A plurality of plate lines 41 are formed to cover the via holes 39 . The plate lines 41 are disposed in parallel with the main word lines 35 .
In another approach, the diameter of the via hole 39 may be increased to reduce an aspect ratio of the via hole 39 . However, increasing the diameter may cause a short between the plate line 41 and the main word line 35 . As the integration density of ferroelectric memory devices increases, it may become more difficult to properly align the via hole 39 with the upper electrode 31 . Moreover, space “s” between the via hole 39 and the main word line 35 adjacent to the via hole 39 may become smaller. Increasing the diameter of the via hole 39 , or misaligning the via hole 39 with the upper electrode 31 , may result in the main word line 35 being exposed by the via hole 39 and a corresponding short between the plate line 41 and the main word line 35 (see FIG. 4 ).
Misalignment between the via hole 39 and the upper electrode 31 may also result in etching damage to the pattern 29 . For example, the via hole 39 may be formed using an over-etching technique to facilitate connection between the subsequently formed plate line 41 and the upper electrode 31 . During the formation of the via hole 39 , the sloped sidewalls of the ferroelectric capacitor 32 may be exposed and damaged by the etching.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Various embodiments of the present invention provide a ferroelectric memory device that includes a lower interlayer dielectric on a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of ferroelectric capacitors, and a plate line. The ferroelectric capacitors are on the lower interlayer dielectric. The plate line extends across and electrically connects to top surfaces of at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of ferroelectric capacitors. The plate line may simplify the subsequent formation of a slit-type via hole through an upper interlayer dielectric to electrically contact the ferroelectric capacitors, and may reduce the effects of misalignment of the slit-type via hole.
In some further embodiments of the present invention, an upper interlayer dielectric is on the lower interlayer dielectric and the plurality of ferroelectric capacitors, and hydrogen barrier spacers are between sidewalls of the ferroelectric capacitors and the lower interlayer dielectric. The plate line cover sidewalls of the hydrogen barrier spacers and a top surface of the lower interlayer dielectric. The plate line includes a local plate line and a main plate line. The local plate line directly contacts top surfaces of the adjacent ferroelectric capacitors. The main plate line is on the upper interlayer dielectric opposite to the local plate line, and directly contacts a top surface of the local plate line via a slit-type via hole through the upper interlayer dielectric.
In still further embodiments, sidewalls of the ferroelectric capacitors may be substantially vertical relative to a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. For example, the sidewalls of the ferroelectric my have an inclination of about 70° to about 90° relative to a top surface of the semiconductor substrate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 through 4 are cross-sectional views illustrating a method of fabricating a ferroelectric memory device according to the prior art;
FIG. 5 is a top plan view illustrating methods of fabricating a ferroelectric memory device according to a various embodiments of the present invention;
FIGS. 6 through 8 are perspective views illustrating ferroelectric memory devices according to various embodiments of the present invention;
FIGS. 9 through 14 are cross-sectional views taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 5 , illustrating methods of fabricating ferroelectric memory devices according to some embodiments of the present invention; and
FIGS. 15 through 18 are cross-sectional views taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 5 , illustrating methods of fabricating ferroelectric memory devices according to some other embodiments of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the thickness of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity. It will also be understood that when a layer is referred to as being “on” another layer or substrate, it can be directly on the other layer or substrate, or intervening layers may also be present. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. It will be understood that if part of an element, such as a surface of a conductive line, is referred to as “top,” it is further from the outside of the integrated circuit than other parts of the element. Furthermore, relative terms such as “beneath” may be used herein to describe a relationship of one layer or region to another layer or region relative to a substrate or base layer as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that these terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view that illustrates a portion of a cell array region of a ferroelectric memory device according various embodiments of the present invention. FIGS. 6 through 8 are perspective views that illustrate three embodiments of the present invention.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 , a device isolation layer 53 is formed in a predetermined region of a semiconductor substrate 51 . The device isolation layer 53 defines a plurality of active regions 53 a, which may be 2-dimensionally arranged. A plurality of insulated gate electrodes 57 , which may serve as word lines, cross over the active regions 53 a and the device isolation layer 53 . The gate electrodes 57 are parallel in a row direction (y-axis). Each of the active regions 53 a intersects with a pair of gate electrodes 57 , thereby dividing the each of the active regions 53 a into three portions. A common drain region 61 d is formed in the active region 53 a between the pair of gate electrodes 57 , and source regions 61 s are formed in the active regions 53 a on both sides of the common drain region 61 d. Cell transistors are formed where the gate electrodes 57 intersect with the active regions 53 a. Accordingly, the illustrated cell transistors are arranged in 2-dimensions along row (x-axis) and column (y-axis) directions. It will be understood that the x and y axes are the row and column designations are used herein to indicate two different directions, which need not be orthogonal.
A lower ILD 74 is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate 51 and the cell transistors. A plurality of bit lines 71 are formed in the lower ILD 74 to cross over the word lines 57 . Each of the bit lines 71 is electrically connected to the common drain region 61 d via a bit line contact hole 71 a. The source regions 61 s are exposed by storage node contact holes 75 a that penetrate the lower ILD 74 . The storage node contact holes 75 a may have upper sidewalls with a sloped profile. Each of the storage node contact holes 75 a may be filled with a contact plug 75 . Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 6 , the contact plug 75 may have an upper portion that has a larger diameter (upper diameter) than that of a lower portion (lower diameter).
A plurality of ferroelectric capacitors 82 (CP shown in FIG. 5 ) may be 2-dimensionally arranged in the row direction (x-axis) and column direction (y-axis) on the contact plugs 75 and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 51 . The ferroelectric capacitors 82 may have substantially vertical sidewalls, which may have an inclination of about 70 to about 90° relative to a top surface of the semiconductor substrate 51 . The ferroelectric capacitors 82 may each include a lower electrode 77 , a ferroelectric pattern 79 , and an upper electrode 81 , which are sequentially stacked. The lower electrode 77 may be on the contact plug 75 so as to be electrically connected to the source region 61 s. The lower and upper electrodes 77 and 81 may be, for example, Ru, RuO 2 , or may be a material selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), rhodium (Rh), osmium (Os), oxides thereof, and/or combinations thereof.
The ferroelectric pattern 79 may be PZT(Pb, Zr, TiO 3 ), which may be formed using PbTiO 3 as a seed layer. The ferroelectric pattern 79 may alternatively be a material that is selected from the group consisting of PZT(Pb, Zr, TiO 3 ), SrTiO 3 , BaTiO 3 , (Ba, Sr)TiO 3 , Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 , SrBi 2 Ta 2 O 9 , (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O 3 , Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 , and/or combinations thereof. Use of PZT(Pb, Zr, TiO 3 ) as a seed layer may allow the thickness of the ferroelectric pattern 79 to be about 100 nm or less. A thinner ferroelectric pattern 79 may allow more easy fabrication of substantially vertical sidewalls for the ferroelectric capacitor 82 .
Hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a are formed on the sidewalls of the ferroelectric capacitors 82 . The hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a may be a material that is selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , CeO 2 , and/or combinations thereof. The hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a may prevent or inhibit penetration of hydrogen atoms into the ferroelectric pattern 79 .
When hydrogen atoms are injected into the ferroelectric pattern 79 , the characteristics (e.g., reliability) of the ferroelectric pattern 79 may be reduced. For example, if hydrogen atoms are injected into a ferroelectric layer of PZT(Pb, Zr, TiO 3 ), oxygen atoms in the PZT layer may react with the hydrogen atoms to cause oxygen vacancy into the PZT layer. The oxygen vacancy may deteriorate a polarization characteristic of the ferroelectric pattern 79 , which may cause the memory device to malfunction.
Moreover, hydrogen atoms that are caught in the interfaces between the ferroelectric pattern 79 and the upper and lower electrodes 81 and 77 may cause the ferroelectric capacitor 82 to have a poor leakage current characteristic. Consequently, the hydrogen barrier spacer 83 a may improve characteristics, such as reliability, of the ferroelectric capacitor 82 . As described above, because the ferroelectric capacitors 82 may be formed to have substantially vertical sidewalls, damage to the ferroelectric pattern 79 during subsequent process steps may be avoided, in contrast to the prior art process that is illustrated in FIG. 4 .
A plurality of local plate lines 87 (PL of FIG. 5 ) are formed on the ferroelectric capacitors 82 , and may be parallel to the row direction (y-axis) and cover sidewalls of the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a and top surfaces of the lower ILD 74 . Each of the local plate lines 87 may cover at least two ferroelectric capacitors 82 in two adjacent rows. The local plate line 87 may directly contact the adjacent upper electrode 81 , and may be insulated from the lower electrode 77 by the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a. An upper ILD may cover the local plate lines 87 and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 51 . The upper ILD may include first and second upper ILDs 89 and 93 , which are sequentially stacked.
A plurality of main word lines may be between portions of the first and second upper ILDs 89 and 93 . Each of the main word lines 91 may, for example, control four word lines 57 via a decoder. A main plate line 97 may be on the upper ILD between the main word lines 91 . The main plate line 97 may be electrically connected to the local plate line 87 via a slit-type via hole 95 that penetrates the upper ILD ( 89 and 93 ). The slit-type via hole 95 may be parallel to the row direction (y-axis). As illustrated in FIG. 6 , the slit-type via hole 95 may have a larger width than the via hole 39 that is illustrated in FIG. 3 .
The local plate line 87 and the main plate line 97 , which form a plate line, may be in directly contact with each other. The plate line may alternatively be formed from only main plate line 97 , as will be discussed below with regard to a third example embodiment of the ferroelectric memory device. The plate line may, for example, be a material that is selected from the group consisting of the platinum group including ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), rhodium (Rh), Osmium (Os), and palladium (Pd), oxides thereof, and/or combinations thereof. The plate line may alternatively be a material that is conventionally used in a metal layer of a semiconductor device. In a first example embodiment that is illustrated in FIG. 16 , a first upper ILD pattern 89 a may be between the local plate line 87 and the main plate line 97 . As illustrated, the first upper ILD pattern 89 a fills a gap region formed between the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a that are covered by the local plate line 87 .
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a ferroelectric memory device according to a second example embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, cell transistors, lower ILD, upper ILD, contact plugs, ferroelectric capacitors, and hydrogen barrier spacers have the same structures as those shown for the first example embodiment of the present invention. Thus, further description of those structures will be omitted here for brevity.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 7 , a gap region between outer sidewalls of the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a is filled with an insulation pattern 85 a. The insulation pattern 85 a is also between the local plate line 87 and the lower ILD 74 . The lower electrode 77 is electrically insulated from the local plate line 87 by, for example, the insulation pattern 85 a and the hydrogen barrier space 83 a. The insulation pattern 85 a may be an oxide layer containing a small amount of hydrogen, and may have a top surface that is aligned with a top surface of the ferroelectric capacitor 82 .
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a ferroelectric memory device according to a third example embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment, cell transistors, lower ILD, upper ILD, contact plugs, ferroelectric capacitors, and hydrogen barrier spacers have the same structures as shown for the first example embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the description of those structures will be omitted here for brevity. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 8 , unlike the first embodiment of the present invention that is illustrated in FIG. 6 , a main plate line 97 directly contacts top surfaces of adjacent upper electrodes 81 .
A gap region under the main plate line 97 and between the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a is filled with a first upper ILD pattern 89 b. The first upper ILD pattern 89 b is between the main plate line 97 and the lower ILD 74 . The first upper ILD pattern 89 b may be formed of the same material as the first upper ILD 89 , or may be an oxide layer containing a small amount of hydrogen.
A variation of the third example embodiment of a ferroelectric memory device is illustrated in FIG. 18 , in which the main plate line 97 directly contacts the top surface of the lower ILD 74 and the top surface of the two adjacent upper electrodes 81 , and covers outward sidewalls of the hydrogen barrier spacer 83 a.
Methods of fabricating ferroelectric memory devices will now be described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 14 . FIGS. 9 through 14 are cross-sectional views taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 5 , and illustrate methods of fabricating ferroelectric memory devices according to a first example embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 9 , a device isolation layer 53 is formed at predetermined regions of a semiconductor substrate 51 to define active regions 53 a. A gate insulation layer, a gate conductive layer, and a capping oxide layer may be sequentially formed on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate 51 and the active regions 53 a. The capping oxide layer, the gate conductive layer, and the gate insulation layer are successively patterned to form a plurality of gate patterns 60 , which may be parallel with each other and cross over the active regions and the device isolation layer 53 . Each of the gate patterns 60 may be formed of a gate insulation pattern 55 , a gate electrode 57 , and a capping insulation pattern 59 . Each of the active regions 53 a may intersect a pair of the gate electrodes 57 . The gate electrode 57 may form a word line.
Impurity ions may be implanted into active regions using the gate patterns 60 and the device isolation layer 53 as an ion implantation mask. Thus, three impurity regions may be formed in each active region 53 a. The middle impurity region may correspond to a common drain region 61 d, and the other two impurity regions may correspond to source regions 61 s. Thus, a pair of cell transistors may be formed in each of the active regions 53 a. As shown in FIG. 9 , the cell transistors may be arranged 2-dimensionally in row and column directions. Spacers 63 may be formed on sidewalls of the gate pattern 60 by, for example, a conventional fabrication process.
Referring to FIG. 10 , a first lower ILD 65 may be formed on the spacer 63 and the surface of the semiconductor substrate 51 . The first lower ILD 65 is patterned to form a pad contact hole that exposes the source and drain regions 61 s and 61 d. Storage node pads 67 s and bit line pads 67 d are formed in the pad contact hole by, for example, a conventional fabrication process. The storage node pads 67 s are connected to the source regions 61 s, and the bit line pads 67 d are connected to the common drain region 61 d. A second lower ILD 69 is formed on the pads 67 s and 67 d and an exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate 51 . The second lower ILD 69 is patterned to form bit line contact holes ( 71 a in FIG. 5 ) that expose the bit line pads 67 d. A plurality of bit lines 71 , which may be parallel with each other, are formed to cover the bit line contact holes. The bit lines 71 cross over top surfaces of the word lines 57 .
Referring to FIG. 11 , a third lower ILD 73 is formed on an exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate and the bit lines 71 . The first through third lower ILDs 65 , 67 , and 73 form a lower ILD 74 . The second and third lower ILDs 69 and 73 are patterned to form storage node contact holes ( 75 a in FIG. 5 ) that expose the storage node pads 67 s. The storage node contact hole ( 75 a in FIG. 5 ) may be formed using, for example, wet or dry etching processes so as to increase its upper diameter. Thus, the storage node contact hole ( 75 a in FIG. 5 ), can include upper sidewalls with a sloped profile, which may reduce electrical resistance between a subsequently formed lower electrode and the source region 61 s. Contact plugs 75 are formed in the storage node contact holes ( 75 a in FIG. 5 ).
Referring to FIG. 12 , a lower electrode layer, a ferroelectric layer, and an upper electrode layer are sequentially formed on the contact plugs 75 and the lower ILD 74 . The upper electrode layer, the ferroelectric layer, and the lower electrode layer are successively patterned to form a plurality of ferroelectric capacitors 82 (CP of FIG. 5 ), which may be 2-dimensionally arranged in row and column directions. Each of the ferroelectric capacitors 82 may include a lower electrode 77 , a ferroelectric pattern 79 , and an upper electrode 81 , which are sequentially stacked. Each of the lower electrodes 77 may contact, or otherwise be electrically connected with, the contact plugs 75 . As a result, each of the ferroelectric capacitors 82 is electrically connected to the source regions 61 s.
The ferroelectric capacitors 82 may be patterned to have substantially vertical sidewalls, which may have an inclination of about 70° to about 90° relative to a top surface of the semiconductor substrate 51 . Such patterning may be facilitated by forming the lower and upper electrodes 77 and 81 of at least one of Ru and RuO 2 , and/or using an anisotropic etching process such as, for example, a plasma etching containing oxygen. When the Ru and RuO 2 are etched using plasma containing oxygen, volatile RuO 4 may be created. The upper and lower electrodes 81 and 77 may alternatively be formed from, for example, a material that is selected from the group consisting of the platinum group including ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), rhodium (Rh), and Osmium (Os), and oxides thereof, and/or combinations thereof.
The ferroelectric pattern 79 may be PZT(Pb, Zr, TiO 3 ) that si formed using PbTiO 3 as a seed layer. The ferroelectric pattern 79 may alternatively be formed from at least one material selected from the group consisting of Pb(Zr, Ti)O 3 , SrTiO 3 , BaTiO 3 , (Ba, Sr)TiO 3 , Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 , SrBi 2 Ta 2 O 9 , (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O 3 , and Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 . A PZT and PbTiO 3 thin layer may be formed using CSD. The CSD process may use as a precursor lead acetate[Pb(CH3CO 2 ) 2 3H 2 O], zirconium n-butoxide [Zr(n-OC 4 H 9 ) 4 ], and titanium isopropoxide [Ti(i-OC 3 H 7 ) 4 ], and using a solvent 2-methoxyethano [CH 3 OCH 2 CH 2 OH]. Thin PZT and PbTiO 3 layers may be stacked using, for example, spin coating and baking at about 200° C. The resultant structures may be annealed using, for example, rapid thermal processing (RTP) in an oxygen atmosphere of 500 to 675° C. The resulting ferroelectric pattern 79 may exhibit an improved ferroelectric characteristics, and which may allow a corresponding reduction in the thickness of the ferroelectric pattern 79 and, thereby, a reduction in the thickness of the ferroelectric capacitor. Reducing the thickness of the ferroelectric capacitor 82 allows the sidewalls of the ferroelectric capacitor 82 to be patterned to be substantially vertical sidewalls or close to vertical. For example, the ferroelectric pattern 79 and the ferroelectric capacitor 82 may have respective thicknesses of 100 nm or less and 400 nm or less.
A hydrogen barrier layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate and the ferroelectric capacitors 82 . The hydrogen barrier layer may be formed from, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , and CeO 2 . The hydrogen barrier layer may be anisotropically etched until the top surfaces of the ferroelectric capacitors 82 are exposed, thereby forming hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a on the sidewalls of the ferroelectric capacitors 82 . Because the ferroelectric capacitors 82 have substantially vertical sidewalls, the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a may have the shape of a conventional spacer, and hydrogen atoms that are used in later fabrication processes may not penetrate into the ferroelectric pattern 79 , or penetration may be reduced. But for the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a, hydrogen atoms may be allowed to be injected into the ferroelectric capacitors 79 , and which may result in degraded characteristics, such as reduced polarization and increased leakage current. Accordingly, the hydrogen barrier spacer 83 a may enhance the characteristics of the ferroelectric capacitor 82 .
Referring to FIG. 13 , a lower plate layer is formed on the exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate and the hydrogen barrier spacer 83 a. The lower plate layer is patterned to form a plurality of local plate lines 87 (PL in FIG. 5 ), that may be parallel to the word lines 57 (the row direction or y-axis in FIG. 5 ). Each of the local plate lines 87 may directly contact a plurality of upper electrodes 81 that are, for example, in two adjacent rows. The local plate lines 87 may also cover outward sidewalls of the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a and an exposed top surface of the lower ILD 74 therebetween. The local plate lines 87 are insulated from the lower electrodes 77 by the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a therebetween. The lower plate layer may be formed from, for example, at least one material selected from the group consisting of the platinum group including ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), rhodium (Rh), Osmium (Os), and palladium (Pd), and oxides thereof.
An upper ILD is formed on the exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate and the local plate lines 87 . The upper ILD may be formed by sequentially stacking the first and second upper ILDs 89 and 93 . Before forming the second upper ILD 93 , a plurality of main word lines 91 , which are parallel with each other, may be formed on the first upper ILD 89 . A single main word line 91 may control, for example, four word lines 57 via a decoder.
Referring to FIG. 14 , the upper ILD is patterned to form a slit-type via hole 95 that exposes the local plate line 87 . The slit-type via hole 95 is between the main word lines 91 and may be parallel with the main word lines 91 . As illustrated in FIG. 14 , an upper portion of the slit-type via hole 95 may have a greater width than a lower portion thereof. However, as illustrated, a space A may still be present between the slit-type via hole 95 and main word lines 91 , in contrast to the via hole 39 that is illustrated in FIG. 4 that exposes the main word line 35 . Consequently, even if the slit-type via hole 95 is formed using wet or dry etching processes to reduce an aspect ratio of the slit-type via hole 95 , the main word lines 91 may not be exposed. Accordingly, an aspect ratio of the slit-type via hole 95 may be reduced without exposing the main word lines 91 , and/or the exposed area of the local plate line 87 may be increased.
Next, an upper plate layer such as a metal layer may be formed on the exposed surface of the resultant structure including the slit-type via hole 95 . Because the slit-type via hole 95 may have a low aspect ratio, the upper plate layer may exhibit good step coverage. The upper plate layer may be patterned to form a main plate line 97 that covers the slit-type via hole 95 . A plate line may then include one or both of the local plate line 87 and the main plate line 97 .
FIGS. 15 and 17 are cross-sectional views that illustrate methods of fabricating ferroelectric memory devices according to second and third example embodiments of the present invention. FIGS. 16 and 18 are cross-sectional views that illustrate methods of fabricating ferroelectric memory devices according to further variations of the second and third example embodiments of the present invention, respectively. The following embodiments include steps that described with reference to FIGS. 9 through 12 .
The steps of forming an upper ILD and a main word line may be the same as those in the first embodiment, and accordingly these steps will not be repeated here for brevity.
A second example embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 15 , that, in comparison to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 14 , further comprises an insulation pattern 85 a and a local plate line 87 . An insulation layer may be formed on the exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate and the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a. The insulation layer may be, for example, a material containing a small amount of hydrogen, and have less tensile stress. The insulation pattern 85 a may then be formed by planarizing the insulation layer, such as by etching, until the top surface of the upper electrode 81 is exposed. Etching may be performed using an etch selectivity with respect to the upper electrode 81 and the hydrogen barrier spacer 83 a. The insulation pattern 85 a may thereby fill a gap region between the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a. The insulation pattern 85 a may alternatively have a lower top surface than the ferroelectric capacitor 82 .
A lower plate layer may be formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate and the insulation pattern 85 a, and then patterned to form the local plate line 87 . The patterning process may use an etch selectivity with respect to the insulation pattern 85 a or the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a. Each of the local plate lines 87 may directly contact the upper electrodes 81 , such as contacting, for example, two adjacent rows of upper electrode 81 . The local plate lines 87 cover the top surfaces of the insulation pattern 85 a. The remaining steps for forming the ferroelectric memory device, including forming the main plate line 97 , may be the same as those described above for FIG. 14 , and which are not repeated here for brevity.
The ferroelectric memory device that is illustrated in FIG. 16 is similar to the one shown in FIG. 14 except for the formation of a slit-type via hole 95 . Using fabrication steps that were discussed with reference to FIG. 13 , a local plate line 87 and an upper ILD are formed. The upper ILD is patterned to form a slit-type via hole 95 that exposes the top surface of the local plate line 87 . A patterning process is performed so that the first upper ILD pattern 89 a surrounded by the local plate line 87 remains between the hydrogen barrier spacer 83 a. Top surfaces of the local plate lines 87 are prevented from etching damages during the patterning process. The main plate line 97 is formed thereon.
The ferroelectric memory devices that are illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18 are similar to the one shown in FIG. 14 except for the absence of a local plate line ( 87 of FIG. 14 ). A first upper ILD 89 , a main word line 91 , and a second upper ILD 93 are formed on structure that includes the semiconductor substrate 51 and the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a. The upper ILDs 93 and 89 are patterned to form a slit-type via hole 93 that exposes the top surface of the plurality of upper electrodes 81 , which may be arranged in two rows adjacent to each other.
The slit-type via hole 95 may be patterned such that the upper ILD 89 remains between the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a (see FIG. 17 ). Thus, a first upper ILD pattern 89 b is between the hydrogen barrier spacers 83 a. In contrast as illustrated in FIG. 18 , the slit-type via hole 95 exposes the top surface of the lower ILD 74 . The hydrogen barrier spacer 83 a and the first upper ILD 89 may be formed of materials having an etch selectivity with respect to each other.
An upper plate layer is formed on the surface of the resultant structure where the slit-type via hole 95 is formed. The upper plate layer may be patterned to form a man plate line 97 covering the slit-type via hole 95 . The main plate line 97 may directly contact, for example, two adjacent electrodes 81 that are in two rows.
Accordingly, various embodiments of the present invention may provide a plate line that directly contacts upper electrodes of a plurality of capacitors, and which may be arranged in at least two adjacent rows. The use of a plate line may increase the integration density of the ferroelectric memory device and/or improve its characteristics, such as its reliability.
Various embodiments may provide ferroelectric capacitors that have substantially vertical sidewalls. Accordingly, damage to ferroelectric patterns may be avoided or reduced when hydrogen barrier spacers are formed to insulate the plate line from lower electrodes, and the characteristics of the ferroelectric capacitor, such as its reliability, may be improved.
While the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
|
A ferroelectric memory device includes a lower interlayer dielectric on a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of ferroelectric capacitors, and a plate line. The ferroelectric capacitors are on the lower interlayer dielectric. The plate line extends across and electrically connects to surfaces of at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of ferroelectric capacitors.
| 7
|
TECHNICAL FIELD
This disclosure relates to a package tray panel assembly of a vehicle.
BACKGROUND
Automotive manufacturers consistently strive to improve vibration characteristics of vehicle component assemblies and loudness or rattles associated therewith. Increasing customer demand for higher audio system output may increase vibration issues of the vehicle component assemblies adjacent and proximate thereto. Damping structures may assist in reducing these vibration issues.
SUMMARY
A package tray assembly of a vehicle includes a package tray panel and a Z-member. The package tray panel is located adjacent a rear window cutout and defines a speaker cutout in a substantially central region of the panel, a first edge, and a second edge. The Z-member is mounted to the panel adjacent the speaker cutout and spans across the panel from the first edge to the second edge to structurally reinforce the package tray panel and reduce vibration therein. The Z-member may be mounted to an under surface of the package tray panel and proximate a sunshade to reduce vibration within the sunshade resulting from activation of a speaker at least partially extending through the speaker cutout. The Z-member may be arranged with a sunshade mounted to the package tray to dampen an interaction between the speaker and sunshade due to operation of the speaker. A seat belt retractor may be mounted to one of a vehicle frame or the package tray panel and arranged with the Z-member to reduce vibration affecting a belt-lock of the seat belt retractor due to operation of a speaker at least partially extending through the speaker cutout. The Z-member may be tapered at a central portion thereof to provide space between an edge of the speaker cutout and the Z-member. The Z-member may further include a plurality of mounting features dispersed along a length of the Z-member and oriented thereon for securing to the package tray panel to an under surface of the package tray panel. The package tray panel may further define a pair of rear cutouts, and the Z-member may be mounted to the package tray panel between the speaker cutout and the rear cutouts.
A package tray assembly of a vehicle includes a package tray, a sunshade, and a Z-member. The package tray panel is mounted to a vehicle frame and defines a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, and a speaker cutout disposed between the edges at a substantially central region of the package tray panel. The sunshade is secured to an upper surface of the package tray panel adjacent the speaker cutout. The Z-member is secured to an under surface of the package tray panel adjacent the speaker cutout and proximate the sunshade to structurally reinforce the assembly and to reduce vibration in the sunshade resulting from operation of a speaker at least partially extending through the speaker cutout. The Z-member may span from the first lateral edge to the second lateral edge. The Z-member may include two ends, and one of each of the ends may be spaced from the first edge or the second edge. The Z-member may define a tiered structure having a first portion transitioning to a second portion in a step-like manner. The second portion may be sized to provide clearance for a surface feature defined by the package tray panel. The package tray panel may be disposed between two C-pillars of the vehicle. The package tray panel may further define two rear cutouts located rearward of the speaker cutout, and the Z-member may be disposed between the cutouts. The Z-member and sunshade may be arranged with one another such that a vibration output within the sunshade and due to speaker operation is within a predetermined range.
A package tray assembly of a vehicle includes a package tray panel, a seat belt retractor, and a structural reinforcement member. The package tray panel defines a speaker cutout and is mounted to a vehicle frame adjacent a vehicle frame rear window cutout. The seat belt retractor is mounted to the vehicle frame adjacent the package tray panel. The structural reinforcement member extends along an under surface of the package tray panel adjacent the speaker cutout and is arranged with the seat belt retractor to reduce vibration therein as a result of operation of a speaker at least partially extending through the speaker cutout. The package tray further may define a first edge, a second edge, and a pair of rear cutouts. The structural reinforcement may be disposed between the edges and the cutouts. The seat belt retractor may include a belt-lock mechanism arranged to engage with a belt, and the structural reinforcement member and the seat belt retractor may be arranged such that vibration generated by the operation of the speaker does not drive engagement of the belt lock mechanism and belt. The structural reinforcement may define a two tiered structure having a first portion transitioning to a second portion in a step-like manner. The second portion may be sized to provide clearance for a surface feature defined by the package tray panel. The package tray panel may be disposed between two C-pillar regions of the vehicle. A sunshade may be mounted to an upper surface of the package tray panel proximate the structural reinforcement member and such that ends of the sunshade extend over portions of the vehicle frame.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a vehicle frame.
FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of a portion of the vehicle frame of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an example of a portion of a package tray panel assembly.
FIG. 4 is a perspective underside view of an example of a portion of the package tray panel assembly of FIG. 3 .
FIG. 5 is a perspective view, in cross-section, of a portion of the package tray panel assembly of FIG. 3 .
FIG. 6 is a graph depicting a comparison of rattle loudness of two examples of package tray panel assemblies.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ embodiments of the present disclosure. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example of a vehicle frame, referred to generally as a vehicle frame 100 . The vehicle frame 100 may include A-pillar regions 102 a , B-pillar regions 102 b , and C-pillar regions 102 c . Various vehicle components may be mounted to the vehicle frame 100 . For example, a package tray assembly 106 may be mounted to a rearward portion of the vehicle frame 100 disposed between the C-pillar regions 102 c . The rearward portion of the vehicle frame 100 may include a region adjacent to a rear window cutout 108 sized to receive a rear windshield (not shown). The package tray assembly 106 may include a package tray panel 112 , a Z-member 114 , and a sunshade 116 as further shown in FIG. 3 . A first seat belt retractor 120 and a second seat belt retractor 122 may be mounted to the vehicle frame 100 . Alternatively, the first seat belt retractor 120 or the second seat belt retractor 122 may be mounted to the package tray panel 112 .
The package tray panel 112 may define various cutouts sized for vehicle components as further shown in FIG. 4 . For example, a speaker cutout 128 may be defined by the package tray panel 112 and located at a substantially central region thereof. The speaker cutout 128 may be sized for a portion of a speaker, such as a speaker 132 , to extend therethrough. The package tray panel 112 may further define a pair of rear cutouts 136 , seat belt cutouts 138 , a first edge 140 , and a second edge 142 . The package tray panel 112 may define a rear edge 143 . The rear edge 143 may be sized for location adjacent the rear window cutout 108 . The package tray panel 112 may include a vertical portion 144 extending from a horizontal portion 145 at substantially ninety degrees relative to the horizontal portion 145 . The vertical portion 144 and the horizontal portion 145 may define an L-shaped profile.
The Z-member 114 may be mounted to the package tray panel 112 and disposed between the speaker cutout 128 and the rear cutouts 136 . The Z-member 114 may operate as a structural reinforcement to the package tray panel 112 and surrounding region. For example, the Z-member 114 may be secured to the package tray panel 112 via a plurality of mounting features 146 dispersed along a length of the Z-member 114 . Examples of suitable mounting features for the plurality of mounting features 146 include space to facilitate welding or an application of an adhesive. The Z-member 114 may be mounted to an under surface of the package tray panel 112 . The Z-member 114 may span across the package tray panel 112 from the first edge 140 to the second edge 142 . Alternatively, the Z-member 114 may span substantially across the package tray panel 112 as shown in FIG. 4 and such that ends of the Z-member 114 are spaced from the first edge 140 and the second edge 142 .
The Z-member 114 may define a tapered central portion 150 . The tapered central portion 150 may be sized to accommodate a portion of the speaker cutout 128 . The Z-member 114 may be multi-tiered to accommodate surface extrusions or features of the package tray panel 112 . For example, FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the package tray assembly 106 showing a surface feature 151 defined by the package tray panel 112 and located adjacent a mounting location for the Z-member 114 . The Z-member 114 may include a first portion 152 transitioning to a second portion 154 in a step-like manner. As such, the second portion 154 may be offset from the package tray panel 112 to provide space for the surface feature 151 . Inclusion of the Z-member 114 as part of the package tray assembly 106 may also assist in facilitating use of a package tray panel having less weight in comparison to a heavier structure needed to provide adequate stiffness characteristics for a package tray panel without a reinforcement member.
The sunshade 116 may be mounted to the package tray panel 112 and may also be partially mounted to the vehicle frame 100 . The sunshade 116 may include internal components relating to operation thereof. These internal components and the sunshade 116 may incur vibrations during operation of, for example, the speaker 132 . The sunshade 116 may be oriented proximate the Z-member 114 . For example, FIG. 5 shows an example of an orientation for the sunshade 116 relative to the Z-member 114 .
The package tray assembly 106 may assist in reducing vibration occurring within the sunshade 116 and the seat belt retractors due to operation of a speaker, such as the speaker 132 . For example, location of the Z-member 114 proximate the sunshade 116 may provide additional structural reinforcement to a surrounding region to assist in reducing the vibrations occurring within the sunshade 116 .
As another example, the package tray assembly 106 may assist in reducing vibrations within the seat belt retractors as a result of, for example, operation of the speaker 132 . The first seat belt retractor 120 and the second seat belt retractor 122 may include a belt lock mechanism 160 as shown in FIG. 5 . The belt lock mechanism 160 may be arranged with a belt 162 for engagement under certain conditions. For example, the belt lock mechanism 160 may engage the belt 162 to prevent extension or retraction of the belt 162 . Vibrations proximate to or within the first seat belt retractor 120 may cause the belt lock mechanism 160 to engage the belt 162 outside of certain acceptable conditions. The Z-member 114 may assist in reducing the vibrations proximate to or within the seat belt retractors that may cause the undesirable engagement of the belt lock mechanisms 160 and the belt 162 by structurally reinforcing a region including the package tray assembly 106 .
FIG. 6 shows an example of a graph 200 illustrating a vibration comparison in sones relative to the package tray assembly 106 including the Z-member 114 and a package tray assembly without a component similar to the Z-member 114 . A sone may be described as a unit representing how loud a sound is perceived. In this example, the sound is derived from vibrations during operation of a speaker. For example, the vibrations may occur within a sunshade of the package tray assembly 106 or within one of the seat belt retractors located proximate the speaker. In FIG. 6 , a Y-axis 202 represents a vibrational output in sones and a X-axis 204 represents a frequency in hertz (Hz) of an output of a speaker, such as the speaker 132 , proximate a package tray panel assembly, such as the package tray assembly 106 . The Y-axis 202 lists values of A, B, C, D, and E which may be considered sone output values. For example, the D value may be approximately equal to a target plot 206 .
In this example, a region at and below plot 206 represents a predetermined acceptable level of vibration output of a package tray panel assembly in sones. Plot 208 represents a vibration output for a package tray panel assembly including a Z-member, such as the package tray assembly 106 including the Z-member 114 . Plot 210 represents a vibration output for a package tray panel assembly without a component similar to the Z-member 114 . The graph 200 shows the plot 210 rising above the plot 206 between approximately 67 Hz and 79 Hz, at a delta of approximately 30 sones. However, the plot 208 stays below the plot 206 in a region of the predetermined acceptable level of vibration output. As such, the graph 200 shows that an environment including a package tray assembly including a Z-member incurs a lower vibrational effect due to operation of a speaker in comparison to the environment including a package tray assembly without a Z-member.
While various embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the disclosure that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These attributes can include, but are not limited to marketability, appearance, consistency, robustness, customer acceptability, reliability, accuracy, etc. As such, embodiments described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particular applications.
|
A package tray assembly of a vehicle includes a package tray panel and a Z-member. The package tray panel may be located adjacent a rear window cutout and defines a speaker cutout in a substantially central region of the panel, a first edge, and a second edge. The Z-member may be mounted to the panel adjacent the speaker cutout and spans across the panel from the first edge to the second edge, or from substantially the first edge to the second edge, to structurally reinforce the package tray panel and reduce vibration therein. The Z-member may be mounted to an under surface of the package tray panel and proximate a sunshade to reduce vibration within the sunshade resulting from activation of a speaker at least partially extending through the speaker cutout.
| 1
|
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The application claims priority to German Application No. 10 2006 023 447.2, which was filed on May 18, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to an electromechanical clutch. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to an electromechanical ball clutch for use in a power driven system such as a motorized tailgate or hatchback door for a vehicle, for example.
[0003] In power driven systems, there is a need to provide a manual back-up mode in case there is a battery failure, for example. Such a manual back-up mode should provide an effort similar to a standard manual system. It is necessary to disengage a drive unit during the manual back-up mode and also when a user wishes to operate the system manually. One way of allowing disengagement of the drive unit is to provide an electromagnetic clutch between mechanical elements, for example between a motor and a reduction unit that benefits from a lower torque provided by the electromagnetic clutch.
[0004] In existing systems, clutching is done by clamping two metal plates together with a magnetic force produced by an electromagnetic coil. The transmitted torque is dependent on a coil pull force and a clutch diameter; i.e., the larger the required torque, the bigger the electromagnetic clutch needs to be. Therefore, in order to have an electromagnetic clutch that transfers a large torque, packaging and weight of the electromagnetic clutch must be increased, which is inconvenient and costly. To reduce the power demand on the electromagnetic coil, a permanent magnet can be added in the electromagnetic clutch to work in conjunction with an electromagnet. The permanent magnetic field of this magnet will then create a permanent drag in the system. When this system is used in a tailgate, for example, this drag can be used to hold the tailgate in an intermediate position without having to keep the power on to power the electromagnetic coil. However, the drag caused by the permanent magnet is very uncomfortable for a user operating a tailgate manually in the event of a power failure because the presence of drag means that it is very difficult to open and close the tailgate.
[0005] The present invention has been devised with the foregoing in mind.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Thus, the present invention provides a clutch that includes an input pinion, and an output pinion associated with a rotatable locking member with a surface inclined with respect to an axis of rotation. The surface cooperates with an engagement member, and the rotatable locking member is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the surface forms a recess to receive the engagement member. In the second position, the surface forms a projection to force the engagement member into abutment with the input pinion to establish a driveable connection between the input pinion and the output pinion. The surface amplifies a force that acts on the engagement member, which results in a higher torque that can be transmitted in a small clutch package.
[0007] As the rotatable locking member slides from the first position to the second position, the rotatable locking member provides a recess for the engagement member that evolves into a projection in a smooth movement. This can be achieved by having a locking member with a frustro-conical shape or a substantially conical shape with sides tapering inwards towards an end furthest away from the output pinion.
[0008] In one example, the input pinion comprises a notch to receive the engagement member so that, when the locking member moves into the second position and pushes the engagement member into engagement with the input pinion, the engagement member engages with the notch. The notches permit the clutch to transmit a higher torque in a much smaller package.
[0009] In one example, the locking member and engagement members are ferromagnetic. In this example, the locking member is actuated to move between the first position and the second position by varying a magnetic field. The magnetic field can be provided by an electromagnetic coil. The engagement member can be a ball or a roller.
[0010] In one configuration, the locking member is biased in the first position by a spring, which is compressed as the locking member moves from the first position to the second position.
[0011] In one example, the clutch further comprises a permanent magnet that assists in holding the locking member in the second position. In the second position, which is also referred to as a closed position, there is only a small air gap between the locking member and the permanent magnet so that the permanent magnet pulls or biases the locking member with a relatively high force into the second position. This allows transmission of a high torque. In the first position, which is also referred to as an open position, the permanent magnet does not have sufficient strength to provide a force that can pull the locking member against a spring force. This is due to a large air gap between the locking member and the permanent magnet. However, the permanent magnet does have sufficient strength to hold the engagement members in contact with the locking member and thereby away from the input pinion when the locking member is in the first position. Thus, the addition of a permanent magnet and a spring gives two stable positions to the clutch in the open and closed positions.
[0012] Furthermore, if output of the clutch is maneuvered to reverse the mechanism, a certain amount of torque will be resisted due to the permanent magnetic force and, by virtue of the locking member being connected to the output, the load exerted by both the engagement members to the locking member and a spring compression load will overcome the force of the permanent magnet, and the locking member will return to the open position. To close the clutch again, it is necessary to pass current through the electromagnetic coil in a direction that will generate a magnetic field which, when added to the magnetic field from the permanent magnet, creates a force sufficient to compress the spring such that the locking member moves to the second position and the engagement member is forced into abutment with the input pinion.
[0013] To open the clutch electrically, current is passed through the electromagnetic coil in the opposite direction. A repulsive force is then generated by the electromagnetic coil, which cancels or counteracts that of the permanent magnet, and the spring pushes the locking member back to the first position.
[0014] The clutch is advantageously used in a mechanism moving an aperture such as a tailgate, a trunk lid, a hatchback or a sliding door, for example. When the mechanism is in a normal automatic mode, the mechanism is driven by a motor, and motor torque is transmitted through the clutch. When the motor is stopped, for example in the event of a power failure or if the user wants the aperture to be held in an intermediate position, the electromagnetic coil can be deactivated. The permanent magnet will produce enough force in the clutch to hold the aperture in the position the aperture was in when the current was stopped. In this position, the aperture can be moved electrically or manually. If the aperture is moved manually, a sensor can be provided in the system, which informs a control system of a manual movement. As soon as the movement stops during a defined time, the control system can activate the electromagnetic coil again so that the locking member is returned to the second position and the clutch is closed. Therefore, in the case of battery failure, even in the middle of an automatic maneuver when the clutch is engaged, the manual maneuver will automatically declutch the system and permit a movement with no drag on the clutch.
[0015] Further advantages and characteristics of the invention ensue from the description below, and from the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 a ) is a left side view of a cross-section of a clutch in an open position according to the invention;
[0017] FIG. 1 b ) is a right side view of a cross-section of the clutch in a closed position according to the invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 a ) is a top left view of the clutch in the open position according to the invention; and
[0019] FIG. 2 b ) is a top right view of the clutch in the closed position according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] Referring now to FIGS. 1 a )- 1 b ) and 2 a )- 2 b ), a clutch 10 has an input pinion 11 connected to a drive mechanism (not shown), for example an electric motor, which causes the input pinion 11 to rotate. The clutch 10 also has an output pinion 12 that is connected to a moving mechanism (not shown) that moves a tailgate, for example. The output pinion 12 is rotatable about a central axis of rotation A and is arranged to be freely rotatable on a central shaft. The input pinion 11 is provided with notches 19 .
[0021] Associated with the output pinion 12 is a frustro-conical locking member 14 that has an inclined surface. The locking member 14 is also rotatable about the central axis of rotation A and is arranged rotatably on the central shaft to be capable of rotating synchronously with the output pinion 12 . The inclined surface of the locking member 14 tapers inwards towards the end of the locking member 14 furthest away from the output pinion 12 . A plurality of engagement members 13 is arranged between an inner surface of the input pinion 11 that has the notches 19 and a conical surface of the locking member 14 . In this example, the engagement members 13 are formed as balls. In order to accommodate the balls, the output pinion 12 has fork-like structures or holes so that the balls are entrained rotationally when the output pinion 12 is rotated.
[0022] The locking member 14 is displaceable on the central shaft in a direction that is axial with respect to the central axis of rotation A between a first position that is shown in FIG. 1 a ) and which is referred to as the open position, and a second position that is shown in FIG. 1 b ) and which is referred to as the closed position.
[0023] In the first position, the engagement members 13 are in contact with a portion of the inclined surface that has a small diameter. This portion acts like a recess that allows the engagement members 13 to occupy a position that is close to the central axis of rotation A and spaced from the inner surface of the input pinion 11 . In the second position, the engagement members 13 are in contact with a portion of the inclined surface that has a large diameter. This portion acts like a projection that urges the engagement members 13 radially outwards against the inner surface of the input pinion 11 .
[0024] A spring 16 is positioned underneath the locking member 14 to bias the locking member 14 into the first position. Further, an electromagnetic coil 15 is provided adjacent to the spring 16 , and a permanent magnet 17 is arranged underneath the spring 16 and the electromagnetic coil 15 . As the engagement members 13 and locking member 14 are made from a ferromagnetic material, the engagement members 13 are held spaced from the notches 19 of the output pinion 12 and in contact with the inclined surface when the locking member 14 is in the first position.
[0025] When the moving mechanism is idle, the clutch 10 is in the open position, as shown in FIGS. 1 a ) and 2 a ). The locking member 14 is biased by the spring 16 so that the locking member 14 is in a raised position. This causes the engagement members 13 abutting the locking member 14 to be in contact with a lower part of the locking member 14 towards an apex of the inclined surface. A magnetic loop passing through a housing, the engagement members 13 and the locking member 14 ensures that the engagement members 13 remain in contact with the lower part of the locking member 14 . It can be seen that a lower part of a surface of the locking member 14 provides a recess into which the engagement members 13 fit. Thus, when the locking member 14 is in the raised position, the engagement members 13 are held away from and out of contact with the input pinion 11 , and the input pinion 11 is free to rotate.
[0026] When it is required to operate the moving mechanism and close the clutch 10 , as shown in FIGS. 1 b ) and 2 b ), an electric current is applied to the electromagnetic coil 15 . The electromagnetic field produced by the electromagnetic coil 15 then acts on the locking member 14 , which slides downwards in a direction parallel to the central axis of rotation A of the clutch 10 , thereby compressing the spring 16 . As the locking member 14 moves downwards, the locking member 14 slides against the engagement members 13 , pushing them outwards. The locking member 14 thus forces the engagement members 13 towards the input pinion 11 , by virtue of the surface of the locking member 14 being inclined outwards towards a top of the locking member 14 so as to form a wedge. Thus, the surface of the locking member 14 changes from forming a recess to forming a projection. At a maximum compression of the spring 16 , the locking member 14 is at its lowest point with respect to the central axis of rotation A and maximum projection with respect to the engagement members 13 . At this point, the surface of the locking member 14 forces the engagement members 13 into contact with input pinion 11 and then into the notches 19 provided on a circumference of the input pinion 11 .
[0027] Thus, as the input pinion 11 rotates, the engagement members 13 are entrained into a rotational movement as they are engaged into the notches 19 . The rotation of the engagement members 13 is transmitted, as the engagement members 13 are accommodated in holes or fork-like configurations of the output pinion 12 , to the output pinion 12 as the locking member 14 prevents the engagement members 13 from escaping from the notches 19 of the input pinion 11 . Finally, the moving mechanism is driven.
[0028] The notches 19 provided in the input pinion 11 permit the clutch 10 to have a higher transmitting torque in a much smaller package. The torque transmitted from the input pinion 11 to the output pinion 12 is dependent on the magnetic field generated by the electromagnetic coil 15 ; i.e., the coil pull force, the angle of inclination of the surface of the locking member 14 and the diameter of the engagement members 13 .
[0029] The permanent magnet 17 is provided to reduce the required size of the electromagnetic coil 15 and to maintain the clutched position when power is off and forces applied to the clutch 10 are below a limit constituted by the torque plus the spring force tending to declutch. When the clutch 10 is closed, the force provided by the permanent magnet 17 pulls the locking member 14 with a force higher than the compression force of the spring 16 due to a small air gap 18 b (about 0.2 mm), which permits the magnetic field to pass through the locking member 14 . When the clutch 10 is open, the strength of the permanent magnet 17 is not sufficient to generate a force large enough to pull the locking member 14 downwards against the force of the spring 16 . However, the strength of the field from the permanent magnet 17 is sufficient to pass through the engagement members 13 to keep them away from the input pinion 11 .
[0030] If power to the electromagnetic coil 15 is cut, or if it is required to operate the moving mechanism manually, the moving mechanism connected to the output pinion 12 can be maneuvered manually. This places a certain torque on the output pinion 12 while the input pinion 11 is braked by motor and gear, for example. The tendency of the output pinion 12 to rotate biases the engagement members 13 out of the notches 19 , resulting in a force that acts on the inclined surface of the locking member 14 in a radial direction. As a result of the inclination of the inclined surface, the radially acting force provides an axial component, which can make the locking member 14 overcome the holding force of the permanent magnet 17 . This causes the locking member 14 to slide up to the raised position, the engagement members 13 to move away from the input pinion 11 , and the clutch 10 to open so that the moving mechanism is no longer connected to the drive mechanism. The clutch 10 can also be opened electrically by passing current through the electromagnetic coil 15 in the opposite direction that causes the clutch 10 to close. This cancels out, or counteracts, the force of the permanent magnet 17 , and the spring 16 can then push the locking member 14 to the raised position such that the engagement members 13 are brought out of contact with the input pinion 11 .
[0031] Although the present invention has been described hereinabove with reference to specific embodiments, it is not limited to these embodiments and no doubt alternatives will occur to the skilled person that lie within the scope of the invention as claimed.
|
A clutch comprises an input pinion and an output pinion associated with a rotatable locking member that has a surface inclined with respect to an axis of rotation of the locking member. The surface cooperates with an engagement member, and the locking member is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the surface forms a recess to receive the engagement member, and in the second position, the surface forms a projection to force the engagement member into abutment with the input pinion to establish a driveable connection between the input pinion and the output pinion.
| 4
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to measurement devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices for measuring the consumption of electricity by a load.
In my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,875,508; 3,875,509; among others. I disclose power consumption measurement techniques in which an analog signal representative of one of load current and voltage is pulse-width modulated by a signal representative of the other of load current and voltage. The resulting pulse-width-modulated signal is the product of instantaneous voltage and current. The product signal contains an oscillating component, which is filtered therefrom, and a desired average component which is integrated for application to succeeding circuits.
Concerns for reliability, low power consumption and low-cost manufacturing make desirable the use of integrated circuits to perform as many metering functions as possible. External devices required by the metering devices of my prior disclosures such as, for example, relays, resistors, capacitors and inductors, prevent substantially full integration thereof on a silicon integrated circuit. Current CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) technology is capable of providing switching and amplifying functions on a single silicon chip without the need for external components.
The integrating function employed to separate the average component from the oscillating component of the product signal conventionally requires resistors and capacitors of high accuracy. Available CMOS techniques are incapable of producing resistors and capacitors on the silicon chip having values well enough controlled to attain required measurement accuracies. For example, on-chip resistors exhibit poor temperature stability. As a consequence, a CMOS electronic metering device requires external resistors and/or capacitors. This increases manufacturing cost and reduces product reliability. Component tolerances of the external components may require final adjustment during manufacture to attain the desired measurement accuracy. In addition, the ability of such CMOS electronic metering devices with external components to maintain calibration accuracy throughout the wide temperature range to which conventional watthour meters are subjected, is degraded.
One type of integrating device, disclosed in the following papers, includes a switched-capacitor integrator especially adapted for realization in a metal-oxide semiconductor integrated circuit: "Potential of MOS Technologies for Analog Integrated Circuits"; david Hodges, Paul Gray and Robert Broderson; IEEE Journal Solid-State Circuits, June 1978, pages 285-294. "MOS Sampled Data Recursive Filters Using Switched Capacitor Integrators"; Bedrick Hostika, Paul Gray and Robert Broderson; IEEE Journal Solid-State Circuits, June 1987, pages 600-608. "Effect of Switch and Routing Related Parasitic Capacitances"; Modern Filter Design, pages 458-461, Prentice Hall.
The above papers disclose filters, integrators, and analog-to-digital converters, integrated on a single chip using a switched capacitor to replace the input resistor of an integrator. The time constant of the switched-capacitor integrator is equal to the ratio of the integrating capacitor divided by the clock frequency. Since a given ratio of two capacitors formed on the same silicon chip is easy to attain, and since the temperature coefficients of such capacitors tend to track each other very closely, many of the drawbacks of the prior-art integrators are overcome.
A further problem in prior-art electronic watthour metering devices is caused by offset voltages in amplifiers and threshold devices used therein. In my referenced patents and patent application, I disclose a technique for integrating alternately upward and downward between positive and negative threshold voltages. Any existing offset voltage adds to the signal during one direction of integration and subtracts therefrom during integration in the other direction. This cancels the effect of the offset voltage.
The following papers disclose techniques for periodically storing an image of the offset voltage and for applying the image to cancel the effect thereof: "Offset-Compensated Switched-Capacitor Leapfrog Filters"; S. Eriksson, K. Chen; Electronic Letters, pages 731-733; August, 1984. "Techniques for Offset Voltage Cancellation in MOS Operational Amplifiers"; S. Wong, C. Salama; Electronic Letters, pages 389-390; April, 1985.
None of the foregoing references addresses the problem of an integrated electronic watthour metering device.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an electronic watthour metering device which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an electronic watthour metering device on a single chip without requiring external circuits for controlling an integrating time constant.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an electronic watthour metering device in which the measurement accuracy is related to a capacitance ratio of two on-chip capacitors, the magnitude of a reference voltage and the accuracy of a clock signal.
Briefly stated, the present invention provides a switched-capacitor integrator in an electronic watthour measurement device which integrates the average component of a product signal formed by pulse-width modulating an analog signal proportional to one of a load current and voltage at a pulse duty ratio proportional to the other of the load current and voltage. A hysteresis comparator forces the direction of integration to alternate between positive and negative limits for balancing out offset voltages in the integrator and comparator. A triangular-wave generator employed as part of the pulse-width-modulation technique is also implemented using a switched-capacitor integrator. The switched-capacitor integrators permit fabrication of the circuit with the required accuracy without needing external, discrete time-contstant-determining resistances and capacitances. Measurement accuracy is determined by the ratio of capacitances of two on-chip capacitors, the accuracy to a clock signal and to two reference voltages. These parameters are closely controllable on a single MOS or CMOS chip using normal process control whereby the entire electronic watthour measurement device may be realized on a single chip without requiring off-chip components.
According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided an electronic watthour metering apparatus comprising: means for producing a product signal responsive to an analog voltage related to one of a load voltage and a current pulse-width modulated in relation to the other of the load voltage and current, means for integrating the product signal, a hysteresis comparator responsive to an integrated output of the means for integrating and effective for changing its output between first and second different voltages upon the integrated output attaining third and fourth different values, the means for producing a product signal including means responsive to the first voltage for driving the means for integrating in a first direction and responsive to the second voltage for driving the means for integrating in a second direction whereby an offset voltage is cancelled, and the means for integrating including a switched-capacitor integrator.
According to a feature of the invention, there is provided an electronic watthour metering apparatus comprising: first, second and third processors, the first, second and third processors each including means for producing a product signal responsive to an analog voltage related to one of a load voltage and a current pulse-width of a phase of a three-phase power modulated in relation to the other of the load voltage and current, the first, second and third processors including means for integrating the product signal, a hysteresis comparator responsive to an integrated output of the means for integrating from each of the first, second and third processors and effective for changing its output between first and second different voltages upon the integrated output attaining third and fourth different values, the means for producing a product signal in the first, second and third processors including means responsive to the first voltage for driving the means for integrating in a first direction and responsive to the second voltage for driving the means for integrating in a second direction whereby an offset voltage is cancelled, and the means for integrating including a switch-capacitor integrator.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of an electronic watthour measurement device to which reference will be made in describing both the prior art and the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an integrator circuit according to the prior art.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a switched-capacitor integrator to which reference will be made in describing the operation thereof.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are waveforms employed to control the switching of the switched-capacitor integrator of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a switched-capacitor integrator suitable for use in an electornic watthour metering device.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a CMOS chip integrated circuit for an electronic watthour meter according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a clock for use in the electronic watthour meter of FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a triangular wave generator of FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 is a simplified block diagram of an electronic watthour meter employing a crystal-controlled clock.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a three-phase electronic watthour meter adapted for integration on a single chip.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a switched-capacitor integrator providing for nearly continuous charging of its integrator.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a further embodiment of a switched-capacitor integrator providing nearly continuous charging of its integrator.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown, generally at 10, an electronic watthour metering circuit of a type disclosed in my referenced prior patents and applications. A multiplier 12 pulse-width modulates a current analog signal voltage vy at a duty ratio determined by a potential analog signal voltage vx to produce a product signal vz containing an oscillating component and an average component. Equivalently, the current and potential signal voltages vy and vx may be interchanged without affecting the operation of multiplier 12. An integrator 14 integrates between substantially equal reference levels +VR and -VR, first in one direction, and then reversing to integrate in the other direction.
The output of integrator 14 is applied to an input of a hysteresis comparator 16 whose second input receives one of reference voltages +VR and -VR under control of a switch 18. The output of hysteresis comparator 16 is a pulse signal alternating between two predetermined discrete levels which are preferably substantially equal to the two reference voltages fed to its input. Each cycle of the output signal, indicating the consumption of a predetermined quantum of electricity such as, for example, one watthour, is fed on an output line 20 to a conventional register or other using device (not shown). The output signal is also fed back on a line 22 to control the position of switch 18 and a switch 24 in multiplier 12. Thus, when the output of integrator 14 attains a value equal to one of the reference voltages fed to hysteresis comparator 16, the output of hysteresis comparator 16 forces switch 18 to apply the other reference voltage to the input of hysteresis comparator 16. In addition, the operation of switch 24 reverses the direction of integration in integrator 14.
The potential analog signal vx is applied directly to one terminal of switch 24 and, through an inverter 26, to the other terminal of switch 24. Switch 24 applies the non-inverted or the inverted potential analog signal vx or -vx to an input of a threshold circuit 28. The other input of threshold circuit 28 receives a triangular-wave signal from a triangular wave generator 30. The output of threshold circuit 28 controls a multiplier switch 32 at a duty ratio which depends on the amplitude of the potential analog signal vx. The current analog signal vy is applied directly to one terminal of multiplier switch 32 and through an inverter 34 to the other input of multiplier switch 32. As fully detailed in my reference patents and patent application, during one condition of switch 24, the product signal vz from multiplier switch 32 forces integrator 14 to integrate in one direction, and, during its other condition, forces integrator 14 to integrate in the opposite direction. The integration rate, and the consequent frequency of the output signal on output line 20, depends upon the amplitudes of the potential and current analog signals vx and vy. Although represented as mechanical switches, switches 16, 24 and 32 are preferably electronic devices formed during the production of the integrated circuit of electronic watthour metering circuit 10, as will be explained.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a prior-art embodiment of integrator 14 is shown in which an input resistor 36 applies a current proportional to the product pulse-width-modulated signal vz to an input of an operational amplifier 38. A second input of operational amplifier 38 is grounded. An integrating capacitor 40 is connected from the output of operational amplifier 38 back to its input. As is well known, the high gain of operational amplifier 38 drives its output voltage to a value which, when fed back to its input through integrating capacitor 40, maintains its input at virtual ground.
The measurement accuracy of integrator 14 is related to the tolerances of input resistor 36 and integrating capacitor 40 as well as the reference voltages +VR and -VR (FIG. 1). It is possible to control the reference voltages with an on-chip voltage regulator. Thus, the critical components for measurement accuracy are input resistor 36 and integrating capacitor 40. Inaccuracies on the order of 20 percent are likely for these components formed on a silicon CMOS chip. Such inaccuracies are unacceptable in watthour metering where accuracies on the order of 0.1 percent are desired. Even when input resistor 36 and integrating capacitor 40 are implemented in precision external components, accuracies as good 0.2 percent are extremely difficult and expensive to attain. Even if the desired accuracy is attained at one temperature, temperature-related component drift in external components is unlikely to track those of on-chip components. As a consequence, its measurement accuracy tends to degrade over at least parts of the operating temperature range. Thus, a prior-art integrator 14 fails to offer a convenient, accurate, and economical approach to integration of an electronic watthour meter.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a switched-capacitor integrator 42 is shown in which the function of input resistor 36 in prior-art integrator 14 is replaced by an input capacitor C1 and a pair of alternately operated switches 46 and 47 controlling the application of a current proportional to product voltage vz to an input of an operational amplifier 48. An integrating capacitor C2 is connected from the output of operational amplifier 48 to its input.
In operation, switches 46 and 47 are alternately controlled by non-overlapping control signals such as, for example, shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Initially, switch 47 is open and switch 46 is closed. Input capacitor C1 stores a quantity of charge Q as follows:
Q=C1 vz
Switch 46 is then opened and switch 47 is closed. The charge Q is injected into the input of operational amplifier 48. The output voltage of operational amplifier 48 rises to a value which, applied through integrating capacitor C2, maintains its input at virtual ground.
If switches 46 and 47 are operated at a switching frequency Fc1, each cycle of operation stores and transfers a charge Q and the resulting current iz is:
iz=(C1 vz)/Fc1
Since the input of operational amplifer 48 must remain at virtual ground, the current ifb through integrating capacitor C2 must also be equal to iz. The equivalent time constant of switched-capacitor integrator 42 is:
TC=(1/Fc1) (C2/C1)
It is important to note that the time constant TC is controlled by the ratio of capacitances and the switching frequency Fc1. Such capacitor ratio can be achieved to a fraction of one percent, although the absolute values of the capacitances may depart significantly from target values. I have discovered means for controlling the switching frequency to a small fraction of one percent, corresponding to the capacitance ratio. Although represented as mechanical switches, switches 46 and 47 are, in fact, solid-state switches formed in the same process creating the remainder of switched-capacitor integrator 42.
The embodiment of switched-capacitor integrator 42 in FIG. 3 is subject to inaccuracies due to the influence of noise. This problem is cured in a switched-capacitor integrator 49 illustrated in FIG. 5, to which reference is now made. A first switch 50A connects the product voltage vz to one terminal of input capacitor C1. A second switch 50B connects the second terminal of input capacitor C1 to the input of operational amplifer 48. Switches 52A and 52B connect the terminals of input capacitor C1 to ground.
In operation, switches 50A and 50B are simultaneously operated by the phase-1 signal of FIG. 4A and switches 52A and 52B are simultaneously operated by the phase-2 signal of FIG. 4B. Beginning with switches 52A and 52B closed, input capacitor C1 is fully discharged. Switches 52A and 52B are then opened, and a short time later switches 50A and 50B are closed. During the closed period of switches 50A and 50B, the charge Q=C1 vz enters input capacitor C1 through switch 50A and a corresponding charge -Q enters input capacitor C1 through switch 50B. Thus, the circuit of FIG. 5 is the functional equivalent of the circuit of FIG. 3. However, whenever input capacitor C1 is connected to the input of operational amplifier 48, it is also connected to the source of product signal vz which is, in turn, returned to ground. Thus switched-capacitor integrator 49 is rendered immune from noise.
Referring now to FIG. 6, a single integrated CMOS chip 54 is shown outlined in dashed line containing all of the elements required to realize an electronic watthour metering circuit functionally corresponding to that shown in FIG. 1.
The single-pole double-throw switches 18, 24 and 32 of FIG. 1 are implemented in CMOS chip 54 of FIG. 6 using on-chip pairs of complementary solid-state switches having corresponding numbers with suffixes A and B. Complementary drive signals for the switches are produced by inverters. For example, switch 18B is directly driven by the signal on line 22, whereas switch 18B is driven by a complementary signal on a line 22' from an inverter 58. The signals on lines 22 and 22' are also applied to actuate switches 24A and 24B, respectively. The pulse-width-modulated signal from threshold circuit 28 is applied directly to multiplier switch 32B and is inverted in an inverter 60 before being applied to multiplier switch 32A.
As previously noted, the accuracy of switched-capacitor integrator 49 is determined by the capacitance ratio of capacitors C1 and C2, the switching frequency Fc1, and the regulation of the two reference voltages +VR and -VR. The ratio of capacitances is readily controlled to small tolerances and the temperature coefficients thereof tend to track each other. A conventional on-chip regulated DC reference power supply 62 is capable of voltage regulation on the order of a small fraction of one percent. Since regulated DC reference power supply 62 is conventional, it will not be further detailed.
CMOS chip 54 does not require external components and does not suffer a substantial degradation in accuracy resulting from a change in absolute value of components which control the integration time constants. Every circuit in CMOS chip 54 is implemented on the chip. The final accuracy-determining component, a clock 64, is described below.
Referring now to FIG. 7, clock 64 includes an oscillator 66 in a phase-locked loop whose other components include a divide-by-M counter 68 and a phase control ciruit 70. The potential analog signal vx is applied to phase control circuits 70. Oscillator 66 operates at a frequency M times the line frequency represented by the potential analog signal vx. Divide-by-M counter 68 divides the clock signal Fc1 by a factor M, whereby the divided signal has a frequency equal to the line frequency. Phase control circuit 70 compares the phases of the two signals it receives and applies a control signal to oscillator 66 effective to lock the frequency of the clock signal Fc1 to the desired multiple of the line frequency. Thus, the frequency accuracy of the clock signal Fc1 is equal to the frequency accuracy of the line frequency. Line-frequency accuracies on the order of a small fraction of one percent are encountered in typical power systems. The phase 1 and phase 2 output clock signals Fc1 from oscillator 66, have the non-overlapping time relationships shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.
The frequency of clock signal Fc1 is preferably high with respect to the line frequency. In the preferred embodiment a multiplier M of about 1000 is employed in divide-by-M counter 68 to yield a clock signal frequency of about 60 KHz.
Referring again to FIG. 6, triangular wave generator 30 produces a triangular wave varying linearly between equal positive and negative magnitudes. The frequency of the triangular wave is not critical, but in the preferred embodiment a frequency of about 6 KHz is employed. Since its frequency is not critical, any convenient technique may be employed for its implementation. However, a switched-capacitor technique is employed in the preferred embodiment for the same reasons that switched-capacitor techniques are desirable in switched-capacitor integrator 49.
Referring now to FIG. 8, triangular wave generator 30 includes a free running oscillator feeding non-overlapping control signals to switches in a switched-capacitor integrator 74 whose structure and function is identical to switched-capacitor integrator 49 in FIGS. 5 and 6. Additional description of switched-capacitor integrator 74 is therefore omitted. A hysteresis comparator 76, an inverter 78 and a pair of switched 80A and 80B, controlled by the direct and inverted output of hysteresis comparator 76, reverse the direction of integration each time the output of switched-capacitor integrator 74 reaches the predetermined positive and negative reference voltages +VR and -VR. The capacitance ratio of capacitors C3 and C4 in switched-capacitor integrator 74, and the switching frequency produced by free running oscillator are preferably selected in relation to the values of reference voltages +VR and -VR to produce a triangular wave from triangular wave generator 30 having a frequency of about 6 KHz. The triangular-wave frequency is not critical and does not affect the accuracy of the device, provided that it contains many triangular-wave cycles per cycle of the line frequency.
Referring again to FIG. 6, it is apparent that each of the parameters governing the accuracy of switched-capacitor integrator 49 and the pulse output frequency of hysteresis comparator 16 is controllable to small values using conventional processing to produce CMOS chip 54. Careful process control during the manufacture of CMOS chip 54 may make it possible to attain the desired accuracy without requiring. adjustment.
The frequency-control technique in the foregoing embodiment employing the line frequency for controlling the switching frequency of switched-capacitor integrator 49 is elegant in its simplicity and accomplishes all functions without requiring off-chip components. Certain applications such as, for example, those involving unsatisfactory regulation of the line frequency, may make desirable the alternate approach illustrated in FIG. 9.
A CMOS chip 82 includes a clock 84 which, instead of being phase-locked to the line frequency, obtains its frequency control from an external crystal 86. Crystal 86 controls the frequency of an oscillator 88 whose frequency is divided in a divider logic circuit 90 to derive the desired switching signals for application to switched-capacitor integrator 49.
Divider logic circuit 90 may optionally contain additional divider circuits for producing a timing signal applied on a line 92 to multiplier 12 wherein it may replace phase control circuit 70 (FIG. 8) of triangular wave generator 30.
In addition to the cancellation of offset voltage attained by alternate up and down integration as employed in the foregoing disclosure, additional offset voltge cancellation may be obtained by storing samples of the offset voltage, and employing the stored samples to cancel any effect of offset voltage during operation. For example, such a technique, disclosed in the referenced Eriksson and Chen paper, may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Referring now to FIG. 10, a three-phase electronic watthour metering circuit, shown generally at 94, measures the power consumption in a three-phase system using a phase A processor 96 for measuring the power consumption in phase A, a phase B processor 98 for measuring the power consumption in phase B, and a phase C processor 100 for measuring the power consumption in phase C. It will be noted that phase A, B and C processors 96, 98 and 100 are identical to the single processor on CMOS chip 54 of FIG. 6 except that the functions of triangular wave generator 30 and hysteresis comparator 16 with its associated switches 18A and 18B and inverter 58 are shared by the three processors. This reduces the real estate required for implementing the combined circuit.
Since three-phase electronic watthour metering circuit 94 comprises three processors which function identically to CMOS chip 54 in FIG. 6, further description thereof appears to be redundant and is therefore omitted.
One skilled in the art would recognize that a single clock 64 could be shared by the three processors. It is considered useful to include separate circuits for clock 64 in each of the processors to ensure that failure of a phase providing the reference for clock 64 does not destroy the measurement capability of the system.
A three-phase embodiment of an electronic watthour metering circuit may be used employing a crystal-controlled clock corresponding to the single-phase version in FIG. 9. Such a device is considered to be fully disclosed by the combination of FIGS. 9 and 10 and need not be further illustrated or described to enable one skilled in the art to make and use this embodiment.
The foregoing embodiments of the invention provide integration of a product signal for slightly less than 50 percent of the time with intervening periods during which no integration takes place. In some applications, the charge in integrating capacitor may at least partly dissipate during the non-charging time. The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 11 overcomes this problem.
Regerring now to FIG. 11, a switched-capacitor integrator 42' is shown which is very similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 except for the addition of an additional pair of switches 46' and 47' which are driven by switching signals of opposite phasing to their counterparts 46 and 47. Except during the small non-overlap time of the switching signals in FIGS. 4A and 4B during which all switches are open, integrating capacitor receives charge at all times.
The embodiment of the invention in FIG. 11, like its counterpart in FIG. 3 is noise sensitive.
Referring now to FIG. 12, an embodiment of the invention is shown which is similar to that of FIG. 5 except for the addition of two additional pairs of switches 50A', 50B', 52A', and 52B' and a second switched capacitor C1' all in parallel with their unprimed counterparts. The primed and unprimed counterpart switches ar driven by oppositely-phased switching signals whereby constant charging of integrating capacitor C2 is obtained except for the relatively short non-overlap times of the switching signals in FIGS. 4A and 4B.
The embodiment of the invention in FIG. 12 is noise insensitive.
Having described preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
|
A switched-capacitor integrator is employed in an electronic watthour measurement device for integrating the average component of a product signal formed by pulse-width modulating an analog signal proportional to one of a load current and voltage at a pulse duty ratio proportional to the other of the load current and voltage. A hysteresis comparator forces the direction of integration to alternate between positive and negative limits for balancing out offset voltages in the integrator and comparator. A triangular-wave generator employed as part of the pulse-width-modulation technique is also implemented using a switched-capacitor integrator. The switched-capacitor integrators permit fabrication of the circuit with the required accuracy without needing external, discrete time-constant-determining resistances and capacitances. Measurement accuracy is determined by the ratio of capacitances of two on-chip capacitors, the accuracy to a clock signal and two reference voltages. These parameters are closely controllable on a single MOS or CMOS chip using normal process control whereby the entire electronic watthour measurement device may be realized on a single chip without requiring off-chip components.
| 6
|
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for treating a weft yarn after stoppage of a shuttleless loom, especially an air jet loom or a water jet loom. The present invention also relates to a device for effecting the method.
PRIOR ART
In order to speed up a weaving operation, air jet looms and water jet looms are utilized wherein measured weft yarns are picked into open sheds formed between upper and lower warp yarns by means of jet nozzles. In such a high speed weaving loom, stoppage of the weaving loom causes a remarkable loss of production efficiency compared to that in a conventional weaving loom, since the weaving speed is high. Accordingly, it is preferable when a jet loom is utilized that the time duration wherein the weaving loom is stopped is as short as possible.
In a jet loom, a weft yarn is inserted into an open shed by means of fluid, such as air or water, and not by means of a shuttle which has been common in a conventional weaving loom. Accordingly picking faults may occur more easily than in a conventional weaving loom utilizing a shuttle. More specifically, in a jet loom, picking faults, such as a so called weft yarn supply fault wherein a weft yarn cannot be supplied form a jet nozzle or a so called transmission fault wherein a weft yarn cannot reach the selvage located opposite a jet nozzle while it is supplied from the jet nozzle, may occur easily.
Further, it should be noted that the operating timing of a jet loom which operates at a high speed is selected in such a manner that, even if its driving system is switched off just after a picking fault is detected, the loom does not stop until after about one cycle operation, due to inertia force, from the detection of the picking fault in order to avoid damage of parts of the loom by excessive deceleration. As a result, in a conventional jet loom, when the loom is switched off upon detection of a picking fault, the succeeding picking cycle takes place before stoppage of the loom. Therefore, it is necessary to remove not only the weft yarn which caused the picking fault but also the weft yarn was picked in the succeeding cycle, by returning the loom in a reverse direction. In this case, since the weft yarn which was picked in the cycle just after the picking fault has been subjected to a beating operation as is a usual weft yarn, and it is securely held by the cloth, its removal is not easy and the removing operation is very troublesome.
In addition, when a warp yarn (including a yarn for selvage) is cut or when an operating switch of a loom is manually turned off, the loom stops after about one cycle operation due to inertia force, for a reason similar to that described above. If due to inertia force the weft yarn which has been picked during the operation is required to be removed in order to prevent barr/e/ , the removal is not easy for a reason similar to that described above.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a method by which a faultily picked weft yarn, upon the stoppage of a shuttleless loom, can be readily and automatically removed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device suitable for effecting such a method.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a method for treating a weft yarn upon stoppage of a shuttleless loom is provided. The method comprises:
the step of stopping a shuttleless loom upon receipt of a stop signal;
the step of bringing the warp yarns to an open shed condition between the time of switching off said shuttleless loom and the time or restarting said shuttleless loom, so that the weft yarn which has been picked just before the stoppage of said shuttleless loom is released from is crossed condition by said warp yarns;
the step of automatically inserting a pushing out device into a clearance between said weft yarn and the preceding weft yarn to separate said weft yarn from the cloth; and
the step of removing said separated weft yarn.
According to the method of the present invention, the weft yarn which has been picked during the cycle after the occurrence of a picking fault, i.e., the cycle just before the stoppage of the loom, is removed first. Then, the weft yarn which was picked during the cycle before the above-described cycle and which caused the picking fault is removed according to the method of the present invention. As a result, the treatment of a weft yarn after stoppage of a shuttleless loom can be completely and substantially automatically performed.
The applicant of the present invention previously proposed a method for treating a faulty yarn (i.e., a faultily picked weft yarn, a broken warp yarn, etc.), by which in a jet loom which has been stopped due to the faultily picking of the weft yarn, breakage of the warp yarn can readily be repaired. The proposed method is applicable to a jet loom wherein a measured weft yarn is picked into an open shed formed between upper and lower warp yarns by means of one or more jet nozzles. The method comprises braking the loom upon detection of an emergency stop signal while the picking is prevented from occurring before the stoppage of the loom, and thereafter, returning the jet loom to a condition wherein the faultily picked weft yarn which caused the emergency stop signal can be readily treated while the supply of a weft yarn is prevented.
When the method of the present invention is required to be performed together with the previously proposed method, only the weft yarn which has been faultily picked is automatically separated from the cloth, since the picking of the weft yarn after the occurrence of the picking fault is prevented, and thus, the faultily picked weft yarn can be easily removed so as to re-start the loom.
Furthermore, the applicant of the present invention previously proposed a method for easily removing a faultily picked weft yarn in a jet loom. The method comprises temporarily deenergizing the weft cutter disposed at a side of the jet nozzle upon the detection of the faulty weft picking by means of a weft detecting device, stopping the operation of the loom while the weft yarn continues to extend from the jet nozzle, and removing the faultily picked weft yarn together with weft yarn which has not been cut.
When the present invention is performed together with this method for removing a faultily picked weft yarn, the faultily picked weft yarn is completely or substantially automatically separated from the cloth according to the present invention, and then, the faultily picked weft yarn is removed together with the weft yarn which has not been cut. As a result, the faultily picked weft yarn can completely be and substantially automatically removed.
It should be noted that the above-described previously proposed two methods may be performed together with the method of the present invention.
When the present invention is applied to a weaving operation wherein cloth with close textile weave, such as corduroy, is woven, sometimes there is a problem that the weft yarn cannot be separated if the pushing out device is operated only once.
In order to obviate such a problem, the present invention may be carried out in such a way that at least a some of the steps wherein said pushing out device is moved are repeated several times.
When the textile weave is close, and it is difficult for the pushing out device to be inserted into the clearance provided only by opening the warp yarns to permit springing out of the latest picked weft yarn having the above-described step, wherein the pushing out device is slid along the cloth from the cloth toward the cloth fell and is inserted into the clearance, is repeated several times. Because of the repetition of the step, the weft yarn is mechanically pushed, and the insertion of the pushing out device becomes possible. Furthermore, due to the repetition of the step, the holding force of the warp yarns is lessen, and therefore, the succeeding removal step can be smoothly performed.
Contrary to this, when the weft yarn is firmly held by thw warp yarns and it is difficult for the weft yarn to be separated therefrom, the step, wherein the pushing out device is moved apart from the cloth, is repeated several times. The repetition of the step vibrates the holding portions where the warp yarns are held by the weft yarns, and as a result, the holding force is lessened, and the removal of the weft yarn can be easily done.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a driving system of an air jet loom according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 3a and 3b are side views for explaining the principle of the present invention;
FIGS. 4a, 4b and 4c are side views of an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 6a and 6b are side views of a weft yarn cutter disposed on the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIGS. 7a, 7b and 7c are side views for explaining the principle of the present invention;
FIGS. 8a and 8b are side views of still another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a side view of a further embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 10a, 10b and 10c are side views of another embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 11a and 11b are an elevation view and a cross sectional side view of a still further embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 12a and 12b are cross sectional side views of a further embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 13a through 13c illustrate another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 13a being a plan view, FIG. 13b an elevation view, and FIG. 13c cross sectional side view;
FIGS. 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d are side views explaining the principle of the present invention;
FIG. 15a and 15b are an elevation view and a cross sectional side view of a still further embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 16 is a schematic plan view of another embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 17a and 17b are a plan view and a side view, respectively, of a still another embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 18 is a plan view of a still further embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, the fact is taken into consideration that a clearance is formed between the last picked weft yarn, and the cloth because of a slight movement of the weft yarn even after the beating operation, whereupon the weft yarn is made free by bringing the warps into an open shed condition.
More specifically, according to the present invention, the warps of the loom are brought into an open shed condition, and as illustrated in FIG. 3a, the front end 53a of the pushing out device 53 is brought into slight contact with the surface of the cloth and is displaced along the cloth towards the cloth fell for a distance between that equal to one or two weft yarns and some centimeters. Since the upper and lower warps 21a and 21b are open so as to bring the weft yarn 44b which was picked latest into a free condition, a clearance is formed between the weft yarn 44b and the weft yarn 44a which is woven in the cloth. Accordingly, the front end 53a of the pushing out device 53, which has been in contact with and has been displaced along the surface of the cloth, can enter into the small clearance formed between the cloth and the weft yarn 44b (see FIG. 3b) due to the pressing down force. As the pushing out device 53 is further displaced in such a direction that it departs from the cloth, the weft yarn 44b is separated from the cloth. Accordingly, the weft yarn can be removed by means of an appropriate taken up means or by means of manual operation.
It is preferable that the front end of the pushing out device 53 be slid along the surface of the cloth for a distance between that equal to one or two weft yarns and some centimeters. Due to its construction, the front end of the pushing out device 53 can surely be inserted into the small clearance between the cloth and the weft yarn 44b which has been picked latest so that it is assured that the weft yarn 44b which has been picked latest can be pushed out, even when the position of the cloth fell is varied in the moving direction of the pushing out device due to the change of the textile weave or when the position of the cloth fell is slightly varied along the width of the same cloth. Accordingly, when the above-described variations are small, the distance over which the pushing out device slides can be very small.
The apparatus for performing the above-described method will now be explained referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating the driving system of an air jet loom of the present invention. Similar to a conventional loom, driving power is transmitted to a crankshaft 15 from a driving motor 11 through a transmission means, such as a V belt 13. The crankshaft 15 drives a yarn beam 19 through a speed change gear 17 so as to let off warp yarns 21, and frictionally drives a winding roller 32 by means of a surface roller 31 so as to take up cloth 33. The speed reduction ratio of said speed change gear 17 is adjusted in accordance with the displacement of a tension roller 23, so that the tension in the warps let off through a back roller 22 is adjusted to a predetermined value. The crankshaft 15 lifts and lowers heald frames 24, so as to give the warp yarns 21 a predetermined shedding motion. A rocking shaft 29 supports a slay 27 via a slay sword 28, and the slay 27 is provided with reeds 25 and filling guide 26. The crankshaft 15 moves the reeds 25 and the filling guides 26 between the position illustrated by a solid line and the position illustrated by a broken line via the rocking shaft 29, and as a result, the reeds 25 beat up the picked weft yarn. The above-described construction is similar to that of a conventional air jet loom.
The weft picking mechanism will now be explained with reference to FIG. 2. A weft yarn 44 is withdrawn from a cheese 41 through a tenser 42 by means of a feed roller 43, and then it is stored in a pool pipe 46 by means of an air nozzle 45. A measuring drum 50 rotates in synchronism with the crankshaft 15 (FIG. 1) and frictionally drives the feed roller 43, so that a predetermined length of weft yarn 44 is measured by means of the feed roller 43 in accordance with the rotation of the crankshaft 15 (FIG. 1) and is fed to the air nozzle 45. The pool pipe 46 has an axially extending slit 47 formed at one side thereof, so that the the weft yarn accumulated in the pool pipe 46 can be readily taken out through the slit 47. A measuring and accumulating mechanism, such as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 57-16946 or No. 56-58028, wherein a weft yarn is wound around a measuring drum and the withdrawal of the weft yarn from the measuring drum is controlled, may be utilized in place of the above-described measuring and accumulating mechanism comprising a feed roller and a pool pipe.
A gripper 48 is disposed at a position between the pool pipe 46 and a main air jet nozzle 49, so that the supply of weft yarn from the pool pipe 46 to the main air jet nozzle 49 is controlled. The main air jet nozzle 49 ejects compressed air in synchronism with the rotation of the crankshaft 15 (FIG. 1) and picks the weft yarn 44 into the open shed formed by the upper and lower warps, and then, the reeds 25 beat up.
Detectors 51 and 52 of an adequate type, such as a mechanical type or fluid type, are disposed at a position adjacent to the selvage opposite the main air jet nozzle and detect whether or not the weft yarn 44 is surely supplied from the main air jet nozzle 49, in accordance with a conventionally known method, for example, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-21475.
A suction nozzle 61 of a conventionally known type is disposed at a position between the main air jet nozzle 49 and the selvage and creates suction force by means of compressed air. The suction nozzle 61 has a suitable reciprocating member 62, such as a pneumatic cylinder or an electromagnetic solenoid, connected thereto. As the reciprocating member 62 operates, the front end of the suction nozzle 61 can move between a position remote from the passage of the weft yarn ejected from the main air jet nozzle 49 and a position adjacent to the weft yarn passage.
The suction nozzle 61 has a guide plate 63 mounted at the front end thereof in such a manner that when the suction nozzle 61 moves backwardly, the guide plate 63 is out of the weft yarn passage and when the suction nozzle 61 moves forwardly, the guide plate 63 crosses the weft yarn passage.
The suction nozzle 61 has a bellows type flexible coupling 66 connected at the rear end thereof to ensure smooth movement of the suction nozzle 61. Please note that the suction nozzle 61 and the guide plate 63 integrally fixed thereto are not limited to those movable along the length of the weaving loom and may be of other types, for example, those swingable in a vertical direction.
Reference numeral 65 denotes a valve which controls the ejection of air flow into the suction nozzle 61. An auxiliary gripper 72 is disposed at a position between the main air jet nozzle 49 and the gripper 48 and is operated by means of an electromagnetic solenoid 71 or an pneumatic cylinder (not shown). Reference numeral 73 denotes a feeler of a photo-electric type or fluid type.
The feed roller 43 is rotatably supported at the front end of an arm 83 which is supported swingably about a pin 81. A spring 83 is connected to an end of the arm 83 opposite to the side where the feed roller 43 is supported, so that the arm is normally urged against the front end of a piston of the pneumatic cylinder 86 or an armature of the electromagnetic solenoid. Accordingly, the feed roller can be either in a position where it is urged against the measuring drum 50 so as to be frictionally driven or in a position where it is separated from the measuring drum 50 so as not to be frictionally driven by means of the operation of the spring 85 and the pneumatic cylinder 86. Reference numeral 87 denotes a brake shoe which engages with the feed roller 43 when the latter is separated from the measuring drum 50.
The machine frame has a weft yarn cutter mounted thereon as illustrated in FIGS. 6a and 6b. In the weft yarn cutter, a cam 102 is fixed to a shaft 101 which rotates in synchronism with the rotation of the crankshaft 15 (FIG. 1). A lever 105 is swingable about a shaft 104, and a cam follower 103 supported by the lever 105 is urged to the cam 102 by means of a spring 106. The lever is swung by means of the cam 102, and accordingly, a movable blade 109 is swung about a pin 116. Due to the above-described construction, during the normal operation, a weft yarn is cut by means of a fixed blade 108 and the movable blade 109 as illustrated in FIG. 6a, while it is held in a holding recess 112 of a guide 11. Contrary to this, when a stop signal is emitted, the armature of the electromagnetic solenoid 113 moves backwardly, and a cutting preventing member 110, which is connected to the armature by means of a pin 114, is swung clockwise about the pin 114 (see FIG. 6b). The cutting preventing member 110 and a preventing guide 115 which is formed in an L shape are aligned with each other, and as a result, the weft yarn is not held in the recess 112, and it is not cut between the movable blade 109 and the fixed blade 108.
The construction of the pushing out device will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 4a through 4c. Both ends of a beam member 76 having a length longer than the cloth width are supported by a pair of vertical rods 74, and the beam member 76 is disposed at a position above or below the cloth. The beam member 76 has one arm member 54 located at a position corresponding to the center of the cloth width or a plurality of arm members 54 located at positions spaced along the cloth width, in accordance with the cloth width, textile weave, material of the yarns, and the stroke of the arm member or members in a lengthwise direction of the weaving loom. The arm member 54 has a pushing out device 53 swingably connected to the front end thereof by means of a pin 55. When the front end of a bolt 78, which is screwed to a bracket 77 integrally extending from the arm member 54 located near the selvage, engages with a boss 74a formed on the vertical rod 74, the arm member 54 moves integrally with the vertical rod 74. A spring 79 urges the front end of the bolt 78 towards the boss 74a. When the bolt 78 is apart from the boss 74a, an adequate pressing force is exerted on the arm member 54 by means of the spring 79. A bolt 57 is screwed to a bracket 56 which is integrally formed on each arm member 54 so that the front portion of the bolt 57 presses the back surface of the pushing out device 53 which is formed in an L shape. A spring 58 urges the pushing out device 53 to the bolt 57.
When the the distance between the arm member 54 located near the selvage and the vertical rod 74 is large, an auxiliary arm member (not shown) having a shape similar to that of the arm member 54 may be secured to the beam member 76 located near the vertical rod, a bracket 77 may be extended from the auxiliary arm member, and a spring 79 may be disposed between the auxiliary arm member and the vertical rod.
The vertical rod 74 is supported swingably about a supporting shaft 75, and the lower end of the vertical rod 74 is connected to a piston rod 68 of a fluid pressure cylinder 67, such as a pneumatic cylinder, by means of a pin 69. The fluid pressure cylinder 67 is supported by the machine frame by means of a pin 64. The fluid pressure cylinder may be disposed at each side of the machine frame of the weaving loom or at one side as illustrated in FIG. 2.
The method for treating a weft yarn, after a stoppage, of the present invention will now be explained.
As the heald frames 24 are subjected to a shedding operation, weft yarns 44 are picked into the open shed formed between the upper and lower warp yarns. More specifically, in FIG. 2, the weft yarn 44 is withdrawn from the cheese 41 through the tenser 42 and is measured by means of the feed roller 43 which rotates in synchronism with the rotation of the crankshaft 15 (FIG. 1), and thereafter, it is accumulated in the pool pipe 36 by means of the air nozzle 45 (FIG. 2). The operations of the gripper 48, which is disposed at a position between the pool pipe 46 and the main air jet nozzle 49, and the main air jet nozzle 49 are controlled in synchronism with the rotation of the crankshaft 15 (FIG. 1), so that the weft yarn, which has been accumulated in the pool pipe 46, is picked into the open shed formed between the upper and lower warp yarns 21 by means of compressed air ejected from the main air jet nozzle 49.
The detectors 51 and 52, which are disposed at positions near the selvage opposite the main air jet nozzle 49, investigate whether or not a weft yarn is picked while the warp yarns are closed (i.e., crank angle of 250 to 300 degrees). When a picking fault occurs, wherein a weft yarn which has been picked into the open shed does not reach the selvage located opposite the main air jet nozzle 49 because of any one of a number of reasons, the detector 51 or 52 emits a faulty picking signal. Based on the faulty picking signal, the motor 11 (FIG. 1) for driving the weaving loom is switched off and the weaving loom continues its operation due to inertia force.
In addition, when the faulty picking signal is emitted, the piston of the reciprocating member 62 is moved forwardly so that the guide plate 63 fixed at the front end of the suction nozzle 61 is located at a position across the weft yarn passage. As a result, the weft yarn which is ejected from the main air jet nozzle 49 after the occurrence of the picking fault is guided by the guide plate 63 to the suction nozzle 61, by which the weft yarn is sucked.
Furthermore, the cutting function of the weft yarn cutter is temporarily deactuated so that the weft yarn which has been faultily picked is permitted to extend from the main air jet nozzle 49. More specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 6b, the cutting preventing member 110, which is connected to the armature by means of the pin 115, is swung clockwise about the pin. The cutting preventing member 110 is aligned with the preventing guide 115 which is formed in an L shape. As a result, the weft yarn is not held by the recess 112, and it is not cut between the movable blade 109 and the fixed blade 108.
Accordingly, the weft picking after the emission of the faulty picking signal is prevented, and therefore, the weft yarn extends from the open shed to the main air jet nozzle 49 through the suction nozzle 61.
The weaving loom which has been operating due to the inertia force stops when the warp yarns 21 are substantially in an open shed condition (i.e., crank angle of 300 degrees) after it has operated about one cycle.
Then, preparation for a returning operation takes place. More specifically, main air jet nozzle 49 is deenergized. The gripper 48 is closed, or the auxiliary gripper 72 is closed by the electromagnetic solenoid. Furthermore, the pneumatic cylinder 86 is operated so that the feed roller 43 is separated from the measuring drum 50, and accordingly, the weft yarn supply mechanism is deenergized. Contrary to this, the piston of the reciprocating member 62 is moved backwardly so that the guide plate 63 attached to the front end of the suction nozzle 61 is located away from the weft yarn passage. Under this condition, the driving motor 11 (FIG. 1) is directly rotated in a reverse direction or an auxiliary motor (not shown) which is disposed independent from the driving motor 11 is operated, and the weaving loom is reversely operated for about 480 degrees to an open shed condition wherein the warp yarns 21 are open (at a crank angle of about 180 degrees).
According to the present invention, under the open shed condition, the pushing out device is inserted into the small clearance formed between the weft yarn and the cloth in accordance with a signal for commencing the pushing action, and the weft yarn which has been faultily picked is automatically and mechanically separated from the cloth. The signal for commencing the pushing action may be emitted by means of a timer after elapse of a determined time duration from the emission of the emergency stop signal, such as the faulty weft picking signal, or may be emitted based on a signal from a limit switch or the like by detecting the open shed condition after the reverse operation of the weaving loom, or may be emitted by manually pushing a push button.
During the normal operation, as illustrated in FIG. 4a, the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is extended, and the vertical rod 74 is swung clockwise about the supporting shaft 75. The front end of the bolt 78 engages with the boss 74a, and the front end of the bolt 57 engages with the back surface of the pushing out device 53, and accordingly, the front end of the pushing out device 53 is apart from the cloth. Therefore, the pushing out device 53 does not prevent any weaving operation of the jet loom during the normal weaving operation.
Based on the stop signal, the weaving loom stops while the upper and lower warp yarns are stopped in an open shed condition. When the signal for commencing the pushing out action is emitted, the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is retracted. As a result, the vertical rod 74 is swung counterclockwise about the supporting shaft 75. At this time, until the front end of the pushing out device 53 contacts the surface of the cloth (see FIG. 4b), all the pushing out devices 53, the arm members 54 and the vertical rod 74 swing in one body. However, when the front end of the pushing out device 53 contacts the surface of the cloth, the lowering movement of the pushing out devices 53 is prevented, and accordingly, the pushing out device 53 is swung about the pin 55 and departs from the bolt 57. As a result, due to the spring force of the spring 58, the front end of the pushing out device 53 contacts the surface of the cloth with a predetermined pressure.
As the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is further retracted and the vertical rod 74 is further swung counterclockwise, the front end of the pushing out device 53 slides over the surface of the cloth with an adequate pressure.
When the front end of the pushing out device 53 reaches the small clearance formed between the weft yarn 44b (see FIGS. 3a and 3b), the front end of the pushing out device 53 enters into the small clearance due to the spring force of the spring 58, and occasionally that of the spring 79 (see FIG. 4c). Under this condition, when the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is further retracted, the pushing out device separates the weft yarn 44b from the cloth.
The weft yarn which has been separated from the cloth in the foregoing manner is no longer firmly held by the warp yarns, and accordingly, it can be easily removed by means of an adequate take up means, such as a suction nozzle 61, or a manual operation.
After the weft yarn is removed in the manner described above, a switch is automatically or manually turned on, and the weaving loom is returned about 270 degrees to a condition wherein the warps 21 are in an open shed condition and which is suitable for restarting the air jet loom.
Thereafter, the main air jet nozzle 49 is actuated. The electromagnetic solenoid 71 is deenergized, and the auxiliary gripper 72 is open, and in addition, the gripper 48 is brought into the normal operating condition. Further, piston of the pneumatic cylinder 86 is retracted so that the feed roller 43 is urged to the surface of the measuring drum 50 and so that the weft measuring mechanism is brought into an operating condition. Under this condition, the operation of the jet loom is restarted.
In the above-described embodiment, the front end of the pushing out device 53 is slid along the surface of the cloth for a certain distance, so that the front end of the pushing out device 53 can surely be inserted into the small clearance between the cloth and the weft yarn which has been picked latest and so that it is assured that the weft yarn which has been picked latest can be pushed out, even when the position of the cloth fell is varied in the moving direction of the pushing out device due to the change of the textile weave or when the position of the cloth fell is slightly varied along the width of the same cloth. However, when the above-described variations are small, the front end of the pushing out device 53 may directly enter into the small clearance between the cloth and the weft yarn.
An embodiment of this type is illustrated in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the pushing out device 53 is connected to the vertical rod 74 by means of a flexible member 88 and that the pushing out device 53 is designed in such manner that its front end first contacts a position slightly entering into the cloth at a slight distance (distance equal to one or two weft yarns) from the cloth fell, and then, the front end of the pushing out device 53 slides over the cloth while the flexible member 88 bends. Thereafter, it enters the small clearance after it moves the above-described small distance.
When the weft yarn 44b is firmly held by the warp yarns 21a and 21b or when the elasticity of the weft yarn is large, it is necessary to enlarge the moving stroke of the pushing out device 53 to separate the weft yarn from the cloth. However, often it is difficult to install a pushing out device with a sufficiently large stroke in a restricted space in a weaving loom. Accordingly, in an embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 7a, 7b, 8a and 8b, the pushing out device has an auxiliary pushing out device mounted thereon and movable relative thereto. The pushing out device 53 is moved apart from the cloth, and there is no difficulties in separation of the weft yarn 44b, because the auxiliary pushing out device 124 is moved relative to the pushing out device 53 so that the weft yarn 44b is further separated from the cloth. As a result, the separation of the weft yarn can be easily done, even when the stroke of the pushing out device 53 per se is small.
Details of this embodiment will now be explained referring to FIGS. 8a and 8b. During the normal operation, the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 illustrated in FIG. 8a is extended, and the vertical rod is swung clockwise about the supporting shaft 75. The front end of the bolt 78 engages with the boss 74a, the front end of the bolt 57 engages with the back surface of the pushing out device 53, and the front end of the pushing out device 53 is apart from the surface of the cloth. Accordingly, the pushing out device 53 does not at all prevent the weaving operation during the normal operation.
Based on the emergency stop signal, such as a faulty picking signal, the weaving loom is switched off and stops at a condition wherein the upper and lower warps 21a and 21b are open. Responsive to a signal for commencing the pushing out operation, the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is retracted.
As the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is retracted, the vertical rod 74 is swung counterclockwise about the supporting shaft 75. At this time, until the front end of the pushing out device reaches the surface of the cloth, the pushing out device 53, the arm member 54 and the vertical rod 74 swing in one body. However, once it contacts the cloth, the lowering movement of the pushing out device 53 is prevented, and the pushing out device swings about the pin 55, and therefore, the pushing out device 53 departs from the bolt 57. As a result, due to the spring force of the spring 58, the front end of the pushing out device 53 contacts the surface of the cloth with a predetermined pressure.
As the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is further retracted and the vertical rod 74 is further swung counterclockwise, the front end of the pushing out device 53 slides over the surface of the cloth with an adequate pressure.
When the front end of the pushing out device 53 reaches the small clearance formed between the cloth and the weft 44b (see FIGS. 8a and 8b) which has been picked latest, the front end of the pushing out device 53 enters into the small clearance by way of the spring force of the spring 58, and in addition occasionally by way of the spring force of the spring 79 (see FIG. 8b).
When the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is further retracted while the pushing out device is inserted into the small clearance, the weft yarn 44b is separated from the cloth by the pushing out device 53.
When the weft yarn 44b is firmly held by the cloth or when the elasticity of the weft yarn 44b is large, it is sometimes necessary to excessively enlarge the moving stroke of the pushing out device to separate the weft yarn from the cloth only by means of the separating operation of the pushing out device 53. According to the present embodiment of the present invention, the pushing out device has an auxiliary pushing out device 124 mounted thereon and movable relative thereto. When the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is fully retracted, the upper end of the auxiliary pushing out device 124 is pulled by the vertical rod 74 and the connecting rod 129. The combination movement of the pushing out device 53 and the auxiliary pushing out device 124 achieves an effect substantially the same as that achieved by increasing the stroke of the pushing out device. As a result, the weft yarn which has been faultily picked can be easily separated from the cloth.
Another apparatus of the present invention will now be explained with reference to FIG. 9. In the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 8a and 8b, the auxiliary pushing out device 124 is moved by the reciprocating movement of the fluid pressure cylinder for effecting reciprocating movement of the pushing out device. Contrary to this, in the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 9, a reciprocating member, such as an armature of an electromagnetic solenoid 156 or piston rod of a fluid pressure cylinder, is separately disposed, and the auxiliary pushing out device is actuated by the reciprocating member. More specifically, the vertical rod 74 rotatably supports a lever 155 by a pin 153, and the lower end of the lever 155 is connected to the reciprocating member, such as the armature of the electromagnetic solenoid 156 or the piston rod of the fluid pressure cylinder. The upper end of the lever 155 is connected to a connecting rod 129 via a pin. The connecting rod 129 is connected to the auxiliary pushing out device 124 by means of a pin 128. Accordingly, as the reciprocating member is reciprocated, the auxiliary pushing member 124 is swung about the pin 125 by means of the lever 155 and the connecting rod 129. The operating timing of the auxiliary pushing out device is selected similar to that of the pushing out device of the above-described embodiment, and the pushing out device is inserted into the small clearance formed between the weft yarn 44b and the cloth, and can be controlled by a computer or limit switches. In addition, it is also possible to securely separate the weft yarn by reciprocatingly operating the auxiliary pushing out member and reducing the weft yarn holding force due to the resulting vibration effect.
Another embodiment will now be explained referring to FIGS. 10a through 10c. Limit switches 288 and 289 are disposed on the frame to control the moving direction of the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67. When the dog (not shown) attached to the vertical rod 74 hits the limit switch 289 while the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is moved backwardly, the piston rod changes its moving direction and moves forwardly. When said dog hits the limit switch 288, the piston rod moves backwardly again. The above-described movements may repeat several times, if necessary. In addition, control by means of a computer is applicable in place of the control by means of the limit switches 288 and 289 which control has been explained above.
When a cloth with close textile weave, such as corduroy, is woven, sometimes there is a problem that the pushing out device cannot enter the small clearance because the clearance is too small. When the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is moved backwardly and hits the limit switch 289, the piston rod changes the moving direction and moves forwardly again. As a result, the front end of the pushing out device 53 is slid along the cloth in a direction opposite to that described above. When said limit switch 288 is hit, the pushing out device 53 again moves along the cloth towards the cloth fell in the first direction.
Once the pushing out device 53 enters into the small clearance, the clearance is widen by the pushing out device 53, and therefore, the front end of the pushing out device 53 securely enters the small clearance at the next sliding operation even if the pushing out device is withdrawn from the clearance.
If the textile weave is close and the clearance is too small to be entered by the pushing out device as described above, the weft yarn 44b is pushed in such a direction that it departs from the cloth fell and the clearance becomes enlarged by the front end of the pushing out device 53 at the first sliding step. As a result, the clearance is widened when the pushing out device reaches next, and at this time, the pushing out device can readily enter the clearance. The resistance imparted to the weft yarn by the pushing out device while the pushing out device moves backwardly is very small and the clearance which has been widened is never narrowed by the backward movement of the pushing out device 53.
When the piston rod 68 of the fluid pressure cylinder 67 is further retracted, the pushing out device 53 separates the weft yarn from the cloth.
When the weft yarn 44b is firmly held by the cloth, the step for separating the weft yarn 44b from the cloth is repeated as in the above-described case. The repetition of the step gives a vibration effect to the weft yarn and the warp yarns 21a and 21b firmly holding the former, and as a result, the holding force is slightly lessened, and the weft yarn can be easily removed from the cloth.
Another compact pushing out device will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 11a and 11b, and 12a and 12b.
As illustrated in FIG. 11a, the pushing out device 53 is converged at the lower side thereof. As illustrated in FIG. 11b, the pushing out device has a cavity 53b formed therein, and the cavity 53b is communicated with the outside through nozzles 126 for ejecting compressed air. The nozzles 126 for ejecting compressed air are designed in such manner that they face the weft yarn 44b held by the pushing out device 53 as will be explained later. In addition, the cavity 53b also communicates with a compressed air source (not shown) through a flexible conduit 225 for supplying compressed air. Compressed air is supplied from the compressed air source to the cavity 53b formed in the pushing out device 53, so that compressed air is ejected through the nozzles 126 for ejecting compressed air to the weft yarn 44b (see FIG. 12b). Because of the mechanical pushing force caused by the ejected compressed air and fluid vibration caused by the compressed air, the holding force between the warp yarns and the weft yarn is lessen. The combined operation of the pushing out device 53 and the ejection of compressed air achieves an effect similar to that achieved by a device wherein the stroke of the pushing out device is increased. As a result, the weft yarn which has been faultily picked can be easily separated from the cloth.
In the foregoing explanation, the nozzles for ejecting compressed air are formed in the pushing out device, however, the nozzles for ejecting compressed air may be disposed separate from the pushing out device.
Another construction of the pushing out device will now be explained referring to FIGS. 13a through 13c. The construction is similar to that explained with reference to FIG. 2. More specifically, both ends of a beam member 76 having a length longer than the cloth width are supported by a pair of vertical rods 74, and the the beam member 76 is disposed at a position above or below the cloth. The beam member 76 has one arm member 54 located at a position corresponding to the center of the cloth width or a plurality of arm members 54 located at positions spaced along the cloth width, in accordance with the cloth width, textile weave, material of the yarns, and the stroke of the arm member or members in a lengthwise direction of the weaving loom. The arm member 54 located at substantially the center of the cloth width has a pushing out device 53 swingably connected to the front end thereof by means of a pin 55. The arm members 54 spaced from that located at the center have auxiliary pushing out devices swingably connected to the front ends thereof by means of pins 55.
As illustrated in FIGS. 13a and 13b, the pushing out device 53 has a base portion thicker than the gap between adjacent upper warps 21a and is converged at the lower side thereof. The front end 253 of the pushing out device 53 is bent upward in a hook shape, so that the hook shaped end 253 can hold a weft yarn 44b. The auxiliary pushing out devices have a shape similar to that of the pushing out device 53 except that the front ends thereof are straight and are not formed in a hook shape.
Referring to FIGS. 14a-14d, a weft sucking device 122 is rotatably supported on the beam member 76 at a position corresponding to the pushing out device 53. The weft sucking device 122 communicates with a suitable suction source, so that the front end of the weft sucking device can suck weft yarn. The right side of the weft sucking device 122 is connected to the right side of the arm member corresponding thereto by means of an electromagnetic solenoid (not shown). Accordingly, when the armature of the electromagnetic solenoid is retracted, the front end of the weft sucking device 122 is near the weft yarn which is held by the pushing out device 53, and when the armature is extended, the weft sucking device moves away from the pushing out device 53.
In the foregoing explanation, the weft sucking device is movable relative to the pushing out device 122. However, the weft sucking device may be fixed as long as there is no danger that the weft sucking device will collide with the reeds 53 when the pushing out device is moved in a pushing out direction.
In the foregoing explanation, the weft sucking device 122 is disposed separate from the pushing out device 25. However, the weft sucking device may be formed in the pushing out device. An example of such an embodiment will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 15a and 15b. The pushing out device 53 has a cavity 53b formed therein, and the cavity 53b communicates with the outside through a sucking nozzle 53a. The sucking device 122 is designed in such manner that it faces the weft yarn 44b held by the pushing out device 53 as it does in the above-explained embodiment. In addition, the cavity 53b also communicates with a vacuum source (not shown) through a flexible conduit.
A still other embodiment will now be explained. The embodiment can easily and surely remove the weft yarn which has been separated from the cloth in a manner similar to that described above.
In FIG. 16, a pair of rollers 181 and 183, which constitute one embodiment of the auxiliary take up member of the present invention, are disposed at a position between the suction nozzle 61 and the selvage. As illustrated in FIG. 17b, the driving roller 181 is rotatably supported on a bracket 182 attached to the machine frame and is driven by a drive motor (not shown) via gears 191 and 192 and drive shaft 189. The roller 183 is rotatably supported on a bracket 184. The shaft 185 fixed to the bracket 184 is connected to an electromagnetic solenoid or a fluid pressure cylinder, and the shaft 185 is moved along a guide 187 by means of the electromagnetic solenoid 186. Therefore, the roller 183 can be located at a position where it is pressed against the driving roller 181 and a position where it is apart from the driving roller 181. Reference numeral 188 denotes a guide for preventing oscillating movement.
In the present embodiment, the pressing roller 183 of the pair of rollers 181 and 183, which constitute the auxiliary take up member, is pressed against the driving roller 181 by means of the electromagnetic solenoid 186, so that the weft yarn is held between the rollers 181 and 183 and is fed into the suction nozzle 61. Accordingly, the weft yarn can be securely removed even though the capability of the suction is not excessively enhanced.
Furthermore, the driving roller of the rollers 181 and 183 constituting the auxiliary take up member may be of a movable type. In this case, the driving roller is designed in such a manner that the driving force can be smoothly transmitted to the driving roller by connecting the driving motor to the driving power source by means of a flexible coupling.
Various alterations are possible to the auxiliary take up member of the present invention. One example is illustrated in FIG. 18, wherein the main take up member is a waste roller 193 and the auxiliary take up member is a nozzle 194 for ejecting compressed air. The nozzle 194 for ejecting compressed air ejects compressed air toward the waste roller 193 so as to feed the weft yarn to the waste roller 193.
Further, the main take up member may be a suction nozzle or waste roller which is similar to that described above, and an auxiliary take up member constructed with a link mechanism may be disposed near the main take up member, so that the weft yarn to be removed is brought to the main take up member by means of the auxiliary take up member.
In the above explanation, the repair of the faultily picked weft yarn is exemplified. However, the present invention is also applicable to repair of a broken warp yarn or selvage, or stoppage of the air jet loom due to manual operation.
The above-described suction nozzle utilizes suction force created by the ejector effect of compressed air. However, other suction nozzles, not only those utilizing the ejector effect but also those which communicates with a suction source, can be used.
According to the present invention, weft yarn can be surely removed after stoppage of a jet loom, and the removal of the weft yarn can be completely and substantially automatically performed.
|
A method for treating a weft yarn upon stoppage of a shuttleless loom comprising:
stopping a shuttleless loom based on a stop signal;
bringing the warp yarns in an open shed condition between the time of switching off said shuttleless loom and the time of restarting said shuttleless loom, so that a weft yarn which has been picked just before the stoppage of said shuttleless loom is released from its crossed condition by said warp yarns;
automatically inserting a pushing out device into a clearance between said weft yarn and a preceding weft yarn to separate said weft yarn from a cloth; and
removing said separated weft yarn.
| 3
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When a person is thirsty for a beverage contained in a bottle, it is of paramount importance to be able to open the bottle as quickly as possible. Furthermore, it is imperative that whatever contrivance is being used to access such bottle be readily accessible to the user.
There are a variety of bottle openers on the market for the purposes of opening a bottle and removing a bottle cap, however, many of them feature limitations in either their operation or their style. Sometimes these limitations are in the form of the weight, shape, or size of the opener.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Disclosed are various embodiments of an apparatus in the form of a cartridge opener for bottles and methods of using the same. Preferable embodiments of the apparatus are in the form of rifle cartridges.
Further disclosed is a cartridge bottle opener featuring a unique opener with a tooth that is properly sized, weighted and cut in dimensions that are best suited for rapid entry of a beverage and removal of a bottle cap.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of cartridge bottle opener of the present invention as it is being used to remove a bottle cap.
FIG. 2 is a forward facing view of the cartridge opener of the present invention which shows a suitable aperture.
FIG. 3 is a rear facing view of the cartridge opener of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side facing view of the cartridge opener of the present invention wherein suitable configuration of an aperture may also be viewed.
FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are alternate views of the same cartridge over a figure for including views looking from top and bottom.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cartridge of the present invention where one may view the rim and rearward facing primer, which is spent in this embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a contextual image of the cartridge opener of the present invention as it is removably secured on a magnetic surface prior to use.
FIGS. 10 and 11 are forward and rearward facing views of an embodiment of the present cartridge opener that also features a magnet.
FIG. 12 through 17 are various views that demonstrate preferable placements of magnet(s) disposed on the cartridge of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Throughout the description, the following terms are used:
cartridge opener 2 , bottle cap 4 , bottle 6 , casing 8 , aperture 10 , tooth 12 , bullet 14 , rim 16 , bullet end 18 , primer 20 , shoulder 22 , cannelure 24 , neck 26 , magnetic surface (i.e. refrigerator) 28 , magnet 30 . stopper 32 .
FIG. 1 is a contextual drawing that shows the cartridge opener 2 of the present invention as it is typically used to open a bottle cap 4 on a beverage bottle 6 . While outward appearances are that of a rifle cartridge, there is a cut out in the casing which permits efficient opening of the bottle 6 . As depicted, the user may invert the cartridge and removably secure a “tooth” disposed in a cut out (aperture 10 ) of the cartridge under the bottle cap 4 . From that point, user has a very efficient lever to swiftly remove a bottle cap 4 . The aperture 10 is ideally suited to accommodate the bottle cap 4 of a bottle, which may be fitted therein and securely engaged and then leveraged off the bottle.
FIGS. 2 and 3 provide additional detail of preferable embodiments of the present invention. As shown, a preferable embodiment is that of a typical .50 caliber rifle cartridge. This is a rifle round that is ell-respected in shooting communities, but also has sufficient weight and size to be an ideal lever for the purposes of the present invention, once suitably modified. The cartridge features a bullet 14 (typically with a full metal jacket). This is disposed at the bullet end 18 of the cartridge. The cartridge has a casing 8 which forms the main body of the cartridge opener 2 . Toward the rear of the rifle cartridge is disposed a rim 16 , which also features a primer 20 , which has been expended. Of course, this particular cartridge will not feature any gunpowder since the purpose of the cartridge is not actually for deployment in a weapon, but is for the purpose of recreation and opening beverages in an efficient, gratifying and stylish manner. Disposed in the rearward portion of the casing 8 is an aperture 10 . The aperture 10 is generally cut in the shape of a square or a rectangle. An important feature of the aperture 10 is what is referred to as a tooth 12 , which is situated on the bullet end 18 of the aperture. Other typical features of a rifle cartridge are shown in FIG. 3 , namely the shoulder 22 , the cannelure 24 on the bullet, as well as the neck 26 of the cartridge. The shoulder 22 and neck 26 of the cartridge are part of the casing 8 .
FIGS. 4 and 5 are important in as much as they show preferable dimensions of the aperture 10 of the present invention as well as preferable dimensions of the tooth 12 . A properly sized aperture is important because it must accommodate for the size of a typical bottle cap 4 on a bottle 6 such as a beer or soda bottle. It rust have appropriate dimensions, yet, the casing 8 and the tooth 12 must have adequate size to properly lever on the bottle cap 4 . Applicant has found a .50 caliber cartridge to be of an ideal size for purposes of opening a bottle. Applicant has determined that one preferable range of length (meaning lengthwise along the cartridge) for the aperture 10 is in the range of 0.5-1.0 inches in length. Still, more preferable is a length of 0.875 inches. A preferable size for the gap between the top of the tooth 12 and the top of the aperture 10 is at least 0.5 inches. More preferable still, is a gap of 0.625 inches. The tooth 12 is preferably of a length of at least 0.2 inches with a still preferable size being that of 0.245 inches and with the preferable width of at least 0.2 inches and more preferable still, a width being 0.307 inches. The length and the width of the tooth 12 is an important factor because if it is too wide it will obstruct the bottle cap 4 , whereas if it is too narrow it will not adequately leverage the bottle cap 4 on a bottle or it will slide off, which can be an annoying experience for the user. The tooth 12 is beneficial because it allows both a proper overall size opening and yet accomplishes excellent leverage and grip. Overall, the aperture 10 may be cut to an approximate midpoint of the casing 8 , which is seen in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 . As may also be seen, the aperture 10 is disposed toward the rearmost portion of the casing 8 . One preferable placement for the opening for the aperture 10 is 0.5 inches from the rim 16 of the cartridge opener 2 . Applicant has determined that this orientation provides the best weight and leverage considering the considerable weight of the bullet 14 disposed at the opposite end of the casing 8 . particularly, on a .50 caliber cartridge, the weight and leverage angle provides an ideal experience and comfort in the hand of a user. Also, the disclosed orientation and position on the aperture 10 provides for great ease of removal of a bottle cap with minimal force using the wrist.
FIGS. 6 and 7 simply show the top and bottom views of the cartridge opener 2 of the present application.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view that shows the various aforementioned features of the cartridge opener 2 . From this vantage point, it is also possible to see how the aperture 10 on a .50 caliber bullet is particularly suited to provide adequate space to accommodate the bottle cap 4 on a typical beer or soda bottle. Other cartridge sizes are contemplated; however, a .50 caliber cartridge is most preferable.
FIG. 9 represents another embodiment of the cartridge opener 2 of the present application and depicts the apparatus as it may be used and secured to a magnetic surface 28 , such as a refrigerator. Persons looking to open a beverage with a bottle 4 typically want to open the beverage near the refrigerator 28 . Rather than fumbling around in drawers or in other locations, the applicant has determined that attachment to a refrigerator's magnetic surface 28 or a nearby metal surface is preferable. In the context of a .50 caliber bullet cartridge, which has a considerable weight, magnetic attachment without impeding the aperture 10 must be done correctly. The magnet must be a suitable strength to hold the considerable weight of the cartridge and it must be properly positioned to prevent undesired sliding of the cartridge opener 2 .
FIGS. 10 and 11 show one preferable placement for a magnet 30 to secure the cartridge opener 2 . These figures show an embodiment where the magnet is secured to the rear of the casing 8 . In this particular embodiment, the magnet is fixedly attached and protrudes out of the rear casing 8 . The magnet 30 is typically a “super” magnet. These are often neodymium disc magnets.
As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 , a magnet 30 is preferably centrally disposed or slightly offset from a midpoint of the casing 8 on the side opposite of the aperture 10 .
FIG. 12-16 are perspective drawings that show the appearance in three dimensions of this embodiment with an externally located magnet 30 .
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a magnet 30 is fixedly disposed internally of the casing 8 of the cartridge opener 2 . A cartridge with magnetic properties may be fashioned by disposing one or more magnet(s) 30 inside the casing 8 and then securing the magnet(s) 30 with an adhesive means, which may be secured either below, around, or on top of the magnet(s). One preferable location for securing such a magnet is toward the shoulder 22 inside the casing 8 . Adhesive may be injected through the aperture 10 on top and/or around the magnet 30 . The magnet 30 may be internally fixed anywhere along the inside casing although applicant has found it preferable to secure the magnet 30 in a manner that when the cartridge is fixed on a magnetic surface, such as a refrigerator 28 , the aperture 10 faces outward. The magnet 30 may be fixedly attached via insertion through the casing 8 with a properly sized cut out. The magnet 30 may also be secured via an epoxy substrate or adhesive.
Yet still another method of fabricating a magnetic version of this present invention is to obtain a cartridge opener 2 and insert at least one magnet (or preferably four) into the body cavity (casing) of the cartridge (typically toward the bullet end), and then plug the magnets inside the casing with a rubber/plastic stopper 32 . One preferable stopper/cap may be formed from vinyl, polyethylene, polypropylene or other soft plastic so that it is fashioned to accommodate the inner dimensions of the casing and so it will best hold the magnets 30 . The stopper 32 may be jammed down on the magnets with a wedge or instrument to hold them securely. This latter method is beneficial because it avoids the stickiness associated with glues and adhesives, and it preserves the overall shape of the cartridge while allowing it to be magnetized.
The cartridge opener 2 may be fashioned from a variety of materials, although, metal is preferred and in some cases chrome or other precious metals may be used or plated onto the cartridge opener 2 . some cases, powder coating and heat treatments may be used on the cartridge and particularly on or around the aperture 10 to prevent chipping or damage to the surfaces from repeated use with a bottle cap 4 .
It is to be noted respecting each of the foregoing descriptions that the appended figures illustrate only typical embodiments disclosed in this specification, and therefore, are not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments that will be appreciated by those reasonably skilled in the relevant arts. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, unless otherwise noted, but with an emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
|
Disclosed are various embodiments of an apparatus in the form of a cartridge opener for bottles and methods of using the same. Preferable embodiments of the apparatus are in the form of rifle cartridges. Further disclosed is a cartridge bottle opener featuring a unique opener with a tooth that is properly sized, weighted and cut in dimensions that are best suited for rapid entry of a beverage and removal of a bottle cap.
| 1
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a national stage application (under 35 U.S.C. §371) of PCT/EP2008/053393, filed Mar. 20, 2008, which claims benefit of European application 07105162.7 filed Mar. 29, 2007.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to glass fiber reinforced acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene compositions with improved stiffness and toughness.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Thermoplastic molding compositions based on acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and a process for preparation of thermoplastic ABS molding compositions are known for years. This invention relates to special glass fiber reinforced acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene compositions, moldings, foils, and coatings, which can be produced from thermoplastic molding compositions and glass fibers, and also to their use.
It has been known for decades that thermoplastic molding compositions can be prepared by modifying styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers via incorporation of rubbers. By way of example, this is achieved via graft copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of a rubber, and also via subsequent blending of this graft copolymer with a separately prepared copolymer matrix which can, for example, be composed of a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer or of a methylstyrene-acrylonitrile copolymer.
EP-A 0 022 200 discloses that thermoplastic molding compositions can be prepared which comprise a copolymer matrix composed of styrene and acrylonitrile, and also comprise a graft copolymer composed of a rubber latex, styrene, and acrylonitrile. Here, a polybutadiene latex is first prepared via free-radical polymerization using potassium peroxodisulfate as initiator. This rubber latex is then subjected to agglomeration, which serves to enlarge the rubber particles. This agglomeration can, for example, take place via a reaction of the rubber latex with an emulsion of a copolymer composed of ethyl acrylate and methacrylamide. The graft rubber is then prepared via reaction of the agglomerated rubber latex with styrene and acrylonitrile, using an initiator.
Glass fiber (GF) reinforced thermoplastic mixtures are also known for decades. They typically lead to an increase in rigidity and strength of the material, whereas elasticity and particularly impact strength are often significantly reduced. To achieve effective reinforcement together with a minimal loss of toughness, firm adhesion or coupling must exist between the polymer matrix and the glass fibers.
JP 56/095953 describes GF reinforced thermoplastic molding compositions containing GF-containing pellets and a GF free styrene-acrylonitrile matrix in the presence of a soluble, uncrosslinked acid containing rubber. In the process of preparation, which is difficult to control, the glass fibers are however not firmly coupled to the thermoplastic matrix.
In DE-A 33 24 909 the use of an epoxy group containing copolymer of styrene, acrylonitrile and/or methyl-methacrylate within an ABS molding composition is disclosed. Epoxy group containing copolymers however are difficult to produce in a large scale.
DE-A 34 36 602 describes GF-reinforced thermoplastic resin compounds consisting of a polymer A of styrene, acrylonitrile and methacrylates, a polymer B of styrene, acrylonitrile and maleic imides, and of polymer C containing styrene, acrylonitrile and a graft rubber D. The physical properties of the polymer mixtures show that the coupling of the glass fibers with the copolymers are inadequate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,719 the use of either maleic anhydride containing copolymers or thermoplastic polyurethanes having isocyanate groups is proposed for the use of improved coupling of glass fibers to an ABS copolymer. However, by utilizing this method, the melt flow of the resulting ABS is reduced and thus the polymer product is less suitable for injection molding.
EP-A 03 03 919 describes a glass fiber containing molding compositions of A a co-polymer of styrene and acrylnitril and B a special terpolymer of styrene, acrylonitrile and tert.-butyl(meth)acrylate, which may additionally contain a graft rubber D. The crucial monomer is tert.-butyl(meth)acrylate which decomposes at compounding temperatures above about 200° C. into (meth)acrylic acid monomer units and isobutene.
The formation of the gaseous and flammable isobutene during production however is not desirable for scaling up into an industrialized process.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,211,269 describes the utilisation of specific organic tin components to enhance the coupling reaction with GF in an ABS moulding composition. However, tin components are toxicologically adverse, especially in applications like articles for food contact, toys, cosmetic housings or medical devices.
Thus, there is the technical need to have an ABS moulding composition with improved reinforcement between the glass fibers and the copolymer, without having a negative effect on other properties such as the melt flow.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention it was surprisingly found that by reducing the content of vinyl cyanide monomer component(s) in the copolymer with vinylaromatic mono-mer(s)—the SAN matrix of the ABS composition—to an amount of 24-30% by weight, preferentially 24-28%, it is possible to improve the mechanical properties as well as the optical appearance of the resulting GF-reinforced ABS.
Therefore, the present invention relates to a thermoplastic moulding composition comprising the following components (indicated with the respective weight-percentages):
1.1 5-95% of a copolymer A consisting of:
1.1.1 70-76% of vinylaromatic monomer(s) A1 1.1.2 24-30% of vinyl cyanide monomer component(s) A2 1.1.3 0-50% of one or more unsaturated copolymerizable monomers A3,
1.2 0-60% of a graft rubber B consisting of:
1.2.1 10-95% of a graft rubber core comprising B1
1.2.1.1 80-100% of rubber type monomers, such as butadiene, isoprene, butyl acrylate, and silicone B11 1.2.1.2 0-20% of double unsaturated monomers such as divinylbenzene, allyl(meth)acrylate, and multi functional silicone B12
1.2.2 5-90% of a graft shell B2 comprising:
1.2.2.1 75-85% of vinylaromatic monomer(s) B21 1.2.2.2 15-25% of vinyl cyanide monomer component(s) B22 1.2.2.3 0-50% of one or more unsaturated copolymerizable monomers B23,
1.3 5-50% of glass fiber C.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a thermoplastic composition is prepared comprising (or preferably consisting of) the following components:
1.1 5-95% of a copolymer A consisting of:
1.1.1 72-76% of vinylaromatic monomer(s) A1 1.1.2 24-28% of vinyl cyanide monomer component(s) A2 1.1.3 0-50% of one or more unsaturated copolymerizable monomers A3,
1.2 0-60% of a graft rubber B consisting of:
1.2.1 10-95% of a graft rubber core B1 containing
1.2.1.1 80-100% of monomers from the group of butadiene, isoprene, butyl acrylate and silicone B11 1.2.1.2 0-20% of monomers from the group of divinylbenzene, allyl(meth)acrylate and multi functional silicone B12
1.2.2 5-90% of a graft shell B2 containing
1.2.2.1 75-85% of vinylaromatic monomer(s) B21 1.2.2.2 15-25% of vinyl cyanide monomer component(s) B22 1.2.2.3 0-50% of one or more unsaturated copolymerizable monomers B23
1.3 5-50%, preferably 10-40%, of glass fiber C.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a thermoplastic composition is prepared containing the components A, B and C (or the components A and C) and as additional components:
D: 0.01-10, preferably 0.05-5, more preferably 0.1-2% of a copolymer containing:
D1: 50-95% of vinylaromatic monomer(s), D2: 4-50% of vinyl cyanide monomer component(s), and D3: 1-30% of an unsaturated dicarboxylic acid anhydride, and/or
E: 0-10% of a low molecular weight di-, tri- or tetra-carboxyclic acid anhydride.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a thermoplastic composition is prepared containing as an additional component:
D: 0.01-10, preferably 0.05-5, more preferably 0.1-2% of a copolymer containing:
D1: 70-100% of alkylmethacrylate monomer(s), D2: 0-20% of alkylacrylate monomer(s) and D3: 0-10% of another copolymerizable monomer.
The invention also relates to a thermoplastic composition as described, containing as glass fiber component C glass fibers having a diameter of 10 to 25 micrometer and/or a length of 0.1 to 15 mm.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a thermoplastic composition is prepared containing as an additional functional component E at least one low molecular compound containing an epoxy-group or a maleic-anhydride or maleic imide-function.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a thermoplastic composition is prepared which comprises, as further components K, one or more components selected from the group of the dispersing agents (DA), buffer substances (BS), molecular weight regulators (MR), fillers (F), and additives (D).
The invention also relates to a thermoplastic composition, wherein the graft rubber B has from 20 to 80% by weight of rubber content.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a thermoplastic composition is prepared containing as an additional component F at least one polymer from the group comprising polycarbonates, PMMA, polyesters, polyamides, polyolefins and thermoplastic polyurethanes.
A further aspect of the invention relates to a process for the preparation of a thermoplastic composition as described, which comprises preparing the copolymer A via bulk polymerization or solution polymerization, preparing the graft rubber component B via emulsion polymerization, and then mixing the thermoplastic copolymer A and eventually the graft copolymer B with the glass fiber component C. If appropriate, the further components and/or the further thermoplastic polymers can be added.
A further embodiment of the invention relates to the use of a thermoplastic composition as described for the preparation of mouldings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The invention also relates to various moldings, produced from a thermoplastic composition according to description above.
As in the prior art it is generally thought that compatibility between glass fibers and matrix increases—and as result an increase in mechanical properties can be found—when the polarity of SAN matrix is high, the teaching of the present invention to reduce the vinyl cyanide percentage in the polymer matrix is surprising.
The component A according to the invention:
The thermoplastic resin that forms the copolymer A of the claimed GF-reinforced ABS composition is a copolymer. One component of this copolymer A is one or more vinylaromatic monomers from the group comprising styrene, alpha-methylstytyrene and paramethylstyrene. The preferred monomer is styrene.
The other component of copolymer A is one or more monomers from the group of vinyl cyanide monomers, such as acrylonitrile or (meth)acrylonitrile. Preferred monomer is however acrylonitrile. The copolymer A may furthermore contain one or more copolymerizable monomers, for example from the group comprising methyl(meth)acrylate, ethyl(meth)acrylate, propyl(meth)acrylate, butyl(meth)acrylate, N-phenylmaleic imide, maleic anhydride.
The copolymer A normally contains vinylaromatic components in an amount of 70-76% by weight, preferentially 72-26% by weight. The content of the vinyl cyanide monomer component is normally 24-30% by weight, preferably 24-28% by weight.
Component A might be produced by all known method, for example bulk polymerization, solution polymerization, suspension polymerization and emulsion polymerization or mixed process, e.g. mass/suspension polymerizations, with or without further components. The copolymer matrix A is preferably prepared from the components acrylonitrile and styrene and/or α-methylstyrene via bulk polymerization or in the presence of one or more solvents. Preference is given here to copolymers A whose molar masses M w are from 50 000 to 300 000 g/mol, the molar masses being capable of determination by way of example via light scattering in tetrahydrofuran (GPC with UV detection).
The copolymer matrix A can in particular comprise:
(Aa) polystyrene-acrylonitrile, prepared from, based on (Aa), from 70 to 76% by weight of styrene and from 24 to 30% by weight of acrylonitrile, or
(Ab) poly-α-methylstyrene-acrylonitrile, prepared from, based on (Ab), from 70 to 76% by weight of α-methylstyrene and from 24 to 30% by weight of acrylonitrile, or
(Ac) a mixture of copolymer matrix (Aa) and of copolymer matrix (Ab).
The copolymer matrix A can also be obtained via copolymerization of acrylonitrile, styrene, and α-methylstyrene. The number-average molar mass (M n ) of the copolymer matrix A preferably amounts to from 15 000 to 100 000 g/mol (determined by means of GPC with UV detection). The viscosity (Vz) of the copolymeric matrix A amounts by way of example to from 50 to 120 ml/g (measured to DIN 53726 at 25° C. in a 0.5% strength by weight solution in DMF). The copolymer matrix A can be prepared via bulk polymerization or solution polymerization in, for example, toluene or ethylbenzene, by a process as described by way of example in Kunststoff-Handbuch [Plastics Handbook], Vieweg-Daumiller, volume V, (Polystyrol) [Polystyrene], Carl-Hanser-Verlag, Munich 1969, pages 122 et seq.
The component B according to the invention:
The graft copolymer component B may be polymerized by emulsion, solution or suspension polymerization on the rubber graft base B1. Emulsion polymerization is however preferred. The average particle diameter may vary from 50 nm to 10.000 nm, preferred 80 nm to 3.000 nm, more preferred from 100 nm to 2000 nm.
Typically, the base rubber consists of a crosslinked polymer with glass transition temperature below 0° C., preferred below −20° C., more preferred below −40° C., in a preferred embodiment, the graft rubber base B1 consists of a butadiene polymer. This butadiene polymer can optionally be copolymerized with other monomers, for example styrene, acrylonitrile, (meth)acrylates or multifunctional monomers.
The rubber base B1 itself might be a core/shell polymer with polymer core and shell showing different monomer composition. Other preferred monomers for the rubber base B1 are n-butylacrylate or silicones, alone or together with other comonomers.
The shell B2 of graft copolymer B typically consists of monomers which copolymerize yielding a polymer with a glass transition temperature or more than +20° C., preferred more than +60° C. Preferred monomers are e.g. styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, (meth)acrylonitrile, methyl(meth)acrylate, ethylacrylate, N-phenylmaleic imide and maleic anhydride.
The graft copolymer component B often has a complex structure and is in essence composed of a graft base and a graft shell.
The graft base can by way of example be obtained via reaction of from 0 to 10% by weight of styrene and from 90 to 100% by weight of butadiene, and also from 0.01 to 5% by weight of ancillary components, the % by weight data being based on the graft base.
The graft shell can e.g. be obtained via reaction of styrene and acrylonitrile, and also from 0.01 to 5% by weight of ancillary components (% by weight, based on the graft shell), in the presence of the graft base.
The thermoplastic composition preferably comprises at least one thermoplastic graft polymer B with from 20 to 80% by weight rubber content. The molding composition can also comprise two or more different graft polymers.
For preparation of the graft polymer it is preferable to use peroxo-disulfate as an initiator, but a redox initiator system, in particular comprising an organic peroxide, and also at least one reducing agent can also by used. The organic peroxide used preferably comprises a compound selected from the group of di-tert-butyl peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, and p-menthane hydroperoxide, and mixtures thereof. The reducing agent used generally comprises at least one water-soluble compound with reducing action.
In one particular embodiment of the invention, preparation of the graft copolymer B uses a redox initiator system comprising an organic peroxide selected from the group of cumene hydroperoxide, p-menthane hydroperoxide, and mixtures thereof, and also at least one reducing agent selected from the group of salts of sulfinic acid, salts of sulfurous acid, sodium dithionite, sodium sulfite, sodium hyposulfite, sodium hydrogen-sulfite, ascorbic acid, and also salts thereof, Rongalit C (sodium formaldehyde-sulfoxylate), mono- and dihydroxyacetone, sugars, ferrous salts, stannous salts, and titanium(III) salts.
It is preferable that an emulsion polymerization is carried out for preparation of the graft base (B1) and uses potassium peroxodisulfate as initiator.
Examples of suitable preparation processes for the graft copolymers B are emulsion polymerization, solution polymerization, suspension polymerization, or bulk polymerization, and the graft copolymers B here are preferably prepared via aqueous free-radical emulsion polymerization. WO-A 2002/10222, DE-A 28 26 925, and also in EP-A 022 200 inter alia describe suitable polymerization processes.
By way of example, the graft base can be prepared via free-radical-initiated aqueous emulsion polymerization, by using a portion of the monomers in an aqueous reaction medium as initial charge and adding the remaining residual amount of monomers, if appropriate, in the aqueous reaction medium after initiation of the free-radical polymerization reaction. It is also possible to use at least a portion of the free-radical polymerization initiator and, if appropriate, of further auxiliaries in the aqueous reaction medium as initial charge, to bring the resultant aqueous reaction medium to polymerization temperature, and at this temperature to add the monomers to the aqueous reaction medium. This introduction can also take the form of a mixture, for example the form of an aqueous monomer emulsion.
The reaction is initiated via water-soluble or oil-soluble free-radical polymerization initiators, e.g. inorganic or organic peroxides (for example peroxodisulfate or benzoyl peroxide), or with the aid of redox initiator systems. It is preferable that peroxodisulfate is used as initiator in preparation of the graft base. The amount of free-radical initiator used, based on the entire amount of monomer, is generally from 0.01 to 5% by weight, preferably from 0.1 to 3% by weight, and particularly preferably from 0.2 to 1.5% by weight.
The particle size distribution of the graft copolymers B can be mono-, bi-, or polymodal. According to one particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the particle size distribution is bimodal.
The average particle sizes and particle size distributions stated are the sizes determined from the cumulative weight distribution. These and the further particle sizes stated for the purposes of the present invention are generally the weight-average particle sizes determined by means of an analytical ultracentrifuge by the method of W. Scholtan and H. Lange, Kolloid.-Zeitschrift and Z.-Polymere 250 (1972), pages 782-796.
The term graft copolymer includes a mixture of various graft rubbers. By way of example, the emulsion of one or more further graft rubbers can be added to the aqueous reaction mixture of a graft rubber. The mixture of these graft rubbers can then be isolated. It is particularly preferable to isolate a graft rubber from its reaction mixture.
The Component C according to the invention:
Glass fibers according to the invention are commercially available glass fibers, e.g. the traditional A, E, C or S-Glass fibers. Low or non-alkali containing fibers are preferred. The typical lengths are 0.1-15 mm or endless glass rovings. Typical diameters of the glass fibers are 10-100 micrometer, preferred 10-25 micrometer. Typically, these fibers contain already a size, needed to improve adhesion to the polymer matrix. Also sized fibers can be used according to the invention. The component C is often used in an amount of 5 to 50% by weight, preferably from 10 to 40% and in a particular embodiment from 20 to 35%.
The component D according to the invention:
As adhesion promoter, the polymer composition according to the invention can contain polymers with functional groups, such as epoxy, maleic anhydride or imide groups. Preferred are polymers containing maleic anhydride monomer units in an amount of 1-30% by weight.
The component E according to the invention:
Optionally, as a further component according to the invention, a low molecular weight functional component with e.g. epoxy-, maleic anhydride or maleic imide functions may be added. Typical examples are styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers, styrene-acrylonitrile-maleic anhydride copolymers, N-Phenyl maleic imide—maleic anhydride copolymers.
The components F according to the invention:
Optionally, as a further component according to the invention, further polymers or additives can be added. Polymers which might be added can be for example: polycarbonate, PMMA, polyester, polyamide, polyolefins and/or thermoplastic polyurethanes.
Suitable polycarbonates and, respectively, polyester carbonates can for example be linear or branched. Branched products are preferably obtained via incorporation of from 0.05 to 2.0 mol %, based on the entirety of the diphenols used, of compounds whose functionality is three or more, e.g. those having three or more phenolic OH groups. The polycarbonates and polyester carbonates can comprise halogen bonded to an aromatic system, preferably bromine and/or chlorine. However, they are preferably halogen-free. Their average molecular weights (M w , weight-average; determined, for example, via ultracentrifuging or scattered light measurement) are from 10 000 to 200 000, preferably from 20 000 to 80 000.
Suitable thermoplastic polyesters are preferably polyalkylene terephthalates, i.e. reaction products composed of aromatic dicarboxylic acids or of their reactive derivatives (e.g. dimethyl esters or anhydrides) and of aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or arylaliphatic diols, and mixtures of these reaction products. Preferred polyalkylene terephthalates can be prepared from terephthalic acids (or from their reactive derivatives) and from aliphatic or cycloaliphatic diols having from 2 to 10 carbon atoms, by known methods (see Kunststoff-Handbuch [Plastics Handbook], volume VIII. pp. 695 et seq., Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich 1973).
Suitable polyamides are known homopolyamides, copolyamides, and mixtures of these polyamides. These can be semicrystalline and/or amorphous polyamides. Semicrystalline polyamides that can be used are nylon-6, nylon-6,6, and mixtures, and corresponding copolymers composed of these components. It is also possible to use semicrystalline polyamides whose acid component is composed entirely or to some extent of terephthalic acid and/or isophthalic acid and/or suberic acid and/or sebacic acid and/or azelaic acid and/or adipic acid and/or cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, and whose diamine component is composed entirely or to some extent of m- and/or p-xylylenediamine and/or hexamethylenediamine and/or 2,2,4-tri-methylhexamethylenediamine and/or 2,2,4-trimethylhexamethylenediamine and/or isophoronediamine, and whose constitution is known. Mention may also be made of polyamides which are prepared entirely or to some extent from lactams having from 7 to 12 carbon atoms in the ring, if appropriate with concomitant use of one or more of the abovementioned starting components.
Amorphous polyamides that can be used are known products which are obtained via polycondensation of diamines, such as ethylenediamine, hexamethylenediamine, decamethylenediamine, 2,2,4- and/or 2,4,4-trimethylhexamethylenediamine, m- and/or p-xylylenediamine, bis(4-aminocyclohexyl)methane, bis(4-aminocyclohexyl)propane, 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-diaminodicyclohexylmethane, 3-aminomethyl,3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexylamine, 2,5- and/or 2,6-bis(aminomethyl)norbornane, and/or 1,4-diaminomethylcyclohexane, with dicarboxylic acids, such as oxalic acid, adipic acid, azelaic acid, decanedicarboxylic acid, heptadecanedicarboxylic acid, 2,2,4- and/or 2,4,4-trimethyladipic acid, isophthalic acid, and terephthalic acid.
Other suitable copolymers are those obtained via polycondensation of a plurality of monomers, and also copolymers prepared using addition of aminocarboxylic acids, such as ε-aminocaproic acid, ω-aminoundecanoic acid, or ω-aminolauric acid, or lactams thereof. Particularly suitable amorphous polyamides are the polyamides prepared from isophthalic acid, and from hexamethylenediamine and from further diamines, such as 4,4′-diaminodicyclohexylmethane, isophoronediamine, 2,2,4- and/or 2,4,4-trimethylhexamethylenediamine, 2,5- and/or 2,6-bis(aminomethyl)norbornene; or from isophthalic acid, 4,4′-diaminodicyclohexylmethane, and ε-caprolactam; or from isophthalic acid, 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-diaminodicyclohexylmethane and laurolactam; or from terephthalic acid and from the isomer mixture composed of 2,2,4- and/or 2,4,4-trimethylhexamethylenediamine.
If use is also made of at least one polymer selected from the group of the polycarbonates, polyesters, polyester carbonates, and polyamides, its amount is up to 500 parts by weight, preferably up to 400 parts by weight, and particularly preferably up to 300 parts by weight (based in each case on 100 parts by weight of polymer matrix A+graft copolymer B).
However, it is also possible to use mixtures composed of two or more of the polymers mentioned. The inventive thermoplastic molding compositions can comprise, based on the ABS components, from 0 to 90% by weight, preferably from 0 to 50% by weight, particularly preferably from 0 to 20% by weight, of the abovementioned polymers.
Typical additives can be lubricants such as mineral oil, silicone oil, phthalates, waxes, stearates, diamines (eg stearyl bis ethylene diamine), organic or inorganic fillers such as titanium dioxide, calcium carbonate, talc, carbon, silicium dioxide, UV stabilizers such as HALS (hindered amine light stabilizers), triazines, absorbers, heat stabilizers such as hindered phenols, Vitamin E, colorants, pigments, color batches (e.g. carbon black in a polymer matrix), etc or further additives, typically used in polymers
Ancillary and processing additives that can be added to the inventive ABS molding compositions comprise amounts of from 0 to 10% by weight, preferably from 0 to 5% by weight, in particular from 0 to 4% by weight, of various additives. Additives that can be used are any of these substances which are usually used for the processing or modification of the polymers.
Examples that may be mentioned are dyes, pigments, colorants, antistatic agents, antioxidants, stabilizers for improving thermal stability, stabilizers for increasing lightfastness, stabilizers for raising resistance to hydrolysis and to chemicals, agents to counteract thermal decomposition, and in particular lubricants, these being advantageous for the production of moldings. These further additives can be metered into the material at any stage of the preparation or production process, but preferably at an early juncture, in order to utilize the stabilizing effect (or other specific effects) of the additives at an early stage. With respect to further conventional auxiliaries and additives, reference is made by way of example to “Plastics Additives Handbook”, Ed. Gächter and Müller, 4th edition, Hanser Publ., Munich, 1996.
Examples of suitable pigments are titanium dioxide, phthalocyanines, ultramarine blue, iron oxides, or carbon black, and also the entire class of organic pigments.
Examples of suitable colorants are any of the dyes that can be used for the transparent, semitransparent, or nontransparent coloring of polymers, in particular those which are suitable for the coloring of styrene copolymers.
Examples of suitable flame retardants that can be used are the compounds known to the person skilled in the art and which comprise halogen or comprise phosphorus, other examples being magnesium hydroxide, and also other familiar compounds, or a mixture of these.
Examples of suitable antioxidants are sterically hindered mononuclear or polynuclear phenolic antioxidants, which can have various types of substitution and can also have bridging by way of substituents. Among these are not only monomeric but also oligomeric compounds which can be composed of a plurality of phenolic parent systems. Hydroquinones and hydroquinone-analogous, substituted compounds can also be used, as also can antioxidants based on tocopherols and on derivatives of these. It is also possible to use a mixture of various antioxidants. In principle, it is possible to use any of the commercially available compounds or compounds suitable for styrene co-polymers, e.g. Irganox. The substances known as co-stabilizers, in particular co-stabilizers comprising phosphorus or comprising sulfur, can be used concomitantly together with the phenolic antioxidants mentioned by way of example above. The person skilled in the art is aware of these co-stabilizers comprising P or comprising S.
Examples of suitable light stabilizers are various substituted resorcinols, salicylates, benzotriazoles, and benzophenones. Matting agents that can be used are not only inorganic substances, such as talc, glass beads, or metal carbonates (e.g. MgCO 3 , CaCO 3 ), but also polymer particles—in particular spherical particles whose diameters d 50 (weight-average) are above 1 mm—based on, for example, methyl methacrylate, styrene compounds, acrylonitrile, or a mixture of these. It is also possible to use polymers which comprise copolymerized acidic and/or basic monomers.
Examples of suitable antidrip agents are polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) polymers and ultrahigh-molecular-weight polystyrene (molecular weight M w above 2 000 000).
The inventive molding compositions can be prepared from components A, B and C (and, if desired, from the further polymers, the fillers and also from conventional additives), by any of the known methods. It is possible that the components are blended via mixing in the melt, for example by extruding, kneading, or rolling the components together. This is carried out at temperatures in the range from e.g. 160 to 400° C., preferably from 180 to 280° C. In one preferred embodiment, component (B) is isolated to some extent or completely in advance from the aqueous dispersion obtained during the respective steps of preparation. By way of example, the graft copolymers B can take the form of moist or dry crumb/powder when mixed with pellets of the thermoplastic copolymer matrix A in an extruder.
The invention also provides the use of the compositions described for production of moldings, such as sheets or semifinished products, foils, fibers, or else foams, and also the corresponding moldings, such as sheets, semifinished products, foils, fibers, or foams. Processing can be carried out by means of the known methods of thermoplastics processing, and in particular production processes that can be used are thermo-forming, extrusion, injection molding, calendering, blow molding, compression molding, pressure sintering or other types of sintering, preference being given to injection molding.
The examples below are used for further illustration of the invention:
Example 1
General Preparation of Copolymer Matrix A
Various embodiments of copolymer matrix A can be prepared via mass or solution polymerization, e.g. in an organic solvent, such as toluene or ethylbenzene.
A process as described in general terms by way of example in Kunststoff-Handbuch [Plastics Handbook], Vieweg-Daumiller, volume V, (Polystyrol) [Polystyrene], Carl-Hanser-Verlag, Munich 1969, pages 122 et seq., lines 12 et seq. can be used as the basis for operations here. It is also possible to prepare a matrix in the form of a mixture of two (or more) matrices.
1a) In a specific example, the copolymer matrix (A-1) can be prepared with viscosity V Z of 80 ml/g, starting from 65% by weight of styrene and 35% by weight of acrylonitrile at a temperature of from 150 to 180° C. with a proportion of from 10 to 20% by weight of solvent, without use of an initiator.
1b) As an alternative, a copolymer matrix (A-2) can be prepared, with viscosity V Z of 80 ml/g, starting from 75% by weight of styrene and 25% by weight of acrylonitrile.
1c) A copolymer matrix (A-3) can be prepared, with viscosity V Z of 60 ml/g, starting from 75% by weight of styrene and 25% by weight of acrylonitrile.
1d) A copolymer matrix (A-4) can be prepared, with viscosity V Z of 60 ml/g, starting from 81% by weight of styrene and 19% by weight of acrylonitrile.
1e) A copolymer matrix (A-5) can be prepared, with viscosity V Z of 60 ml/g, starting from 67% by weight of styrene and 33% by weight of acrylonitrile.
Example 2
Preparation of Copolymer Matrix (A) with Glass Fibers (C)
A mixture of 35% by weight of glass fibers (Producer: Owens Corning, FT574, chopped type 3.0 mm length) were compounded with 65% by weight of the following polymer matrixes:
A-1: S/AN 65/35,
A-2: S/AN 75/25,
F-1: Color batch: 35% carbon black and 65% Copolymermatrix A-2
The compounding was performed on an extruder machine (manufacturer: Berstorff ZE25 L/D=33D) at a temperature of 240° C. and 250 r.p.m. The polymer was extruded via dieplate and the water chilled polymer strands were granulated.
The granulated polymer was injection molded with a common injection molding machine (LG ID 75EN) at 240° C., 75MT clamp force, 60% injection speed, 55° C. mold temperature to a 3.2 mm thick specimen used for stress/strain test according to the norm ASTM D638 and to 3.2 mm thickness specimen according to the norm ASTM D256.
To show the properties of the compositions the following tests were performed:
Tensile strength (ASTM D-638) Impact (ASTM D-256) Visual evaluation (1: no GF visible, 10: very rough, matte surface appearance, ISO306).
The test methods which furthermore can be used for characterization of the thermo-plastic compositions are briefly collated below:
a) Tensile Strength and flexural modulus are determined at a temperature of 23° C. according to the ASTM D-638 method.
b) Penetration (multiaxial toughness) [Nm]:
Penetration is determined to ISO 6603-2 on plaques (60×60×2 mm, produced to ISO 294 in a family mold at a melt temperature of 240° C. and at a mold temperature of 50° C.).
c) Flowability (MVR[ml/10′]):
Flowability is determined to ISO 1133 B on a polymer melt at 220° C. with a load of 10 kg.
d) Elasticity (modulus of elasticity [MPa]):
Elasticity is tested to ISO 527-2/1A/50 on test specimens (produced to ISO 294 at a melt temperature of 250° C. and at a mold temperature of 60° C.).
e) Viscosity
Viscosity number (V Z ) is determined to DIN 53726 on a 0.5% strength solution of the polymer in DMF.
f) Visual evaluation (1: no GF visible, 10: very rough, matte surface appearance)
Example 1
The components used in the following examples are as follows:
Component A-1: S/AN 65/35 (VLP) Component A-2: S/AN 75/25 (VL3) Component C-1: Glass Fiber (Owens Corning FT584) Component D-1: PMMA (LG IF 870S) Component E-1: SAN-MA (BASF VT2421) Component F1: Color batch: 35% carbon black and 65% S/AN 75/25
TABLE 1
Example 0
Example 1
Example 2
A-1
65
A-2
65
65
C-1
35
35
35
D-1
E-1
1
F-1
2.4
2.4
2.4
Tensile Yield
95
90
92
Visual evaluation
10
8
7
Example 3
Example 4
Example 5
A-1
A-2
65
65
65
C-1
35
35
35
D-1
5
E-1
2
5
F-1
2.4
2.4
2.4
Tensile Yield
95
100
93
Visual evaluation
7
6
7
The examples according to the invention have a better visual evaluation than the thermoplastic compositions of the prior art.
Example 2
In a second experiment, the effect of adding S/AN/MA is shown.
As base resins, commercial ABS grades (Terluran GP-22, BASF AG, Germany, and Terluran GP-35, BASF AG) were used, and mixed under compounding conditions with glass fibers, SAN components and S/AN/MA.
The component A-3 contains 25% of AN.
TABLE 2
Test items
Example 7
Example 8
Example 9
Example 10
Recipe:
Terluran GP-22
80
40
40
Terluran GP-35
80
Component A3
40
37
Component C1
20
20
20
20
Component E1
3
Tensile strength,
950
990
1040
810
Kgf/cm 2
Flexural strength,
1200
1380
1580
1140
Kgf/cm 2
Flexural modulus,
56000
57300
56700
48200
Kgf/Cm 2
Izod impact,
8
6
9
8
Kgf. Cm/cm
MVI,
4.5
10
10
10
cc/10 min.
VST,
105
107
107
101
deg. C.
HDT,
102
NA
NA
NA
deg. C.
Density,
1.18
1.19
1.19
1.18
g/cm 3
GF contents,
20
20
20
20
%
Toray, GF-
reinforced ABS
with 20%
Test items
Example 11
Example 12
Glass fiber
Recipe:
Terluran GP-22
77
75
Styroflex 2G66
3
5
Styrolux 3G55
Component C1
20
20
Tensile strength,
920
910
1080
Kgf/cm 2
Flexural strength,
1340
1350
1470
Kgf/cm 2
Flexural modulus,
55900
56400
56000
Kgf/Cm 2
Izod impact,
6
6
4
Kgf. cm/cm
MVI,
10
10
7
cc/10 min.
VST,
105
105
NA
deg. C.
HDT,
NA
NA
103
deg. C.
Density,
1.19
1.19
1.19
g/cm 3
GF contents,
20
20
20
%
Example 3
In the third experiment, the effect of the acrylonitrile content on the visual effect of a glass fiber reinforced SAN is described:
TABLE 3
Exam-
Exam-
Exam-
Exam-
Exam-
Exam-
ple
ple
ple
ple
ple
ple
21
22
23
24
25
26
A-3
40
70
80
70
40
A-4
80
40
10
A-5
10
40
C-1
20
20
20
20
20
20
Total AN
19
22
24
25
26
29
content in
Matrix
Visual
10
9
7-8
7-8
7-8
9
Evaluation:
The matrix A-3 contains 25% of AN.
The matrix A-4 contains 19% of AN.
The matrix A-5 contains 33% of AN.
As it can be seen, very good visual evaluation is observed for those glass-fiber reinforced thermoplastic compositions which have a total acrylonitrile content in the matrix of 24 to 26% by weight.
|
Thermoplastic moulding compositions comprising the following components: 5-95% of a copolymer A, 0-60% of a graft rubber B and 5-50% of thin glass fibers C. The copolymer A comprises 70-76% of vinylaromatic monomer(s) A1, 24-30% of vinyl cyanide monomer component(s) A2 and 0-50% of one or more unsaturated copolymerizable monomers A3. The thermoplastic moulding compositions are advantageously used for injection moulding.
| 2
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved extruder screw for use in an extrusion apparatus for working a wide range of solid plastic materials into a substantially homogeneous, molten state suitable for formation into any desired shape by extrusion or injection into a die or mold. More particularly the improved extruder screw, hereinafter, for brevity, referred to as screw, of the present invention is most readily used in what is known as the single screw extruder.
Extrusion, injection molding or blow molding with a single screw extrusion machine or apparatus includes feeding the solid plastic or polymeric material in pellet, chip, powder or flake form to the inlet end or feed section through a hopper mounted in an opening in the top side at or near the drive end of a heated barrel in which the screw is rotatably mounted. The screw includes at least one helical thread integrally mounted or formed on the core to create a channel, down which the plastic is moved downstream from the inlet end to the discharge end by forces exerted by the rotation of the screw.
In the beginning of the art of extrusion, screws having uniform pitch and uniform thread depth were used. It soon became apparent that such screws were very inefficient in bringing the solid plastic material to the desired homogeneous molten condition. Many variations were tried to overcome the problems encountered in trying to improve the technique of extrusion and the very closely related technique of injection molding and blow molding. Some of these variations involved change of pitch, change of channel depth between adjacent threads, providing different sections along the length of the screw where pitch and/or channel depth were varied from section to section. Although these variations did provide significant improvement in the quality of the articles formed by extrusion or injection, hereinafter included within the term extrusion, further improvement was desired.
A review of the more recent art shows that in order to improve the homogenity of the melt, A. J. Palfey, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,456, filed Aug. 3, 1959, feeds molten material from another source to an extruder having a screw with varying root diameter along its length to improve mixing of the molten material as it is forced down the screw.
Maillefer, S. A., a Swiss corporation, was issued British Pat. No. 964,428, published July 22, 1964, for an extruder screw having a constant core diameter that provides several means for separating the molten material from the solid material. One of the means provides a central passage along the axis of the screw into which the molten material flows through small holes in the land of the thread from the main feed channel. Another means uses two threads with different pitch and diameter. The pitch of each thread is such that the second thread originates out of the first or feed thread near the inlet end of the screw where the solid material is fed to the screw and again merges with the feed thread just prior to the discharge end of the screw. The second channel created by the second thread widens downstream while the first or feed channel narrows. The feed thread has a diameter that provides the normal clearance between the thread and the heated barrel while the diameter of the second thread is slightly smaller so that only the molten material can flow over the land of the thread. In the preferred embodiment the feed thread has less pitch so that as molten material is formed it flows over the second thread of less diameter and greater pitch.
A similar type of extruder screw is used by P. Geyer in U.S. Pat. 3,375,549, filed Apr. 5, 1961 for refining and separating plastic material, more particularly, for refining cured or scorched rubber compounds and for separating larger hard particles therefrom. Because of the blind end created by the merging of the two threads, any solid material at the discharge end of the screw is trapped. To remove this trapped solid material, Geyer provides a weep hole at the discharge end which permits the discharge of the solid material separately from the molten refined material.
F. K. Lacher, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,271,819, filed Feb. 26, 1962, disclosed another type of extruder which is similar to Geyer and Maillefer. His screw has a feed section, a transition section and a metering section, and is provided with means for permitting restricted communication between the feed channel and the second channel such that the flow of large particles of unplasticized material from the feed channel to the second channel is restricted. The root diameters of both the original feed channel and the second channel are increased progressively along the transition section.
M. A. Natov, et. al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,400, filed Oct. 23, 1967, are not concerned with the separation of molten material from solid material, but with the providing of resistance to back-flow of plasticized or molten material. They accomplished this by providing a second thread of different pitch intermittently along the first thread. The second thread is of less diameter and makes no contact with the first thread. Although the difference in pitch of the two threads causes some material to flow from one channel to the other, molten material is not separated from solid material at the start or end of the second thread.
H. Schippers et. al., in U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,512, filed Apr. 7, 1971, use a pair of parallel threads of equal pitch. The second thread starts downstream of the first thread in the center of the channel created by the first thread to create two channels of equal cross-sectional area. The diameter of the second thread is such that its clearance with the heated barrel is at least twice that of the first thread. The second thread acts as a shearing screw as material, either solid or molten, is forced to flow over it by inversely varying the root diameters of the two channels. Like Natov et. al., solid material as well as molten material can be present in both channels since no separation is provided at the start or end of the second channel.
R. A. Barr, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,541, filed Aug. 11, 1971, provides such separation. He accomplishes this by using a tapered, forward widening of the feed thread at the end of the feed section. At the start of the next section, which he calls the melting section, the diameter of the leading edge of the widened thread is progressively decreased to the desired diameter of a second thread so that only molten material can flow over the second thread. The undercutting used to effect this decrease in diameter is then continued in such a way as to create the second thread with a constant diameter and a constant pitch but with a subchannel behind it whose root diameter progressively decreases along the melting section. At the same time the root diameter of the original feed channel progressively increases along the melting section to the diameter of the second thread causing the second thread to disappear near the end of the melting section. At the start of the next or transition section, the root diameter of the subchannel is rapidly increased while the root diameter of the original feed channel is rapidly decreased so that the root diameters of the two channels become equal to provide a metering channel of a constant root diameter.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,856, filed Jan. 26, 1973, J. S. Hsu uses an extruder screw similar to Barr but initiates the second thread by a different means. Instead of widening the feed thread in the forward direction, he widens it in the backward direction and immediately decreases the diameter of the leading edge to form a second or barrier thread and starts a second channel behind the barrier thread. The original diameter of the feed thread is maintained on the trailing edge of the widened thread to form a main thread which continues to the end of the screw. In this way, Hsu narrows the feed channel one turn ahead of that of Barr. Another difference is that the barrier thread, the one with the smaller diameter, is a continuation of the feed thread in Hsu's screw whereas in Barr's screw the barrier thread is offset forwardly and not a continuation of the feed thread.
While both screws of Barr and Hsu do provide means for separating the molten material from the solid material, they do it at the expense of narrowing the feed channel down which the solid material is being forced to move by the rotation of the screw, thus impeding the smooth flow of the solid material down the channel. It would be highly desirable to eliminate this impediment of flow.
It is an object of this invention to obtain an efficient and uniform melting of solid plastic material during preparation thereof for extrusion with the least possible interference to the material flow in the screw channel.
Objects ancillary to the foregoing are to teach and define a method to accomplish said objective.
Another object is to provide a method and apparatus for progressively melting solid plastic material in such manner as to establish maximum heat transfer area between the heated barrel of an extruder and the solid material.
A further object is to provide an extruder screw in conformity with the above-cited objects which is easy to manufacture.
It is another object to reduce the power input and thus to reduce the temperature of the molten material as a result of lower shear energy inputs in conveying the molten material in a melt channel separated from the solid material in a solid channel.
Another object, which can be used in conjunction with the above stated objects, to even further ensure homogenity of the discharge molten material, is to provide means for a second transfer of the molten material over a barrier thread inside the extruder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above objects are accomplished by providing an extruder screw structure which subjects the solid feed material to the maximum possible inner surface area of the heated extruder barrel for the maximum plasticization or melting with the least possible interference to the material flow. The screw structure provides separate screw channels for the solid material and the molten material, and causes the molten material as it is formed in the solids channel to flow into the melt channel over a barrier thread which prevents the transfer of the solid material. The optional second transfer of the molten material from the melt channel over a second barrier thread before it is discharged from the screw can be provided in the screw structure. The melt channel originates without a blind end, thus without significantly reducing the total cross-sectional area of the screw channel and without causing significant interference to the material flow in the screw channel. The solid channel terminates without a blind end, thus avoiding the possible fluctuation in the extrusion rate that occurs when a substantial amount of solid material reaches the blind end of the solid channel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The structures and advantages of the extruder screw of the present invention will be better understood and appreciatd by referring to the following detailed description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a partial, fragmented, cross-sectional view of an extruder having the screw of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal, fragmented view of a preferred embodiment of the screw structure of the present invention together with the profiles showing preferred relative channel depths of the screw channels. However, it should be noted that the number of turns of threads shown is not critical and can be varied to meet the desire of the user yet retaining the relative proportions of the root diameters of the respective channels.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings, a single screw extruder is shown in FIG. 1 comprising a conventional hopper 3 and a conventional cylindrical barrel 2 which houses the extruder screw of this invention, which comprises a rotor or screw 1 including a core 1a having integral therewith at least one pair of substantially parallel, helical threads 4 and 7, of which thread 4 is the primary thread and thread 7 is the secondary thread.
Starting from the inlet end or feed end A of screw 1 and proceeding to the outlet end or discharge end G of screw 1, the section between A and C is the feed section with B marking the point of origination of secondary thread 7, the section between C and D is the melting section, the section between D and E is the gating section, the section between E and F is the transition section and the section between F and G is the melting section.
The actual number of turns of threads 4 and 7 around core 1a, hereinafter called turns for brevity, in any section is not a critical feature of this invention. The actual number of turns is based on the particular desires and requirements of the user of screw 1. The number of threads and the pitch of the threads as well as other conventional screw design features can be changed from those indicated in the drawing without affecting the critical features of this invention as disclosed and claimed.
The main objects of this invention are accomplished by the features disclosed for the feed section and the melting section. Generally, when only these features are used, screw 1 is provided with any one of the conventional metering sections of the prior art. However, as more fully discussed later, additional advantages are attained by including the described and illustrated gating section and transition section in conjunction with the disclosed and illustrated feed section and melting section. In this case it is generally desirable, but not requisite, to include a conventional metering section of the prior art such as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The clearance between primary thread 4 and the inner surface of barrel 2 between A and E is substantially constant and is that of a conventional extruder. Primary thread 4, having a substantially constant pitch over its entire length, creates a feed channel 5 between A and B as shown in FIG. 2. The root diameter of feed channel 5 is usually smallest and substantially constant over two or more turns of primary tread 4, but, as is known in the art, its root diameter can be progressively increased gradually, if desired, to accommodate the packing or compression of the solid feed material.
Secondary thread 7 originates in the downstream half of the feed section at B dividing feed channel 5 into two open-ended new channels, melt channel 8 and solids channel 9 as shown in FIG. 2. At B, the longitudinal cross-sectional area, hereinafter referred to as cross-sectional area for brevity, of solids channel 9 is greater than the cross-sectional area of melt channel 8. Generally, the cross-sectional area of melt channel 8 is 20-40 percent, preferably 25-35 percent of the cross-sectional area of feed channel 5 at B. At B the root diameters of melt channel 8, solids channel 9 and feed channel 5 are substantially equal to each other. Therefore, at B, the cross-sectional areas of channels 8 and 9 are proportional to their longitudinal widths. It is convenient to have the longitudinal width of solids channel 9 be twice the longitudinal width of melt channel 8, but other ratios may be used. The diameter of secondary thread 7 from B to D is substantially constant and is less than the diameter of primary thread 4 from A to E and is so chosen that the clearance between secondary thread 7 and barrel 2 from B to D will permit only molten material to flow from solids channel 9 to melt channel 8. The pitch of secondary thread 7 will be substantially equal to the pitch of primary thread 4 since they are substantially parallel to each other. The beginning edge of secondary thread 7 most conveniently arises vertically from the floor of feed channel 5, but may be a sloped or curved surface, if desired, as viewed in the direction of the screw axis. This edge may be blunt, tapered, rounded or other desired shape. Preferably it is so shaped as to minimize resistance to the advancing stream of molten and solid material.
Referring to the channel profiles in FIG. 2, it should be noted that these profiles schematically show the relationship of the various channels to each other as a function of their depth measured from the inside wall of barrel 2 in order to improve the visual perception of the present invention. It will be readily apparent that a decrease of one unit in channel depth corresponds to an increase of one unit in root diameter of the channel.
Screw 1 is rotated by a drive assembly which is not shown because it is not related to the present invention. Barrel 2 generally has conventional heating and cooling means, also not shown. If desired, core 1a can also be provided with conventional heating and cooling means, also not shown. Screw 1, especially of larger diameter, can have two or more pairs of parallel threads 4 and 7. Hopper 3 holds solid material 6, such as plastic or polymer, food, or animal feed, which is fed into screw 1 by gravity. If desired, hopper 3 can be provided with any one of the well-known, conventional feeding devices. Solid material 6 is usually in the form of pellet, powder, chip, bead, flake or crumb, which is compacted into solid plug 11 in feed channel 5 due to the rotation of screw 1. Solid plug 11 is plasticized or melted primarily on the heated, inner surface of barrel 2 as it is conveyed from inlet end A toward discharge end G. Molten material 12 on the inner surface of barrel 2 is scraped from barrel 2 by the advancing, leading edge of primary thread 4 and collected on the leading face of primary thread 4 as a pool of molten material 12, which grows at the expense of solid plug 11 as solid plug 11 is conveyed downstream.
In a conventional extruder, where no means are provided for separation of molten material from solid material, the solid plug frequently breaks up and mixes with the pool of molten material. When this happens, the dispersed solid material can only melt from the heat conducted by the surrounding molten material, which is a slow process due to the low thermal conductivity of the molten polymer compared with the melting process of the solid plug on the inner surface of the barrel. As a result, melting of the dispersed solid material is often incomplete resulting in inclusion of incompletely molten material in the extrudate, which causes poor quality of the formed articles. The novel screw 1 of the present invention, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, prevents break-up of solid plug 11 and eliminates the possibility of discharging incompletely molten material mixed with molten material 12 from screw 1 by providing separate channels for solid plug 11 and molten material 12.
At B, in the downstream half of the feed section, where the pool of molten material 12 has grown to a significant size, i.e., its cross-sectional area is 20-40 percent, preferably 25-35 percent of feed channel 5, but before any break-up of solid plug 11 has occurred, secondary thread 7, having substantially the same pitch as primary thread 4, originates separating feed channel 5 into open-ended melt channel 8 and open-ended solids channel 9. At this point, the cross-sectional area of melt channel 8 is preferably equal to the cross-sectional area of the pool of molten material 12, but can vary therefrom by ± 10 percent of the cross-sectional area of feed channel 5.
From the above description, it is evident that one particular advantage of the screw structure of the present invention, in comparison with the screw structures of the prior art, is that melt channel 8 originates at B: (a) without a blind end, (b) without significantly reducing the total cross-sectional area of the channels between adjacent turns of primary thread 4, (c) without causing significant interference to the material flow from feed channel 5, and (d) without creating a dead spot where molten material 12 can become stagnant.
From B to C, the root diameter of melt channel 8 progressively increases so that at C it becomes preferably, but not necessarily, at least as large as the root diameter of metering channel 10 at G, but no greater than the diameter of secondary thread 7 between B and D. When the root diameter of melt channel 8 at C is increased to the maximum value, i.e., to the diameter of secondary thread 7 between B and D, all of the molten material in melt channel 8 downstream of C will have been subjected to the equivalent of flowing over a barrier equivalent to secondary thread 7 between B and D. The root diameter of solids channel 9 preferably remains substantially constant from B to C as illustrated schematically by the channel depth profiles shown in FIG. 2. However, like the root diameter of feed channel 5 from A to B, this root diameter can be progressively increased gradually, if desired. C is usually located no more than two turns, preferably one-half to one turn of secondary thread 7 downstream from B. Any solid feed material 6 which might enter melt channel 3 at B will be melted by the time it reaches C because of the shearing forces created by the increase in the root diameter of melt channel 8 between B and C.
In the melting section between C and D, which generally contains about two to twenty turns of the pair of threads 4 and 7, the root diameter of solids channel 9 progressively increases gradually while the root diameter of melt channel 8 progressively decreases gradually, i.e., the depth of solids channel 9 progressively decreases gradually and the depth of melt channel 8 progressively increases gradually as schematically illustrated in the channel depth profiles shown in FIG. 2. The root diameter of solids channel 9 at D is preferably, but not necessarily, at least as large as the root diameter of metering channel 10 at G, but no greater than the diameter of secondary thread 7 between B and D. When it is desired that the entire solid material in solid plug 11 entering solids channel 9 at B will be molten and transferred to melt channel 8 by the time it reaches D, it is evident that this can be effected by progressively increasing the root diameter of solids channel 9 in the melting section between C and D to a value so that at D it is equal to the diameter of secondary thread 7 between B and D.
The root diameter of melt channel 8 at D is preferably such that the total cross-sectional area of melt channel 8 and solids channel 9 at D is at least equal to the cross-sectional area of metering channel 10 at F.
Solid plug 11 continues to melt primarily on the inner surface of barrel 2 as it is conveyed down solids channel 9 through the melting section from C to D, and it will be completely melted by the time it reaches D because of the shearing forces created by the increase in the root diameter of solids channel 9 between C and D. Molten material 12 recieves an intensive shearing action and thus becomes refined and homogenized as it flows over secondary thread 7 in the melting section between C and D. Some plastic materials are sufficiently worked by the time they reach this stage and they can be extruded, if desired, generally by using a conventional metering section after D. Where additional homogenization or shearing action is desired, the disclosed and illustrated unique gating and transition sections can be used, generally in conjunction with a conventional metering section.
In the gating section from D to E, which is generally no more than two turns but more than one half turn of the pair of threads 4 and 7, the root diameters of both melt channel 8 and solids channel 9 remain substantially constant. The diameter of secondary thread 7 is increased at D to substantially the diameter of primary thread 4 between A and E and continues at substantially this diameter until its termination at G. Therefore, molten material 12 cannot flow either from solids channel 9 into melt channel 8 or vice versa between D and E.
In the transition section from E to F, which usually is two to eight turns of the pair of threads 4 and 7, the diameter of primary thread 4 is decreased at E to substantially the diameter of secondary thread 7 between B and D so that molten material 12 can flow over primary thread 4 from melt channel 8 into solids channel 9, and the root diameter of melt channel 8 is progressively increased in one of two ways. It can be progressively increased from E to F so that at F it is substantially equal to the root diameter of metering channel 10 at F. The root diameter of metering channel 10 from F to G usually is substantially constant. Alternatively, the root diameter of melt channel 8 can be progressively increased from E up to about one turn or less of the pair of threads 4 and 7 upstream of F to a value greater than the root diameter of metering channel 10 at F but no greater than the diameter of primary thread 4 between E and F, and thereafter, the root diameter of melt channel 8 is progressively decreased so that at F it is substantially equal to the root diameter of metering channel 10 at F. By increasing the root diameter of melt channel 8 to the maximum value, i.e., the diameter of primary thread 4 in the transition section, complete transfer of molten material 12 from melt channel 8 to solids channel 9 is attained.
The root diameter of solids channel 9 progressively decreases from E to F so that at F it is substantially equal to the root diameter of metering channel 10 at F. Thus the root diameters of melt channel 8 and solids channel 9 become substantially equal to each other at F and also equal to the root diameter of metering channel 10 at F.
The molten material 12 is subjected to a second intensive shearing action and becomes further refined and homogenized as it flows over primary thread 4 in the novel transition section. This highlights still another advantage of the screw structure of the present invention in comparison to the screw structures of the prior art in that the molten material 12 collected in melt channel 8 is subjected to further refining or homogenization in the transition section before it is discharged from screw 1.
Another advantage of the screw structure of the present invention in comparison to some of the screw structures of the prior art is that the solids channel 9 terminates at F without a blind end, thus avoiding any fluctuation in the extrusion rate that occurs when a substantial amount of unmolten material reaches the blind end where it remains stagnant until it is melted.
Primary thread 4 terminates at F combining melt channel 8 and solids channel 9 into a metering channel 10. The variations in root diameters of melt channel 8 and solids channel 9, as described above, have ensured complete melting of solid plug 11 before it reaches F. Molten material 12 from melt channel 8 and from solids channel 9 are mixed together in metering channel 10 to further ensure homogenization of molten material 12 before it is discharged from screw 1 at discharge end G resulting in uniform, high quality molten extrudate.
The termination of primary thread 4 at F preferably is accomplished by the same means as described above for the origination of secondary thread 7 at B. In addition, primary thread 4 can be terminated by rapidly and progressively increasing its pitch in no more than one turn, preferably no more than one-quarter turn of primary thread 4, so that it merges with the adjacent, downstream secondary thread 7. Over the termination portion where the pitch it increased, the diameter of primary thread 4 usually is maintained substantially constant at substantially its same value from E so that all of molten material 12 in melt channel 8 will be subjected to a second shearing action while flowing over primary thread 4. In essence, the termination of primary thread 4 by rapidly increasing its pitch provides an alternative, but less desirable means of ensuring a second transfer of molten material 12 over a barrier as is provided by increasing the root diameter of melt channel 8 in the transition section to its maximum value as discussed previously.
When it is desired to subject the entire feed solid material 6 either one or two times to the refining and shearing action provided by a restrictive barrier equal to that provided by secondary thread 7 in the melting section, thus ensuring complete homogenity and complete absence of unmolten or incompletely molten material in the extrudate, it is obvious from the above discussion that this desire can be attained by using one or more of the maximum disclosed values for the root diameters of melt channel 8 at C, melt channel 8 at a point slightly upstream of F and solids channel 9 at D. However, for most plastic materials complete melting and homogenity is achieved readily with the above-described screw 1 by using less than these maximum values.
Some of the important advantages, other than those already mentioned above, in screw 1 of the present invention in comparison to the screws of the prior art, are an increased melting capacity resulting from the increased contact area between solid plug 11 and barrel 2, a lower melt temperature resulting from the fact that the molten material 12 is collected and transported in the deep melt channel 8, and a more stable extrusion rate resulting from the fact that the width of solid plug 11 is kept constant and its thickness is decreased during the melting process to compensate for the amount of molten material 12 transferred from solids channel 9 to melt channel 8 thereby avoiding gross deformation and possible break-up of solid plug 11. It should be remembered that the thickness, not the width, of solid plug 11 is decreased by the melting process because melting occurs primarily at the top of solid plug 11 between the inner surface of barrel 2 and solid plug 11.
The present invention obviously is not limited to screw 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. Some of the variations have been discussed in conjunction with the description of the preferred embodiments. One possible further modification is that secondary thread 7 terminates at F and primary thread 4 continues from F to G with its diameter restored to substantially its initial value between A and E. Another modification is that screw 1 ends at F. Still another modification is that the gating section between D and E is very short, eliminated or replaced by extension of the melting section and/or the transition section. Although it is generally desirable to maintain the diameters of threads 4 and 7 substantially constant in each section as disclosed, if one should desire to vary the thread diameter in any section for any reason, for example, to change the rate of transfer of molten material 12 from solids channel 9 into melt channel 8 along the melting section, this can be accomplished by varying the appropriate thread diameter from its normal value at the place where a variation in transfer rate is desired. Still another modification is that primary thread 4 terminates at E, rather than at F. In this case, the spreading of molten material 12 from the deep melt channel 8 into the shallow solids channel 9 is aided by the rotation of screw 1, unlike the screws of the prior art. If desired, the discharge end of screw 1 can be connected to another extruder or other apparatus utilizing molten feed material.
Where I have taught that certain values are substantially constant or substantially equal, by which I mean within the normal, acceptable machining tolerances, such values are desirable to obtain the maximum advantages of my invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that variations outside these tolerances can be made without sacrificing all of the advantages of my invention.
All of these variations as well as other variations or modifications which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art on reading this disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings are within the full and intended scope of the invention as defined by the attached claims.
|
An extruder screw for plastic extruding apparatus effects continuous separation of the molten plastic from the unmolten plastic with minimal interference with the flow of the plastic material being processed. Optionally, means are provided for additional mixing and homogenization of the molten plastic.
| 1
|
[0001] This invention was made with government support under grant number CA 81511 awarded by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute. The government has certain rights to the invention.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention is related to the field of cancer therapy. More particularly, it is related to the area of studying the p53 gene and development of therapeutics related to cancers containing p53 mutations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] p53 inactivation and cancer. The tumor suppressor gene p53 is of central importance for the genetic stability of human cells (Donehower and Bradley, 1993; Haffner and Oren, 1995; Gottlieb and Oren, 1996; Ko and Prives, 1996; Hansen and Oren, 1997; Levine, 1997). The p53 protein is active as a homo-tetramer and exerts its tumor suppressor function mainly as a transcription factor that induces G1 and G2 cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis (Donehower and Bradley, 1993; Haffner and Oren, 1995; Gottlieb and Oren, 1996; Ko and Prives, 1996; Hansen and Oren, 1997; Levine, 1997; Hermeking et al., 1998). The p53-mediated G1 arrest is its best characterized activity and involves transcriptional activation of the downstream gene p21 WAF1/CIP1/SDI1 (Haffner and Oren, 1995; Gottlieb and Oren, 1996; Ko and Prives, 1996; Hansen and Oren, 1997; Levine, 1997). Other downstream effector genes for p53-mediated G1 arrest may exist, since p21 −/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts do not show complete abrogation of GI arrest after DNA damage (Brugarolas et al., 1995; Deng et al., 1995). The G2/M block mediated by p53 involves, at least in part, induction of 14-3-3σ (Hermeking et al., 1998).
[0004] The mechanisms for apoptosis induction and their relative importance remain less clear at present. In certain settings p53 clearly induces pro-apoptotic genes. These include BAX and Fas/APO1 (Miyashita and Reed, 1995; Owen-Schaub et al., 1995) neither of which, however, is an absolute requirement for p53-induced apoptosis (Knudson et al., 1995; Fuchs et al., 1997; Yin et al., 1997). Recently, many more genes have been identified that are induced directly or indirectly during p53-mediated apoptosis (Polyak et al., 1997; Wu et al., 1997; Yin et al., 1998), but the essential genes for p53-induced apoptosis still have to be determined. Transcriptional repression of anti-apoptotic genes, such as bcl-2, may play a role (Haldar et al., 1994; Miyashita et al., 1994) and other non-transcriptional mechanisms may be important as well (Caelles et al., 1994; Wagner et al., 1994; Haupt et al., 1995; Wang et al., 1996; White, 1996).
[0005] Several upstream signals activate p53. These include DNA damage, hypoxia and critically low ribonucleoside triphosphate pools (Kastan et al., 1991; Graeber et al., 1996; Linke et al., 1996). Once activated, p53 induces either cell cycle arrest or apoptosis, depending on several factors such as the amount of DNA damage, cell type and cellular milieu, e.g., presence or absence of growth factors (Donehower and Bradley, 1993; Haffner and Oren, 1995; Gottlieb and Oren, 1996; Ko and Prives, 1996; Hansen and Oren, 1997; Levine, 1997).
[0006] Cancer cells show decreased fidelity in replicating their DNA, often resulting in DNA damage, and tumor masses have inadequate neovascularization leading to ribonucleoside triphosphate or oxygen deprivation, all upstream signals that activate p53. In view of p53's capability to induce cell cycle arrest or apoptosis under these conditions it is not surprising that absent or significantly reduced activity of the tumor suppressor protein p53 is a characteristic of more than half of all human cancers (Hollstein et al., 1991; Harris and Hollstein, 1993; Greenblatt et al., 1994). In the majority of cancers, p53 inactivation is caused by missense mutations in one p53 allele, often with concomitant loss-of-heterozygosity (Michalovitz et al., 1991; Vogelstein and Kinzler, 1992; Donehower and Bradley, 1993; Levine, 1997). These mutations affect almost exclusively the core DNA-binding domain of p53 that is responsible for making contacts with p53 DNA-binding sites (Cho et al., 1994), while mutations in the N-terminal transactivation domain or the C-terminal tetramerization domain are extremely rare (FIG. 1) (Beroud and Soussi, 1998; Cariello et al., 1998; Hainaut et al., 1998). Contrary to wild-type p53, p53 cancer mutants have a long half-life and accumulate to high levels in cancer cells (Donehower and Bradley, 1993; Lowe, 1995). This may be explained by their inability to activate the MDM-2 gene (Lane and Hall, 1997), since mdm-2 induces degradation of p53 via the ubiquitin pathway as part of a negative feedback loop (Haupt et al., 1997; Kubbutat et al., 1997). The unusually high frequency of p53 missense mutations in human cancers (as opposed to mutations resulting in truncated proteins) is explained by their dominant-negative effect that depends on the intact C-terminal tetramerization domain. The C-terminus allows p53 cancer mutants to form hetero-tetramers with wild-type p53 (Milner and Medcalf, 1991), thus reducing, or even abrogating, the activity of wild-type p53 protein (Michalovitz et al., 1991; Vogelstein and Kinzler, 1992; Hann, 1995; Brachmann et al., 1996; Ko and Prives, 1996). In addition, there is evidence that at least some of the same missense mutations may confer a gain-of-function (Gottlieb and Oren, 1996; Ko and Prives, 1996; Levine, 1997).
[0007] p53 abnormalities and cancer therapy. Considering the activities of the p53 tumor suppressor protein, reconstitution of wild-type p53 activity to cancers would be of large therapeutic benefit, an idea that is supported by several lines of evidence from epidemiological, clinical and basic cancer research (Fisher, 1994; Lowe, 1995; Harris, 1996a).
[0008] Several human malignancies that are usually diagnosed at a young age, such as testis cancer, pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia and Wilms tumor, can be successfully eradicated even at advanced stages. They all have in common that they carry wild-type p53 (Heimdal et al., 1993; Wada et al., 1993; Malkin et al., 1994). At the same time, subgroups of these malignancies with a poor prognosis, for example the anaplastic variant of Wilms tumor, commonly do carry p53 mutations (Bardeesy et al., 1995). Similarly, tumor types that are often resistant to conventional therapies and difficult to treat at advanced stages, such as lung, prostate, colorectal, breast, head and neck, pancreatic and gastric cancers, show a high frequency of p53 mutations (Hollstein et al., 1991; Fisher, 1994; Lowe, 1995; Harris, 1996a; Beroud and Soussi, 1998; Cariello et al., 1998; Hainaut et al., 1998).
[0009] These findings have spurred great interest in exploring p53 as a predictive marker for response to therapy and for overall prognosis. The majority of cancer types have been evaluated to some extent, and the publications are too numerous to be summarized here. As an example, studies in breast, head and neck, lung and ovarian cancers have found a good correlation between p53 abnormalities and poor survival and poor response to therapy (Thor et al., 1992; Allred et al., 1993; Bergh et al., 1995; Rusch et al., 1995; Sauter et al., 1995; Righetti et al., 1996; Bems et al., 1998; Huang et al., 1998). The results are not always unequivocal, as some studies were unable to detect a statistically significant difference between cancers with and without functional p53 (Isola et al., 1992; Elledge et al., 1995). These discrepancies may be due to confounding factors. For example, a cancer with a poor prognosis because of degradation of p53 by overexpressed mdm-2 may be incorrectly scored as a cancer with functional p53 if the mdm-2 status of the cancer is not evaluated. In addition, the sample size of many studies was not large enough to make firm conclusions.
[0010] Strong evidence for a central role of p53-mediated apoptosis in cancer therapy is provided by experiments in cell lines with and without functional p53. Comparison of wild-type and p53-deficient thymocytes established that p53 is required for radiation- and etoposide-induced apoptosis (Clarke et al., 1993; Lowe et al., 1993a). Similar experiments in adenovirus E1A transformed mouse embryo fibroblasts showed that apoptosis induced by radiation, 5-fluorouracil, etoposide and adriamycin also depends on functional p53 in these cells (Lowe et al., 1993b). These studies were extended into a mouse model where again only tumors with functional p53 showed good treatment responses to radiation and adriamycin, while p53-negative tumors were highly resistant to therapy and showed little evidence of apoptosis (Lowe et al., 1994). Results of the Developmental Therapeutics Program of the NCI impressively and independently confirmed these findings. An analysis of the cytostatic and cytotoxic effects of 123 compounds on 60 different human cancer cell lines showed a very good correlation between p53 mutations and resistance to many commonly used chemotherapeutic agents (O'Connor et al., 1997; Weinstein et al., 1997). All these data do not necessarily indicate that functional p53 is absolutely essential for chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. In fact, chemotherapy drugs can kill cancer cells through p53-independent mechanisms (Kaufmann, 1989; Strasser et al., 1994; Bracey et al., 1995). The sum of the evidence, however, suggests that cancer agents are significantly more effective in the presence of p5 3 (Fisher, 1994; Lowe, 1995; Harris, 1996a).
[0011] Based on the discussed studies and the general knowledge about p53, p53 and its pathways have been recognized as a prime target for developing new cancer therapies (Fisher, 1994; Gibbs and Oliff, 1994; Kinzler and Vogelstein, 1994; Lowe, 1995; Milner, 1995; Harris, 1996a). In particular, the high frequency of p53 mutations in cancers makes therapeutic strategies for restoring this tumor suppressor pathway highly desirable since a large number of patients could potentially benefit. It has been estimated that every year approximately 330,000 patients in the United States and 2.4 million patients worldwide are diagnosed with cancers that contain p53 mutations (Harris, 1996a, 1996b).
[0012] Strategies to partially or completely restore wild-type p53 function to cancer cells. Restoration of wild-type p53 activity to cancer cells is the most direct way of making cancer cells more susceptible to apoptosis and can be pursued in two ways. The first strategy is to reintroduce wild-type p53, perhaps by gene therapy (Roth et al., 1996; Barinaga, 1997; Nielsen and Maneval, 1998), and does not rely on the p53 status of a given cancer. The current major challenge is efficient and selective targeting of wild-type p53 expression constructs to the cancerous cells (Nielsen and Maneval, 1998). A major drawback of this approach is that it may be less effective for cancers with vast amounts of a dominant-negative p53 cancer mutant. This strategy would be greatly aided by the availability of p53 proteins that are resistant to the dominant-negative effects of p53 cancer mutants and that are superior to wild-type p53 in inducing apoptosis, classes of p53 proteins that to date have not been described.
[0013] The second strategy is only possible because of the unique pattern of p53 missense mutations in human cancers and aims at therapeutically exploiting the abundant p53 mutant protein found in many cancers. Since the resulting p53 cancer mutants are full-length proteins each with a structurally altered core domain, but an intact transactivation domain and an intact C-terminal tetramerization domain, one could restore wild-type activity to the p53 cancer mutants in these tumors (Gibbs and Oliff, 1994; Lowe, 1995; Milner, 1995; Harris, 1996a). This can be achieved in at least two ways. One attempt has been to interfere with the extreme C-terminal autoregulatory domain of p53 by using antibodies (Halazonetis and Kandil, 1993; Hupp et al., 1993; Abarzua et al., 1995; Niewolik et al., 1995) or peptides spanning part of this region (Hupp et al., 1995; Abarzua et al., 1996; Selivanova et al., 1997). This strategy presumably activates p53 cancer mutants by blocking the ability of the very C-terminus to fold back onto and inhibit the p53 core domain. It could succeed with p53 cancer mutants that retain residual activity and which only require additional activation to exceed the threshold required for biological effects. However, antibodies and peptides clearly cannot be delivered efficiently to cancer cells in patients (Selivanova et al., 1997). Small molecule compounds with similar effects could overcome this problem, but their design is currently not feasible since the exact structural basis of this negative autoregulation and of its neutralization by antibodies or peptides is not known due to lack of a crystal structure for the full-length p53 protein (Ko and Prives, 1996; Selivanova et al., 1997). In addition, this approach may activate mutant and wild-type p53 proteins indiscriminately, thus possibly causing significant side effects due to inappropriate wild-type p53-induced apoptosis in normal tissues.
[0014] A more direct approach is to revert the effects of tumorigenic mutations on the structure and function of the p53 core domain itself by means of small molecules. This strategy is preferable since it is predicted to selectively stabilize p53 cancer mutants. It also holds the promise of restoring function to completely inactive p53 cancer mutants. Restoring the normal configuration to a p53 cancer mutant is considered more challenging than inhibiting the function of a protein by small molecules (Gibbs and Oliff, 1994). However, there are examples: small molecule compounds that bind the central cavity of the hemoglobin tetramer can act as allosteric effectors and stabilize the T state of hemoglobin over the R state (Abraham et al., 1992); and small molecule compounds that stabilize the transthyretin tetramer against dissociation can prevent amyloid fibril formation in vitro (Miroy et al., 1996). Furthermore, the technology of structure-based drug design is steadily advancing so that this challenge may be met (Bohacek et al., 1996; Marrone et al., 1997).
[0015] p53 mutations and the p53 core DNA-binding domain. These considerations make it clear that a detailed understanding of the structural consequences of p53 cancer mutations on the p53 core domain is needed. More significantly, stabilizing mechanisms must be identified that can override the deleterious structural effects of p53 cancer mutations.
[0016] The crystal structure of the wild-type p53 core domain has given enormous insight into how p53 interacts with its DNA-binding sites (Cho et al., 1994). The structures of the C-terminal tetramerization domain and of the N-terminal transactivation domain (complexed to mdm-2) have been determined as well (Clore et al., 1994; Jeffrey et al., 1995; Kussie et al., 1996). The structure of the full-length protein as a homo-tetramer, however, is solely based on computer modeling (Jeffrey et al., 1995) and suggests that the core domain functions as a separate entity that is connected to the other domains through flexible linkers. The core domain spans 191 amino acids and consists of a β sandwich that serves as the scaffold for two large loops (termed L2 and L3) and a loop-sheet-helix motif. The loops and the loop-sheet-helix motif form the DNA-binding surface of p53 and provide contacts to the DNA backbone and the edges of the bases (FIG. 1A). This structural organization was considered unique until the recent discovery of p73 made it clear that p53 is actually part of a family of transcription factors (Jost et al., 1997; Kaghad et al., 1997). The vast majority of tumor-derived p53 missense mutations map to this core domain (FIG. 1B) and invariably result in the reduction or loss of DNA-binding. These cancer mutations are predicted to fall into two classes; one class of mutations maps to DNA-contacting residues and eliminates p53-DNA contacts (functional mutations); the other, larger class of mutations probably affects the structural integrity of the DNA-binding domain (structural mutations). These structural defects may range from small structural shifts to the global destabilization and unfolding of the p53 core domain. The most frequent p53 cancer mutations affect amino acids that are part of important structures of the p53 core domain, such as the L3 loop and the loop-sheet-helix motif that provide DNA contacts. However, the high frequency of a mutation does not predict how deleterious its effects on the structural integrity of the core domain are, since the frequency of these mutations is also determined by exogenous carcinogens and endogenous biological processes (Donehower and Bradley, 1993; Greenblatt et al., 1994).
[0017] To date, our understanding of the structural consequences of p53 cancer mutations is limited to predictions using the structure of the wild-type p53 core domain, biochemical data (Cho et al., 1994) and experiments with monoclonal antibodies that recognize areas of the p53 core domain that are not accessible in the correctly folded state (Donehower and Bradley, 1993; Gottlieb and Oren, 1996; Levine, 1997). Similarly, very little is known about how the effects of cancer mutations can be overcome.
[0018] There is a need in the art for the identification of small molecules and proteins that will restore function to mutant p53 proteins. Such small molecules and proteins will increase the ability of mutant p53 to induce cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis. There is also a need in the art for reagents to aid in the development and identification of such p53 suppressors.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0019] These and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing one or more of the embodiments described below. In one embodiment of the invention a non-naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule encoding wild-type human p53 protein is provided. The p53 protein has a sequence shown in SEQ ID NOs: 54-57. The nucleic acid employs a plurality of alternative codons to those present in naturally occurring wild-type human p53 coding sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 58-61. At least a portion of the alternative codons provides additional unique restriction sites to the human p53 coding sequence.
[0020] In another embodiment of the invention a non-naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule is provided. The nucleic acid molecule employs a plurality of alternative codons to those present in naturally occurring wild-type human p53 coding sequence. The alternative codons do not cause amino acid changes from wild-type human p53. At least a portion of the alternative codons provides additional unique restriction sites to the human p53 coding sequence. The nucleic acid further comprises a p53 mutation of a human cancer.
[0021] In a further embodiment of the invention a non-naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule is provided. The nucleic acid molecule employs a plurality of alternative codons to those present in naturally occurring wild-type human p53 coding sequence. The alternative codons cause no amino acid changes from wild-type p53. At least a portion of the alternative codons provides additional unique restriction sites to the human p53 coding sequence. The nucleic acid further contains a mutation in a codon for a residue that is post-translationally modified in wild-type p53. The mutation prevents post-translational modification of the residue.
[0022] These and other embodiments of the invention, which will be apparent to those of skill in the art, provide the art with reagents to develop p53 suppressors for the treatment of cancer. Vectors that contain these reagents exhibit better expression in host cells and are more amenable to manipulation to arrive at p53 suppressors for treatment of cancer. Gene therapy for treatment of cancers with p53 mutations using these nucleic acids is also provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] [0023]FIGS. 1A and 1B. Structure of the p53 core DNA-binding domain and pattern of missense mutations within the core domain. FIG. 1A shows the structure of the p53 core domain. A β sandwich serves as the scaffold for two large loops (termed L2 and L3) and a loop-sheet-helix motif. The loops and the loop-sheet-helix motif form the DNA binding surface of p53. The L3 loop makes DNA contacts in the minor groove, while the H2 α helix and the L1 loop of the loop-sheet-helix motif make contacts in the major groove. The L2 and L3 loops provide stability to the DNA-binding surface through interactions with a Zn atom (Cho et al., 1994.) FIG. 1B is a map of tumor-derived p53 core domain mutations against a schematic p53 protein. The vast majority of tumor-derived p53 missense mutations map to the p53 core domain as shown by the mutation histogram superimposed on the schematic p53 protein. Six “hot spot” codons are preferentially mutated due to exogenous carcinogens and endogenous biological processes. Mutations in the N-terminal transactivation and the C-terminal tetramerization domain are exceedingly rare. The white box in the very C-terminus indicates the location of the autoregulatory domain.
[0024] [0024]FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2 C, and 2 D show the design and characterization of a new p53 open reading frame. FIG. 2A is a comparison of the p53 open reading frame before and after cloning to introduce multiple restriction sites by silent mutagenesis. Before cloning of the new open reading frame, suppressor mutations with the most frequent p53 cancer mutations required a significant amount of subcloning. FIG. 2B shows that the new pTW500 expression plasmid (designer-p53 gene) and pRB16 (native p53 gene) have the same phenotype, Ura + Foa S , in a yeast strain with the reporter gene 1cUAS53::URA3. FIG. 2C shows that pTW500 and pRB16 have equal growth in SC-Ura media. A control strain with the reporter gene alone does not grow, while a strain with the URA3 gene shows superior growth. FIG. 2D shows that the new p53 expression plasmid pTW500 leads to similar p53 protein levels in yeast, as compared to the previously used pRB16.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 3 shows the p53 cancer mutation to be analyzed. The p53 cancer mutations were chosen by their relative frequency in human cancer. All eight cancer mutations that will be used for the search of suppressor mutations are located at “hot spot” codons, codons that have a particularly high frequency of mutations. The first set and the second set of mutations (chosen for the subcloning analysis) comprise approximately 37% of all human cancers with p53 mutations. This is estimated to correspond to 123,000 cancer patients per year in the United States and 890,000 cancer patients worldwide (Harris, 1996a, 1996b.)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] The inventor has discovered alternative p53 open reading frames with amino acid sequences identical to a wild-type p53 amino acid sequence. The open reading frames optimize cloning with and expression of p53 nucleotide sequences. The p53 nucleotide sequences can be delivered by gene therapy vectors to human cancers containing p53 mutations to optimize expression of wild-type p53. P53 suppressor mutations can be readily cloned into the alternative p53 open reading frames. Gene therapy vectors containing these sequences can be delivered to human cells containing a mutation in p53.
[0027] A naturally occurring wild-type human p53 coding sequence may be any wild-type human p53 that is naturally found in humans and is characterized by wild-type p53 activity. Examples of such polymorphic human p53 sequences can be found at the www host server, iarc.fr domain name, p53/Polymorphism.html#Table directory. Preferably the human p53 coding sequence has the sequence of GenBank Accession number NP — 000537 (SEQ ID NO: 58). Common polymorphisms include GAT at codon 21, CCA at codon 36, CGG at codon 213, TCG at codon 47, and CCC at codon 72. One or more polymorphisms can be found in a single coding sequence. Most preferably the wild-type human p53 coding sequence is any of sequences SEQ ID NO: 58-61.
[0028] Similarly, the wild-type human p53 protein sequence is the sequence of any p53 protein that exhibits wild-type human p53 activity. Preferably the p53 sequence is the sequence found at GenBank Accession number NP — 000537 (SEQ ID NO: 55). If the wild-type human p53 sequence is the sequence of a different polymorphic form of p53, preferably it has a Ser at residue 47 (SEQ ID NO: 56) or Pro at residue 72 (SEQ ID NO: 54), or both (SEQ ID NO: 57).
[0029] Non-naturally occurring alternative codons may be preferable for use in mammalian cells, yeast cells, bacterial cells, or any combination thereof. The alternative codons may also be more preferred for use in Drosophila cells. Any number of alternative codons may be introduced into the sequence of the wild-type human p53 coding sequence. Preferably at least 2, at least 5, at least 10, at least 15, at least 20, at least 25, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, at least 75, at least 100, at least 120, at least 140, or at least 150 alternative codons may be introduced. The codons do not change the amino acid sequence of the p53 protein. The alternative codons can be introduced for any known purpose in the art. The alternative codons may be introduced to insert a new restriction enzyme cleavage site into the open reading frame, to delete a restriction enzyme cleavage site from the open reading frame, to produce a polymorphic p53 found in the human population that does not change the p53 amino acid sequence, or to optimize expression of the p53 nucleic acids in a particular organism.
[0030] At least a portion of the alternative codons provides additional unique restriction sites to the human p53 sequence. A portion is any percentage of the total number of alternative codons introduced into the p53 sequence. The portion may be at least 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 75%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or 99% of all the alternative codons introduced into the p53 encoding nucleic acids. The non-naturally occurring p53 nucleic acids may contain at least 1, at least 5, at least 10, at least 15, at least 20, at least 25, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, at least 75, or at least 100 additional restriction sites as a result of introducing alternative codons.
[0031] Preferably the nucleic acid will have the nucleotide sequence of one of the three artificial p53 open reading frames as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1-3. The nucleic acid sequence may also contain a polymorphism common in the human population. SEQ ID NO: 62-64 are polymorphic variants of SEQ ID NO: 1. SEQ ID NO: 65-67 are polymorphic variants of SEQ ID NO: 2. SEQ ID NO: 68-70 are polymorphic variants of SEQ ID NO: 3.
[0032] The nucleic acids of the invention can be deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules such as mRNA. The nucleic acids can be linear nucleic acids or they can be cloned into any suitable vector. Suitable vectors include plasmids, artificial chromosomes, or viral genomes. Plasmids are well known in the art and include plasmids that are suitable for introduction of the p53 gene into bacterial, yeast, mammalian, insect, or other eukaryotic cells or organisms. The plasmids may be available through a commercial vendor, or may be noncommercial plasmids, or derivatives thereof. Artificial chromosomes are preferably the artificial chromosomes of humans, yeast, or bacteria. Viral vectors are also well known in the art. Preferably the viral genome is the genome of an adeno-associated virus, adenovirus, herpes virus, retrovirus, or vaccinia virus. Viral vectors such as Baculovirus may also be used for subsequent use in insect cells.
[0033] p53-encoding nucleic acids can be introduced into a vector by any technique known for this purpose. Several nonlimiting examples of such techniques include restriction enzyme digestion of the p53 nucleic acids and direct ligation into a vector, or PCR amplification of the p53 nucleic acids and subsequent cloning by restriction enzyme digestion and ligation into a vector. Other techniques for cloning the p53 nucleic acids into a vector can be found in Sambrook, J., Fritsch, E. and Maniatis, T., Molecular Cloning. A Laboratory Manual Second Edition. Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., and Ausubel, F. M. et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology . Wiley, Interscience New York (1987). Methods of mutagenesis of the p53 nucleic acids can also be found in these references.
[0034] It is also contemplated that the nucleic acid encoding an alternative p53 open reading frame can further comprise regulatory sequences that enhance the expression of the p53 gene. Promoters and enhancers are well known to those of skill in the art. Several nonlimiting examples include constitutive promoters such as the strong promoters of cytomegalovirus, SV40, or Rous sarcoma virus. Promoters can also be inducible promoters that are induced by drugs like tetracycline, or tissue specific promoters. Tissue specific promoters include the albumin promoter for expression in the liver, the myosin light chain 1 promoter for expression in muscle and endothelial cells, the surfactant protein A or keratin 18 for expression in lung, and the prostate specific antigen (PSA) promoter, the probasin (PB) promoter, or the prostate specific membrane antigen promoter for expression in prostate. Tumor specific promoters can also be used. Tumor specific promoters include the tyrosine kinase promoter for B16 melanomas, the DF3/MUC1 promoters for certain breast cancers, and the a fetoprotein promoter of hepatomas. Enhancers may be used from viruses such as Rous sarcoma virus, hepatitis B virus, or simian virus-40 can be used. Enhancers from the cyclic AMP response element, serum response element, nuclear factor kappa b element, activator protein 1, or serum response factor may be used as well. Any enhancers known in the art can be used.
[0035] The nucleic acids encoding human p53 may further comprise a selectable marker gene. The selectable marker gene allows easy detection of the transfer of the p53 nucleic acids into a suitable host cell. Selectable marker genes may be genes that confer resistance to a toxic agent such as an antibiotic. Antibiotic resistance genes include those for ampicillin, tetracycline, puromycin, neomycin, and hygromycin. The selectable marker gene may confer resistance to a toxic agent; such genes include the adenine deaminase, aminoglycoside phosphotransferase, dehydrofolate reductase or xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase gene. The selectable marker gene may alternatively be a reporter gene whose expression is monitored readily by assay. Several nonlimiting examples of such reporter genes are chloramphenicol transacetylase, firefly luciferase, beta galactosidase, secreted alkaline phosphatase, and beta glucuronidase. The marker gene can also be a gene that allows growth of a cell on medium lacking an amino acid. An example of a selectable marker gene of yeast is the URA3 gene. Counterselectable genes can also be used with yeast such as LYS2, LYS5, CAN1, MET2, MET15, and GAL1. Other such marker genes are known in the art.
[0036] The nucleic acids of the invention can also be isolated or in a cell. The cells can be of any type including mammalian cells, insect cells, Drosophila cells, yeast cells or bacterial cells. If the cells are mammalian cells, they can be the cells of any species including humans, mice, monkeys, pigs, rats, cows, horses, cats, or dogs. The mammalian cells can further be manipulated to knock out one or both endogenous copies of the cell's p53 genes encoded in its cellular DNA, thus allowing study of the alternative human p53 nucleic acids alone in the cells.
[0037] The mammalian cells can be in the body of a mammal or may be in in vitro culture. If the cells are in culture, the cells may be primary cells or may be a stable cell line. The cells may also contain a different wild type p53 gene or may have a p53 gene encoding a p53 mutation that has been identified as being associated with a human cancer, a p53 mutation that has not yet been associated with a human cancer, or a p53 mutation that is not associated with a human cancer. The cells may also be tumor cells that may or may not contain a mutant p53 gene. If the cells are in the body of a mammal the non-naturally occurring p53 nucleic acids can be introduced as gene therapy to supply p53 activity or additional p53 activity to the cells.
[0038] The human p53 nucleic acids may be introduced into cells by any means known in the art. The nucleic acids may be inserted into the cells by direct transfer, by microinjecting the nucleic acids into the cells. The nucleic acids may also be complexed in a lipid preparation such as liposomes, or coacervated with a polymeric cation. The nucleic acids may alternatively be transferred into cells by electroporation, using DEAE dextran or calcium phosphate. The human p53 nucleic acids may further be transferred into cells using viruses with suitable characteristics for entry into the cells. The transfer of the p53 nucleic acids into the cells may achieve stable or transient transfection.
[0039] The non-naturally occurring p53 nucleic acids may be introduced into cells for expression and purification of p53 proteins. The purified human p53 protein may be used for crystallographic studies or for in vitro assays. Alternatively, the human p53 protein expressed from the non-naturally occurring nucleic acids may be assayed for activity in the cells. Yeast functional assays can be performed with the p53 expressed from the non-naturally occurring nucleic acids introduced into yeast (Brachmann et al., 1996; Vidal et al., 1996). Similarly mammalian cell assays have been developed for the study of p53 function. (Lowe et al., 1993b.)
[0040] The non-naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule may additionally contain a p53 mutation found in a human cancer. The mutation may be any p53 mutation found in a human cancer. Human cancers containing p53 mutations include tumors of the digestive organs, respiratory system, breast, female genital organs, head and neck, hematopoeitic system, skin, brain, bladder, male genital organs, soft tissues, bone and others. Mutations of human p53 found in cancer include, but are not limited to: Lys132Arg; Cys135Tyr; Cys141Tyr; Pro151Ser; Gly154Val; Val157Phe; Arg158His; Arg158Leu; Ala161Thr; Tyr163Cys; Val173Leu; Val173Met; Arg175His; Cys176Phe; Cys176Tyr; His179Arg; His179Tyr; Ile195Thr; Tyr205Cys; His214Arg; Tyr220Cys; Tyr234Cys; Met237Ile; Cys238Tyr; Ser241Phe; Cys242Phe; Gly245Asp; Gly245Cys; Gly245Ser; Gly245Val; Arg248Gln; Arg248Leu; Arg248Trp; Arg249Met; Arg249Ser; Gly266Arg; Gly266Glu; Val272Met; Arg273Cys; Arg273His; Arg273Leu; Cys275Tyr; Pro278Leu; Pro278Ser; Arg280Lys; Arg280Thr; Asp281Glu; Arg282Trp; Glu285Lys; and Glu286Lys. Preferably the non-naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule containing a mutation found in a human cancer has a nucleotide sequence shown in one of SEQ ID NO: 4-53. It is also contemplated that the nucleic acid additionally contains a suppressor mutation of the p53 mutation that is found in human cancer.
[0041] Alternatively a non-naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule may contain a mutation in a codon for a residue that is post-translationally modified in wild-type p53. The mutation prevents posttranslational modification of the residue. The posttranslational modification may be phosphorylation, acetylation, sumoylation, or ubiquitylation.
[0042] The residue modified by posttranslational modification may be any residue. If the posttranslational modification is phosphorylation, the residue modified may be any serine, threonine, or tyrosine. Preferably the residue modified is a serine at residue 6, 9, 15, 20, 33, 37, 46, 315, 371, 376, 378, or 392, or the threonine at residue 18 or 81. If the residue is modified by acetylation/deacetylation the residue is preferably a lysine at residue 320, 370, 372, 373, 381, or 382. If the residue is modified by sumoylation/desumoylation the residue is preferably the lysine at residue 386.
[0043] While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
[0044] A new p53 open reading frame for identification and evaluation of intragenic suppressor mutations of the most common p53 cancer mutations. Our previous study clearly established that various mechanisms for stabilizing the p53 core domain exist; and it is very likely that additional ones are waiting to be discovered (Brachmann et al., 1998). In light of the discovered p53 suppressor mutations and the need for a comprehensive analysis for the most common p53 cancer mutations, we have designed a much-improved strategy that will require more initial effort, but dramatically streamline future analyses. The design is based on several shortcomings that we encountered and includes the synthesis of a new p53 ORF with multiple restriction sites, as well as specific codon choices for p53 cancer mutations to allow for easy secondary screens.
[0045] Once we had isolated the suppressor mutations in our prior study, we were very interested in establishing whether these mutations would be able to suppress other cancer mutations. This was fairly easily achieved for mutations such as T123A and T123P yet very cumbersome for N239Y, S240N and N268D due to the scarcity of naturally present restriction sites. We therefore synthesized an entirely new p53 ORF that includes a multitude of unique restriction sites or sites with one additional site in the vector. The introduction of restriction sites by silent mutagenesis was performed using the program WebCutter 2.0 (http file type, www host server, firstmarket.com domain name, cutter/cut2.html directory) and the result is shown in FIG. 2A.
[0046] The new ORF was assembled from four fragments that were 379, 249, 257 and 325 base pairs long. Between 3 and 8 clones were sequenced for each of the p53 ORF fragments. This identified clones without mutations for 2 of the 4 fragments. The third fragment could be constructed by combining the areas of two clones without mutations. The fourth fragment was constructed by repairing a single mutation with oligonucleotides. After assembling the entire new p53 ORF with the ADH1-promoter and CYC1-terminator in pRS413 (CEN/HIS3), we compared the new pTW500 with the previously used p53 expression plasmid pRB16 (FIG. 2).
[0047] Both p53 expression plasmids showed the same phenotype in the presence of the p53-responsive URA3 reporter gene 1cUAS53::URA3 (FIG. 2B). Four independent transformants were Ura + Foa S , while controls lacking either a p53 expression plasmid or the reporter gene had the opposite phenotype, Ura − Foa R . All strains grew on SC-His plates, indicating the presence of the plasmid with the marker gene HIS3.
[0048] Comparison of the growth rates in SC-Ura media confirmed the results of the plating assays: both plasmids lead to the expression of similar amounts of p53 protein (FIG. 2C). Western Blot analysis using a monoclonal anti-p53 antibody showed that pTW500 indeed leads to p53 protein levels that are similar to and maybe slightly higher than those with pRB 16 (FIG. 2D).
[0049] This new p53 ORF is also optimized as much as possible for the preferential codon usage of E. coli , yeast and mammalian cells (Zhang et al., 1991; Wada et al., 1992). To make diagnostic restriction digestions easier to interpret, we also destroyed a variety of restriction sites.
Example 2
[0050] Construction of expression cassettes for the most common mutated p53 proteins in humans. A comprehensive analysis is needed to better understand the structural dynamics of the p53 core domain and to potentially find suppressor mutations that have a universal effect. We chose to study the 50 most frequent p53 cancer mutations. Based on several international databases for p53 cancer mutations (Beroud and Soussi, 1998; Cariello et al., 1998; Hainaut et al., 1998), we initially selected a total of eight mutations (FIG. 3). Each of these cancer mutations represents between 1.6% and 4.2% of all human cancers with p53 mutations, totaling 22% (estimated to represent 73,000 cancer patients per year in the United States and 530,000 cancer patients worldwide), (Harris, 1996a, 1996b). Besides their high frequency, these eight cancer mutations also well represent the most important structural motifs of the p53 core domain (L2 loop: codon 175, L3 loop: codons 245, 248 and 249, loop-sheet-helix motif: codons 273 and 282).
[0051] We further chose 27 mutations to examine in this final evaluation (FIG. 3). Each cancer mutation in the second set accounts for 0.04 to 1.1% of reported p53 mutations, totaling 15% of all human cancers with p53 mutations (estimated to represent 50,000 cancer patients per year in the United States and 360,000 cancer patients worldwide), (Harris, 1996a, 1996b). This second set reflects many different mechanisms of destabilizing the p53 core domain since the mutations locate to different structural motifs (β sandwich: 8; loop-sheet-helix motif: 7; L2 loop: 5; L3 loop: 7).
Example 3
[0052] Identification of suppressor mutations for the most common p53 cancer mutations. New suppressor mutations have been isolated in the new p53 ORF of plasmid pTW500. In order to isolate the new suppressor mutations alone, they will be subcloned into pTW500 and into the pCMVneo-based mammalian expression plasmid for p53 (See Example 1). All subcloning steps will be confirmed either by sequencing or by verifying the loss or gain of a unique restriction site.
[0053] Materials and Methods
[0054] Transcriptional activity of wild-type p5 3 in yeast. This assay scores for the transcriptional activity of wild-type p53 and uses an artificial reporter gene, 1cUAS53::URA3, with a synthetic consensus p53 DNA-binding site upstream of URA3 (Brachmann et al., 1996; Vidal et al., 1996). Human p53 is expressed from a yeast CEN expression plasmid under the control of the constitutive promoter ADH1. This p53 yeast assay is unique in that it not only allows selection for, but also against functional p53 (Brachmann and Boeke, 1997). Therefore, it can quickly classify any p53 protein for its activity: p53 proteins with wild-type p53 activity induce URA43 expression which enables the yeast reporter strain to survive on plates without Uracil (Ura + ), but also sensitizes the strain to 5-fluoro-orotic acid (5-Foa) resulting in the second phenotype, Foa sensitivity (Foa S ). P53 cancer mutants that have lost function have the opposite phenotype of wild-type p53, Ura − Foa R (Brachmann et al., 1996). p53 proteins with partial loss of wild-type p53 function can be easily detected as well since they have the intermediate Ura + Foa R phenotype. This reflects sufficient URA3 expression for survival on SC-Ura plates, but insufficient expression to be sensitive to 5-Foa.
[0055] Engineered p53 open reading frame. A new ORF for wild-type p53 with multiple silent restriction sites and optimized for codon usage in bacteria, yeast and mammalian cells (Wada, 199; Zhang, 1991) was designed with WebCutter 2.0 (http file type, www host server, firstmarket.com domain name, cutter/cut2.html directory) and constructed using the “KAPPA” method (Holowachuk, 1995). When compared with the natural p53 yeast expression plasmid pRB16, the engineered p53 ORF in the same yeast plasmid resulted in two-fold more p53 protein and identical yeast phenotypes (Brachmann, 1996; Brachrnann, 1998; Vidal, 1996). Annealed oligonucleotides encoding for the most common p53 cancer mutations (see Table 2) were cloned into the engineered p53 ORF.
[0056] PCR- and oligonucleotide-mediated mutagenesis strategy to identify intragenic suppressor mutations for p53 cancer mutations. PCR-mediated mutagenesis was performed as previously described (Brachmann, 1998), except that engineered p53 ORFs for the p53 cancer mutants, mutagenic PCR conditions (Lin-Goerke, 1997; Svetlov, 1998) and Rby377, a diploid yeast strain with two copies of the p53-dependent URA3 reporter gene, were used. A library of annealed oligonucleotides that equally represented all possible amino acid changes in codons 239 and 240 and had approximately one in 100 additional nucleotides mutated were cloned into PflMI-NsiI gapped yeast expression plasmids for p53 cancer mutants, transformed into Rby377 and analyzed as described (Brachmann, 1998).
[0057] Yeast and mammalian assays for p53. Yeast assays for p53 and mammalian reporter gene assays were performed as described (Brachmann, 1996; Brachmann, 1998; Vidal, 1996).
REFERENCES
[0058] The disclosures of the following are expressly incorporated herein for all purposes.
[0059] Abarzua, P., LoSardo, J. E., Gubler, M. L., and Neri, A. (1995). Microinjection of monoclonal antibody PAb421 into human SW480 colorectal carcinoma cells restores the transcription activation function to mutant p53. Cancer Res 55, 3490-4.
[0060] Abarzua, P., LoSardo, J. E., Gubler, M. L., Spathis, R., Lu, Y. A., Felix, A., and Neri, A. (1996). Restoration of the transcription activation function to mutant p53 in human cancer cells. Oncogene 13, 2477-82.
[0061] Abraham, D. J., Wireko, F. C., Randad, R. S., Poyart, C., Kister, J., Bohn, B., Liard, J. F., and Kunert, M. P. (1992). Allosteric modifiers of hemoglobin: 2-[4-[[(3,5-disubstituted anilino)carbonyl]methyl]phenoxy]-2-methylpropionic acid derivatives that lower the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin in red cell suspensions, in whole blood, and in vivo in rats. Biochemistry 31, 9141-9.
[0062] Allred, D. C., Clark, G. M., Elledge, R., Fuqua, S. A., Brown, R. W., Chamness, G. C., Osborne, C. K., and McGuire, W. L. (1993). Association of p53 protein expression with tumor cell proliferation rate and clinical outcome in node-negative breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 85, 200-6.
[0063] Baker, S. J., Markowitz, S., Fearon, E. R., Willson, J. K., and Vogelstein, B. (1990). Suppression of human colorectal carcinoma cell growth by wild-type p53. Science 249, 912-5.
[0064] Baldwin, E. T., Bhat, T. N., Liu, B., Pattabiraman, N., and Erickson, J. W. (1995). Structural basis of drug resistance for the V82A mutant of HIV-1 proteinase. Nat Struct Biol 2, 244-9.
[0065] Bardeesy, N., Beckwith, J. B., and Pelletier, J. (1995). Clonal expansion and attenuated apoptosis in Wilms' tumors are associated with p53 gene mutations. Cancer Res 55, 215-9.
[0066] Barinaga, M. (1997). From bench top to bedside. Science 278, 1036-9.
[0067] Bergh, J., Norberg, T., Sjogren, S., Lindgren, A., and Holmberg, L. (1995). Complete sequencing of the p53 gene provides prognostic information in breast cancer patients, particularly in relation to adjuvant systemic therapy and radiotherapy. Nat Med 1, 1029-34.
[0068] Berns, E. M., Klijn, J. G., van Putten, W. L., de Witte, H. H., Look, M. P., Meijer-van Gelder, M. E., Willman, K., Portengen, H., Benraad, T. J., and Foekens, J. A. (1998). p53 protein accumulation predicts poor response to tamoxifen therapy of patients with recurrent breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 16, 121-7.
[0069] Beroud, C., and Soussi, T. (1998). p53 gene mutation: software and database. Nucleic Acids Res 26, 200-4.
[0070] Bohacek, R. S., McMartin, C., and Guida, W. C. (1996). The art and practice of structure-based drug design: a molecular modeling perspective. Med Res Rev 16, 3-50.
[0071] Bracey, T. S., Miller, J. C., Preece, A., and Paraskeva, C. (1995). Gamma-radiation-induced apoptosis in human colorectal adenoma and carcinoma cell lines can occur in the absence of wild type p53. Oncogene 10, 2391-6.
[0072] Brachmann, R. K., and Boeke, J. D. (1997). Tag games in yeast: the two-hybrid system and beyond. Curr Opin Biotechnol 8, 561-8.
[0073] Brachmann, R. K., Vidal, M., and Boeke, J. D. (1996). Dominant-negative p53 mutations selected in yeast hit cancer hot spots. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93, 4091-5.
[0074] Brachmann, R. K., Yu, K., Eby, Y., Pavletich, N. P., and Boeke, J. D. (1998). Genetic selection of intragenic suppressor mutations that reverse the effect of commonp53 cancer mutations. EMBO J. 17, 1847-59.
[0075] Brugarolas, J., Chandrasekaran, C., Gordon, J. I., Beach, D., Jacks, T., and Hannon, G. J. (1995). Radiation-induced cell cycle arrest compromised by p21 deficiency. Nature 377, 552-7.
[0076] Bullock, A. N., Henckel, J., and Fersht, A. R. (2000). Quantitative analysis of residual folding and DNA binding in mutant p53 core domain: definition of mutant states for rescue in cancer therapy. Oncogene. 19, 1245-56.
[0077] Cadwell, R. C., and Joyce, G. F. (1995). Mutagenic PCR. In PCR primer—a laboratory manual, C. W. Dieffenbach and G. S. Dveksler, eds., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, pp. 583-9.
[0078] Caelles, C., Helmberg, A., and Karin, M. (1994). p53-dependent apoptosis in the absence of transcriptional activation of p53-target genes. Nature 370, 220-3.
[0079] Cariello, N. F., Douglas, G. R., Gorelick, N. J., Hart, D. W., Wilson, J. D., and Soussi, T. (1998). Databases and software for the analysis of mutations in the human p53 gene, human hprt gene and both the lacI and lacZ gene in transgenic rodents. Nucleic Acids Res 26, 198-9.
[0080] Cho, Y., Gorina, S., Jeffrey, P. D., and Pavletich, N. P. (1994). Crystal structure of a p53 tumor suppressor-DNA complex: understanding tumorigenic mutations. Science 265, 346-55.
[0081] Clarke, A. R., Purdie, C. A., Harrison, D. J., Morris, R. G., Bird, C. C., Hooper, M. L., and Wyllie, A. H. (1993). Thymocyte apoptosis induced by p53-dependent and independent pathways. Nature 362, 849-52.
[0082] Clore, G. M., Omichinski, J. G., Sakaguchi, K., Zambrano, N., Sakamoto, H., Appella, E., and Gronenborn, A. M. (1994). High-resolution structure of the oligomerization domain of p53 by multidimensional NMR. Science 265, 386-91.
[0083] Cotton, F. A., Hazen, E. E., Jr., and Legg, M. J. (1979). Staphylococcal nuclease: proposed mechanism of action based on structure of enzyme-thymidine 3′,5′-bisphosphate-calcium ion complex at 1.5-A resolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 76, 2551-5.
[0084] Deng, C., Zhang, P., Harper, J. W., Elledge, S. J., and Leder, P. (1995). Mice lacking p21CIP1/WAF 1 undergo normal development, but are defective in G1 checkpoint control. Cell 82, 675-84.
[0085] Donehower, L. A., and Bradley, A. (1993). The tumor suppressor p53. Biochim Biophys Acta 1155, 181-205.
[0086] el-Deiry, W. S., Tokino, T., Velculescu, V. E., Levy, D. B., Parsons, R., Trent, J. M., Lin, D., Mercer, W. E., Kinzler, K. W., and Vogelstein, B. (1993). WAF1, a potential mediator of p53 tumor suppression. Cell 75, 817-25.
[0087] Eliyahu, D., Goldfinger, N., Pinhasi-Kimhi, O., Shaulsky, G., Skumik, Y., Arai, N., Rotter, V., and Oren, M. (1988). Meth A fibrosarcoma cells express two transforming mutant p53 species. Oncogene 3, 313-21.
[0088] Elledge, R. M., Gray, R., Mansour, E., Yu, Y., Clark, G. M., Ravdin, P., Osborne, C. K., Gilchrist, K., Davidson, N. E., Robert, N., Tormey, D. C., and Allred, D. C. (1995). Accumulation of p53 protein as a possible predictor of response to adjuvant combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil, and prednisone for breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 87, 1254-6.
[0089] Erickson, J., Neidhart, D. J., VanDlie, J., Kempf, D. J., Wang, X. C., Norbeck, D. W., Plattner, J. J., Rittenhouse, J. W., Turon, M., Wideburg, N., Kohlbrenner, W. E., Simmer, R., Helfrich, R., Paul, D. A., and Knigge, M. (1990). Design, activity, and 2.8 A crystal structure of a C2 symmetric inhibitor complexed to HIV-1 protease. Science 249, 527-33.
[0090] Erickson, J. W., and Burt, S. K. (1996). Structural mechanisms of HIV drug resistance. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 36, 545-71.
[0091] Fisher, D. E. (1994). Apoptosis in cancer therapy: crossing the threshold. Cell 78, 539-42.
[0092] Foster, B. A., Coffey, H. A., Morin, M. J., Rastinejad, F. (1999). Pharmacological rescue of mutant p53 conformation and function. Science. 286, 2507-10.
[0093] Freeman, J., Schmidt, S., Scharer, E., and Iggo, R. (1994). Mutation of conserved domain II alters the sequence specificity of DNA binding by the p5 3 protein. EMBO J 13, 5393-400.
[0094] Friend, S. (1994). p53: a glimpse at the puppet behind the shadow play. Science 265, 334-5. Fuchs, E. J., McKenna, K. A., and Bedi, A. (1997). p53-dependent DNA damage-induced apoptosis requires Fas/APO-1-independent activation of CPP32beta. Cancer Res 57, 2550-4.
[0095] Gibbs, J. B., and Oliff, A. (1994). Pharmaceutical research in molecular oncology. Cell 79, 193-8.
[0096] Gorina, S., and Pavletich, N. P. (1996). Structure of the p53 tumor suppressor bound to the ankyrin and SH3 domains of 53BP2. Science 274, 1001-5.
[0097] Gottlieb, T. M., and Oren, M. (1996). p53 in growth control and neoplasia. Biochim Biophys Acta 1287, 77-102.
[0098] Graeber, T. G., Osmanian, C., Jacks, T., Housman, D. E., Koch, C. J., Lowe, S. W., and Giaccia, A. J. (1996). Hypoxia-mediated selection of cells with diminished apoptotic potential in solid tumours. Nature 379, 88-91.
[0099] Greenblatt, M. S., Bennett, W. P., Hollstein, M., and Harris, C. C. (1994). Mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene: clues to cancer etiology and molecular pathogenesis. Cancer Res 54, 4855-78.
[0100] Haffner, R., and Oren, M. (1995). Biochemical properties and biological effects of p53. Curr Opin Genet Dev 5, 84-90.
[0101] Hainaut, P., Hernandez, T., Robinson, A., Rodriguez-Tome, P., Flores, T., Hollstein, M., Harris, C. C., and Montesano, R. (1998). IARC Database of p53 gene mutations in human tumors and cell lines: updated compilation, revised formats and new visualisation tools. Nucleic Acids Res 26, 205-13.
[0102] Hainaut, P, and Hollstein, M. (2000). p53 and human cancer: the first ten thousand mutations. Adv. Cancer Res. 77, 81-137.
[0103] Halazonetis, T. D., and Kandil, A. N. (1993). Conformational shifts propagate from the oligomerization domain of p53 to its tetrameric DNA binding domain and restore DNA binding to select p53 mutants. EMBO J 12, 5057-64.
[0104] Haldar, S., Negrini, M., Monne, M., Sabbioni, S., and Croce, C. M. (1994). Down-regulation of bcl-2 by p5 3 in breast cancer cells. Cancer Res 54, 2095-7.
[0105] Hann, B. C. L., D. P. (1995). The dominating effect of mutant p53. Nature Genetics 9, 221-222.
[0106] Hansen, R., and Oren, M. (1997). p53; from inductive signal to cellular effect. Curr Opin Genet Dev 7, 46-51.
[0107] Harris, C. C. (1996a). Structure and function of the p53 tumor suppressor gene: clues for rational cancer therapeutic strategies. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 88, 1442-1454.
[0108] Harris, C. C. (1996b). p53 tumor suppressor gene: from the basic research laboratory to the clinic—an abridged historical perspective. Carcinogenesis 17, 1187-98.
[0109] Harris, C. C., and Hollstein, M. (1993). Clinical implications of the p53 tumor-suppressor gene. N Engl J Med 329, 1318-27.
[0110] Harvey, M., Vogel, H., Morris, D., Bradley, A., Bernstein, A., and Donehower, L. A. (1995). A mutant p53 transgene accelerates tumour development in heterozygous but not nullizygous p53-deficient mice. Nat Genet 9, 305-11.
[0111] Haupt, Y., Maya, R., Kazaz, A., and Oren, M. (1997). Mdm2 promotes the rapid degradation of p53. Nature 387, 296-9.
[0112] Haupt, Y., Rowan, S., Shaulian, E., Vousden, K. H., and Oren, M. (1995). Induction of apoptosis in HeLa cells by trans-activation-deficient p53. Genes Dev 9, 2170-83.
[0113] Heimdal, K., Lothe, R. A., Lystad, S., Holm, R., Fossa, S. D., and Borresen, A. L. (1993). No germline TP53 mutations detected in familial and bilateral testicular cancer. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 6, 92-7.
[0114] Hermeking, H., Lengauer, C., Polyak, K., He, T.-C., Zhang, L., Thiagalingam, S., Kinzler, K. W., and Vogelstein, B. (1998). 14-3-3σ is a p53-regulated inhibitor of G2/M progression. Molecular Cell 1, 3-11.
[0115] Hernandez-Boussard, T., Rodriguez-Tome, P., Montesano, R., and Hainaut, P. (1999). IARC p53 mutation database: a relational database to compile and analyze p53 mutation in human tumors and cell lines. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Hum. Mutat. 14, 1-8.
[0116] Hinds, P., Finlay, C., and Levine, A. J. (1989). Mutation is required to activate the p53 gene for cooperation with the ras oncogene and transformation. J Virol 63, 739-46.
[0117] Hollstein, M., Sidransky, D., Vogelstein, B., and Harris, C. C. (1991). p53 mutations in human cancers. Science 253, 49-53.
[0118] Holowachuk, E. W., and Ruhoff, M. S. (1995). Efficient gene synthesis by Klenow assembly/extension-Pfu polymerase amplification (KAPPA) of overlapping oligonucleotides. PCR Methods Appl 4, 299-302.
[0119] Huang, C. L., Taki, T., Adachi, M., Konishi, T., Higashiyama, M., Kinoshita, M., Hadama, T., and Miyake, M. (1998). Mutations of p53 and K-ras genes as prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer. Int J Oncol 12, 553-63.
[0120] Hupp, T. R., Meek, D. W., Midgley, C. A., and Lane, D. P. (1993). Activation of the cryptic DNA binding function of mutant forms of p53. Nucleic Acids Res 21, 3167-74.
[0121] Hupp, T. R., Sparks, A., and Lane, D. P. (1995). Small peptides activate the latent sequence-specific DNA binding function of p53. Cell 83, 237-45.
[0122] Hupp, T. R., Lane, D. P., and Ball, K. L. (2000). Strategies for manipulating the p53 pathway in the treatment of human cancer. Biochem J. 352, 1-17.
[0123] Isola, J., Visakorpi, T., Holli, K., and Kallioniemi, O. P. (1992). Association of overexpression of tumor suppressor protein p53 with rapid cell proliferation and poor prognosis in node-negative breast cancer patients. J Natl Cancer Inst 84, 1109-14.
[0124] Jeffrey, P. D., Gorina, S., and Pavletich, N. P. (1995). Crystal structure of the tetramerization domain of the p53 tumor suppressor at 1.7 angstroms. Science 267, 1498-502.
[0125] Jost, C. A., Marin, M. C., and Kaelin, W. G., Jr. (1997). p73 is a human p53-related protein that can induce apoptosis. Nature 389, 191-4.
[0126] Kaghad, M., Bonnet, H., Yang, A., Creancier, L., Biscan, J. C., Valent, A., Minty, A., Chalon, P., Lelias, J. M., Dumont, X., Ferrara, P., McKeon, F., and Caput, D. (1997). Monoallelically expressed gene related to p53 at 1p36, a region frequently deleted in neuroblastoma and other human cancers. Cell 90, 809-19.
[0127] Kastan, M. B., Onyekwere, O., Sidransky, D., Vogelstein, B., and Craig, R. W. (1991). Participation of p53 protein in the cellular response to DNA damage. Cancer Res 51, 6304-11.
[0128] Kaufmann, S. H. (1989). Induction of endonucleolytic DNA cleavage in human acute myelogenous leukemia cells by etoposide, camptothecin, and other cytotoxic anticancer drugs: a cautionary note. Cancer Res 49, 5870-8.
[0129] Kinzler, K. W., and Vogelstein, B. (1994). Cancer therapy meets p53. N Engl J Med 331, 49-50.
[0130] Kirsch, D. G., Kastan, M. B. (1998). Tumor-suppressorp53: implications fo tumor development and prognosis. J. Clin. Oncol. 16, 3158-3168.
[0131] Knudson, C. M., Tung, K. S., Tourtellotte, W. G., Brown, G. A., and Korsmeyer, S. J. (1995). Bax-deficient mice with lymphoid hyperplasia and male germ cell death. Science 270, 96-9.
[0132] Ko, L. J., and Prives, C. (1996). p53: puzzle and paradigm. Genes Dev 10, 1054-72.
[0133] Kubbutat, M. H., Jones, S. N., and Vousden, K. H. (1997). Regulation of p53 stability by Mdm2. Nature 387, 299-303.
[0134] Kussie, P. H., Gorina, S., Marechal, V., Elenbaas, B., Moreau, J., Levine, A. J., and Pavletich, N. P. (1996). Structure of the MDM2 oncoprotein bound to the p53 tumor suppressor transactivation domain. Science 274, 948-53.
[0135] Lane, D. P., and Hall, P. A. (1997). MDM2—arbiter of p53's destruction. Trends Biochem Sci 22, 372-4.
[0136] Levine, A. J. (1997). p53, the cellular gatekeeper for growth and division. Cell 88, 323-31.
[0137] Lin-Goerke, J. L., Robbins, D. J., and Burczak, J. D. (1997). PCR-based random mutagenesis using manganese and reduced dNTP concentration. Biotechniques 23, 409-12.
[0138] Linke, S. P., Clarkin, K. C., Di Leonardo, A., Tsou, A., and Wahl, G. M. (1996). A reversible, p53-dependent GO/GI cell cycle arrest induced by ribonucleotide depletion in the absence of detectable DNA damage. Genes Dev 10, 934-47.
[0139] Lowe, S. W. (1995). Cancer therapy and p53. Curr Opin Oncol 7, 547-53.
[0140] Lowe, S. W., Bodis, S., McClatchey, A., Remington, L., Ruley, H. E., Fisher, D. E., Housman, D. E., and Jacks, T. (1994). p53 status and the efficacy of cancer therapy in vivo. Science 266, 807-10.
[0141] Lowe, S. W., Schmitt, E. M., Smith, S. W., Osborne, B. A., and Jacks, T. (1993a). p53 is required for radiation-induced apoptosis in mouse thymocytes. Nature 362, 847-9.
[0142] Lowe, S. W., Ruley, H. E., Jacks, T., and Housman, D. E. (1993b). p53-dependent apoptosis modulates the cytotoxicity of anticancer agents. Cell 74, 957-67.
[0143] Malkin, D., Sexsmith, E., Yeger, H., Williams, B. R., and Coppes, M. J. (1994). Mutations of the p53 tumor suppressor gene occur infrequently in Wilms' tumor. Cancer Res 54, 2077-9.
[0144] Marcus, S., Polverino, A., Barr, M., and Wigler, M. (1994). Complexes between STE5 and components of the pheromone-responsive mitogen-activated protein kinase module. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 91, 7762-6.
[0145] Marrone, T. J., Briggs, J. M., and McCammon, J. A. (1997). Structure-based drug design: computational advances. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 37, 71-90.
[0146] Michalovitz, D., Halevy, O., and Oren, M. (1991). p53 mutations: gains or losses? J Cell Biochem 45, 22-9.
[0147] Miller, M., Schneider, J., Sathyanarayana, B. K., Toth, M. V., Marshall, G. R., Clawson, L., Selk, L., Kent, S. B., and Wlodawer, A. (1989). Structure of complex of synthetic HIV-1 protease with a substrate-based inhibitor at 2.3 A resolution. Science 246, 1149-52.
[0148] Milner, J. (1995). DNA damage, p53 and anticancer therapies. Nature Medicine 1, 879-80.
[0149] Milner, J., and Medcalf, E. A. (1991). Cotranslation of activated mutant p53 with wild type drives the wild-type p53 protein into the mutant conformation. Cell 65, 765-74.
[0150] Miroy, G. J., Lai, Z., Lashuel, H. A., Peterson, S. A., Strang, C., and Kelly, J. W. (1996). Inhibiting transthyretin amyloid fibril formation via protein stabilization. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93, 15051-6.
[0151] Miura, M., Zhu, H., Rotello, R., Hartwieg, E. A., and Yuan, J. (1993). Induction of apoptosis in fibroblasts by IL-1 beta-converting enzyme, a mammalian homolog of the C. elegans cell death gene ced-3. Cell 75, 653-60.
[0152] Miyashita, T., Krajewski, S., Krajewska, M., Wang, H. G., Lin, H. K., Liebermann, D. A., Hoffman, B., and Reed, J. C. (1994). Tumor suppressor p53 is a regulator of bcl-2 and bax gene expression in vitro and in vivo. Oncogene 9, 1799-805.
[0153] Miyashita, T., and Reed, J. C. (1995). Tumor suppressor p53 is a direct transcriptional activator of the human bax gene. Cell 80, 293-9.
[0154] Muhlrad, D., Hunter, R., and Parker, R. (1992). A rapid method for localized mutagenesis of yeast genes. Yeast 8, 79-82.
[0155] Navia, M. A., Fitzgerald, P. M., McKeever, B. M., Leu, C. T., Heimbach, J. C., Herber, W. K., Sigal, I. S., Darke, P. L., and Springer, J. P. (1989). Three-dimensional structure of aspartyl protease from human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1. Nature 337, 615-20.
[0156] Nielsen, L. L., and Maneval, D. C. (1998). P53 tumor suppressor gene therapy for cancer. Cancer Gene Ther 5, 52-63.
[0157] Niewolik, D., Vojtesek, B., and Kovarik, J. (1995). p53 derived from human tumour cell lines and containing distinct point mutations can be activated to bind its consensus target sequence. Oncogene 10, 881-90.
[0158] Nikolova, P. V., Wong, K. B., DeDecker, B., Henckel, J., and Fersht, A. R. (2000). Mechanism of rescue of common p53 cancer mutation by second-site suppressor mutations. EMBO J. 19, 370-378.
[0159] O'Connor, P. M., Jackman, J., Bae, I., Myers, T. G., Fan, S., Mutoh, M., Scudiero, D. A., Monks, A., Sausville, E. A., Weinstein, J. N., Friend, S., Fomace, A. J., Jr., and Kohn, K. W. (1997). Characterization of the p53 tumor suppressor pathway in cell lines of the National Cancer Institute anticancer drug screen and correlations with the growth-inhibitory potency of 123 anticancer agents. Cancer Res 57, 4285-300.
[0160] Oren, M. (1997). Lonely no more: p53 finds its kin in a tumor suppressor haven. Cell 90, 829-32.
[0161] Owen-Schaub, L. B., Zhang, W., Cusack, J. C., Angelo, L. S., Santee, S. M., Fujiwara, T., Roth, J. A., Deisseroth, A. B., Zhang, W. W., Kruzel, E., and Radinsky, R. (1995). Wild-type human p53 and a temperature-sensitive mutant induce Fas/APO-1 expression. Mol Cell Biol 15, 3032-40.
[0162] Pavletich, N. P., Chambers, K. A., and Pabo, C. 0. (1993). The DNA-binding domain of p53 contains the four conserved regions and the major mutation hot spots. Genes Dev 7, 2556-64.
[0163] Polyak, K., Xia, Y., Zweier, J. L., Kinzler, K. W., and Vogelstein, B. (1997). A model for p53-induced apoptosis. Nature 389, 300-5.
[0164] Prives, C. (1994). How loops, beta sheets, and alpha helices help us to understand p53. Cell 78, 543-6.
[0165] Prives, C. (1998). Signaling to p5 3 : breaking the MDM2-p53 circuit. Cell. 95, 5-8.
[0166] Prives, C., and Hall, P. A. (1999). The p53 pathway. J. Pathol. 187, 112-26.
[0167] Righetti, S.C., Della Torre, G., Pilotti, S., Menard, S., Ottone, F., Colnaghi, M. I., Pierotti, M. A., Lavarino, C., Comarotti, M., Oriana, S., Bohm, S., Bresciani, G. L., Spatti, G., and Zunino, F. (1996). A comparative study of p53 gene mutations, protein accumulation, and response to cisplatin-based chemotherapy in advanced ovarian carcinoma. Cancer Res 56, 689-93.
[0168] Rose, R. B., Craik, C. S., and Stroud, R. M. (1998). Domain flexibility in retroviral proteases: structural implications for drug resistant mutations. Biochemistry 37, 2607-21.
[0169] Roth, J. A., Nguyen, D., Lawrence, D. D., Kemp, B. L., Carrasco, C. H., Ferson, D. Z., Hong, W. K., Komaki, R., Lee, J. J., Nesbitt, J. C., Pisters, K. M., Putnam, J. B., Schea, R., Shin, D. M., Walsh, G. L., Dolormente, M. M., Han, C. I., Martin, F. D., Yen, N., Xu, K., Stephens, L. C., McDonnell, T. J., Mukhopadhyay, T., and Cai, D. (1996). Retrovirus-mediated wild-type p53 gene transfer to tumors of patients with lung cancer. Nat Med 2, 985-91.
[0170] Rovinski, B., and Benchimol, S. (1988). Immortalization of rat embryo fibroblasts by the cellular p53 oncogene. Oncogene 2, 445-52.
[0171] Rusch, V., Klimstra, D., Venkatraman, E., Oliver, J., Martini, N., Gralla, R., Kris, M., and Dmitrovsky, E. (1995). Aberrant p53 expression predicts clinical resistance to cisplatin-based chemotherapy in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Cancer Res 55, 5038-42.
[0172] Sauter, E. R., Ridge, J. A., Litwin, S., and Langer, C. J. (1995). Pretreatment p53 protein expression correlates with decreased survival in patients with end-stage head and neck cancer. Clinical Cancer Research 1, 1407-12.
[0173] Selivanova, G., Iotsova, V., Okan, I., Fritsche, M., Strom, M., Groner, B., Grafstrom, R. C., and Wiman, K. G. (1997). Restoration of the growth suppression function of mutant p53 by a synthetic peptide derived from the p53 C-terminal domain. Nat Med 3, 632-8.
[0174] Shortle, D., and Lin, B. (1985). Genetic analysis of staphylococcal nuclease: identification of three intragenic “global” suppressors of nuclease-minus mutations. Genetics 110, 539-55.
[0175] Stenger, J. E., Mayr, G. A., Mann, K., and Tegtmeyer, P. (1992). Formation of stable p53 homotetramers and multiples of tetramers. Mol Carcinog 5, 102-6.
[0176] Strasser, A., Harris, A. W., Jacks, T., and Cory, S. (1994). DNA damage can induce apoptosis in proliferating lymphoid cells via p53-independent mechanisms inhibitable by Bcl-2. Cell 79, 329-39.
[0177] Svetlov, V., and Cooper, T. G. (1998). Efficient PCR-based random mutagenesis of sub-genic (100 bp) DNA fragments. Yeast 14, 89-91.
[0178] Thiagalingam, S., Kinzler, K. W., and Vogelstein, B. (1995). PAK1, a gene that can regulate p53 activity in yeast. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 92, 6062-6.
[0179] Thor, A. D., Moore, D. H., II, Edgerton, S. M., Kawasaki, E. S., Reihsaus, E., Lynch, H. T., Marcus, J. N., Schwartz, L., Chen, L. C., Mayall, B. H., and Smith, H. S. (1992). Accumulation of p53 tumor suppressor gene protein: an independent marker of prognosis in breast cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst 84, 845-55.
[0180] Vidal, M., Brachmann, R. K., Fattaey, A., Harlow, E., and Boeke, J. D. (1996). Reverse two-hybrid and one-hybrid systems to detect dissociation of protein-protein and DNA-protein interactions. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93, 10315-10320.
[0181] Vogelstein, B., and Kinzler, K. W. (1992). p53 function and dysfunction. Cell 70, 523-6.
[0182] Vogelstein, B., and Kinzler, K. W. (1994). Tumour-suppressor genes. X-rays strike p53 again. Nature 370, 174-5.
[0183] Vogelstein, B., Lane, D., and Levine, A. J. (2000). Surfing the p53 network. Nature 408, 307-10.
[0184] Wada, K., Wada, Y., Ishibashi, F., Gojobori, T., and Ikemura, T. (1992). Codon usage tabulated from the GenBank genetic sequence data. Nucleic Acids Res 20 Suppl, 2111-8.
[0185] Wada, M., Bartram, C. R., Nakamura, H., Hachiya, M., Chen, D. L., Borenstein, J., Miller, C. W., Ludwig, L., Hansen-Hagge, T. E., Ludwig, W. D., Reiter, A., Mizoguchi, H., and Koeffler, H. P. (1993). Analysis of p53 mutations in a large series of lymphoid hematologic malignancies of childhood. Blood 82, 3163-9.
[0186] Wagner, A. J., Kokontis, J. M., and Hay, N. (1994). Myc-mediated apoptosis requires wild-type p53 in a manner independent of cell cycle arrest and the ability of p53 to induce p21waf1/cip1. Genes Dev 8, 2817-30.
[0187] Waldman, T., Kinzler, K. W., and Vogelstein, B. (1995). p21 is necessary for the p53-mediated GI arrest in human cancer cells. Cancer Res 55, 5187-90.
[0188] Wallace-Brodeur, R. R., and Lowe, S. W. (1999). Clinical implications of p53 mutations. Cell Mol. Life Sci. 55, 64-75.
[0189] Wang, X. W., Vermeulen, W., Coursen, J. D., Gibson, M., Lupold, S. E., Forrester, K., Xu, G., Elmore, L., Yeh, H., Hoeijmakers, J. H., and Harris, C. C. (1996). The XPB and XPD DNA helicases are components of the p53-mediated apoptosis pathway. Genes Dev 10, 1219-32.
[0190] Watanabe, M., Fukutome, K., Shiraishi, T., Murata, M., Kawamura, J., Shimazaki, J., Kotake, T., and Yatani, R. (1997). Differences in the p53 gene mutational spectra of prostate cancers between Japan and Western countries. Carcinogenesis 18, 1355-8.
[0191] Weinstein, J. N., Myers, T. G., O'Connor, P. M., Friend, S. H., Formace, A. J., Jr., Kohn, K. W., Fojo, T., Bates, S. E., Rubinstein, L. V., Anderson, N. L., Buolamwini, J. K., van Osdol, W. W., Monks, A. P., Scudiero, D. A., Sausville, E. A., Zaharevitz, D. W., Bunow, B., Viswanadhan, V. N., Johnson, G. S., Wittes, R. E., and Paull, K. D. (1997). An information-intensive approach to the molecular pharmacology of cancer. Science 275, 343-9.
[0192] White, E. (1996). Life, death, and the pursuit of apoptosis. Genes Dev 10, 1-15.
[0193] Wieczorek, A. M., Waterman, J. L., Waterman, M. J., and Halazonetis, T. D. (1996). Structure-based rescue of common tumor-derived p53 mutants. Nat Med 2, 1143-6.
[0194] Wlodawer, A., Miller, M., Jaskolski, M., Sathyanarayana, B. K., Baldwin, E., Weber, I. T., Selk, L. M., Clawson, L., Schneider, J., and Kent, S. B. (1989). Conserved folding in retroviral proteases: crystal structure of a synthetic HIV-1 protease. Science 245, 616-21.
[0195] Wu, G. S., Burns, T. F., McDonald III, E. R., Jiang, W., Meng, R., Krantz, I. D., Kao, G., Gan, D.-D., Zhou, J. Y., Muschel, R., Hamilton, S. R., Spinner, N. B., Markowitz, S., Wu, G., and El-Deiry, W. S. (1997). KILLER/DR5 is a DNA damage-inducible p53-regulated death receptor gene. Nature Genetics 17, 141-3.
[0196] Yin, C., Knudson, C. M., Korsmeyer, S. J., and Van Dyke, T. (1997). Bax suppresses tumorigenesis and stimulates apoptosis in vivo. Nature 385, 637-40.
[0197] Yin, Y., Terauchi, Y., Solomon, G. G., Aizawa, S., Rangarajan, P. N., Yazaki, Y., Kadowaki, T., and Barrett, J. C. (1998). Involvement of p85 in p53-dependent apoptotic response to oxidative stress. Nature 391, 707-10.
[0198] Zhang, S. P., Zubay, G., and Goldman, E. (1991). Low-usage codons in Escherichia coli , yeast, fruit fly and primates. Gene 105, 61-72.
[0199] Zhu, L., van den Heuvel, S., Helin, K., Fattaey, A., Ewen, M., Livingston, D., Dyson, N., and Harlow, E. (1993). Inhibition of cell proliferation by p107, a relative of the retinoblastoma protein. Genes Dev 7, 1111-25.
0
SEQUENCE LISTING
<160> NUMBER OF SEQ ID NOS: 71
<210> SEQ ID NO 1
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 1
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 2
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 2
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacccc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gatctgtgga agcttcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgagccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgagga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 3
<211> LENGTH: 1181
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 3
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacccc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gatctgtgga agcttcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgagccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgagga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacacgagct cttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctg cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccggg cccattcgtc tcacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac tagtcgccat 1140
aaaaaactga gttcaagacc gaaggtcctg actcagactg a 1181
<210> SEQ ID NO 4
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 4
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gtcactgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 5
<211> LENGTH: 1181
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 5
tggaagaacc acagtcagat cctagcgtcg aaccacctct gagtcaggaa accttttcag 60
acctgtggaa attgcttcct gaaaacaacg ttctgtcccc attgcctagt caagcaatgg 120
atgatttgat gctgtcccca gacgatattg aacaatggtt cactgaagat ccaggcccag 180
atgaagctcc acgaatgcca gaggccgctc caccggttgc cccagcacca gcagctccta 240
caccggcggc cccagctccg gccccatcct ggcctctgtc atcttctgtc ccttcccaga 300
aaacctacca gggcagctac ggtttccgtc tgggcttctt gcattctgga actgccaagt 360
ctgttacttg tacgtactct ccagccctta acaagatgtt ttgccaactc gcgaagacct 420
gcccagtcca actgtgggtc gactccaccc ctccacctgg tacacgtgtc cgcgcaatgg 480
ccatctacaa gcagagccag cacatgacgg aggtcgtacg acgctgtcca caccatgagc 540
gctgctcaga ttctgatggt ctggcgccac cacagcatct tatccgagtg gaaggtaacc 600
tacgcgtgga gtatctagat gaccgcaaca cttttcgaca cagtgtggtg gtgccatatg 660
agccaccaga agttggctct gactgcacca ccatccacta caactatatg tgtaacagtt 720
catgcatggg cggcatgaac cagcggccga tcctgaccat catcactctc gaggattcct 780
caggtaatct cctaggacgg aattcctttg aggtgcgtgt ttgtgcatgc ccgggccgcg 840
atcgccggac cgaagaggag aatctccgga agaaaggtga gcctcaccac gagctgccac 900
caggaagcac taagcgagca ctgccaaaca acaccagcag ttctccacag ccaaagaaga 960
aacctttgga cggagaatat ttcacccttc agatccgtgg ccgtgagcgg ttcgagatgt 1020
tccgagagct gaatgaggcc ttagaactta aggatgccca ggctggtaag gagccaggag 1080
gcagccgtgc tcatagcagc cacctgaagt ccaaaaaggg tcagtctacc tcccgccata 1140
aaaaactgat gttcaagacc gaaggtcctg actcagactg a 1181
<210> SEQ ID NO 6
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 6
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcacg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 7
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 7
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ctggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 8
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 8
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgtgcg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 9
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 9
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gactggcgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 10
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 10
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggtctccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 11
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 11
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gctctatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 12
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 12
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatgc 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 13
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 13
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgcttccc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 14
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 14
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacggtt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 15
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 15
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactacat atgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 16
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 16
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgctcg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 17
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 17
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccaaggagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 18
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 18
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gagacatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 19
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 19
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccgtgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 20
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 20
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctgca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 21
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 21
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtgcctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 22
<211> LENGTH: 1181
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 22
tggaagaacc acagtcagat cctagcgtcg aaccacctct gagtcaggaa accttttcag 60
acctgtggaa attgcttcct gaaaacaacg ttctgtcccc attgcctagt caagcaatgg 120
atgatttgat gctgtcccca gacgatattg aacaatggtt cactgaagat ccaggcccag 180
atgaagctcc acgaatgcca gaggccgctc caccggttgc cccagcacca gcagctccta 240
caccggcggc cccagctccg gccccatcct ggcctctgtc atcttctgtc ccttcccaga 300
aaacctacca gggcagctac ggtttccgtc tgggcttctt gcattctgga actgccaagt 360
ctgttacttg tacgtactct ccagccctta acaagatgtt ttgccaactc gcgaagacct 420
gcccagtcca actgtgggtc gactccaccc ctccacctgg tacacgtgtc ctcgcgatgg 480
ccatctacaa gcagagccag cacatgacgg aggtcgtacg acgctgtcca caccatgagc 540
gctgctcaga ttctgatggt ctggcgccac cacagcatct tatccgagtg gaaggtaacc 600
tacgcgtgga gtatctagat gaccgcaaca cttttcgaca cagtgtggtg gtgccatatg 660
agccaccaga agttggctct gactgcacca ccatccacta caactatatg tgtaacagtt 720
catgcatggg cggcatgaac cggcggccga tcctgaccat catcactctc gaggattcct 780
caggtaatct cctaggacgg aattcctttg aggtgcgtgt ttgtgcatgc ccgggccgcg 840
atcgccggac cgaagaggag aatctccgga agaaaggtga gcctcaccac gagctgccac 900
caggaagcac taagcgagca ctgccaaaca acaccagcag ttctccacag ccaaagaaga 960
aacctttgga cggagaatat ttcacccttc agatccgtgg ccgtgagcgg ttcgagatgt 1020
tccgagagct gaatgaggcc ttagaactta aggatgccca ggctggtaag gagccaggag 1080
gcagccgtgc tcatagcagc cacctgaagt ccaaaaaggg tcagtctacc tcccgccata 1140
aaaaactgat gttcaagacc gaaggtcctg actcagactg a 1181
<210> SEQ ID NO 23
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 23
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
ttctgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 24
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 24
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact gcaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 25
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 25
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gctgcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 26
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 26
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt gcacgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 27
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 27
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa cctgaggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 28
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 28
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acactacgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 29
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 29
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggtacc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 30
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 30
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacg tccccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 31
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 31
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacg 420
tacccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 32
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 32
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggatgccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 33
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 33
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cagcggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 34
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 34
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gagatgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 35
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 35
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaaaagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 36
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 36
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcctgc gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 37
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 37
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcgtcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 38
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 38
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacggtaccc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 39
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 39
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtacaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 40
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 40
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cctcggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 41
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 41
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctagagcg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 42
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 42
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggcaaa 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 43
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 43
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgaa gatctgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 44
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 44
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tccttcgaag gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 45
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 45
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcatgc gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 46
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 46
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttacacgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 47
<211> LENGTH: 1181
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 47
tggaagaacc acagtcagat cctagcgtcg aaccacctct gagtcaggaa accttttcag 60
acctgtggaa attgcttcct gaaaacaacg ttctgtcccc attgcctagt caagcaatgg 120
atgatttgat gctgtcccca gacgatattg aacaatggtt cactgaagat ccaggcccag 180
atgaagctcc acgaatgcca gaggccgctc caccggttgc cccagcacca gcagctccta 240
caccggcggc cccagctccg gccccatcct ggcctctgtc atcttctgtc ccttcccaga 300
aaacctacca gggcagctac ggtttccgtc tgggcttctt gcattctgga actgccaagt 360
ctgttacttg tacgtactct ccagccctta acaagatgtt ttaccaactc gcgaagacct 420
gcccagtcca actgtgggtc gactccaccc ctccacctgg tacacgtgtc cgcgcaatgg 480
ccatctacaa gcagagccag cacatgacgg aggtcgtacg acgctgtcca caccatgagc 540
gctgctcaga ttctgatggt ctggcgccac cacagcatct tatccgagtg gaaggtaacc 600
tacgcgtgga gtatctagat gaccgcaaca cttttcgaca cagtgtggtg gtgccatatg 660
agccaccaga agttggctct gactgcacca ccatccacta caactatatg tgtaacagtt 720
catgcatggg cggcatgaac cggcggccga tcctgaccat catcactctc gaggattcct 780
caggtaatct cctaggacgg aattcctttg aggtgcgtgt ttgtgcatgc ccgggccgcg 840
atcgccggac cgaagaggag aatctccgga agaaaggtga gcctcaccac gagctgccac 900
caggaagcac taagcgagca ctgccaaaca acaccagcag ttctccacag ccaaagaaga 960
aacctttgga cggagaatat ttcacccttc agatccgtgg ccgtgagcgg ttcgagatgt 1020
tccgagagct gaatgaggcc ttagaactta aggatgccca ggctggtaag gagccaggag 1080
gcagccgtgc tcatagcagc cacctgaagt ccaaaaaggg tcagtctacc tcccgccata 1140
aaaaactgat gttcaagacc gaaggtcctg actcagactg a 1181
<210> SEQ ID NO 48
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 48
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaactca 720
agcttcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 49
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 49
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttacgcgtg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 50
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 50
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aaccgcatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 51
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 51
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccaccgg taacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 52
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 52
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
acaatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 53
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 53
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gagcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 54
<211> LENGTH: 393
<212> TYPE: PRT
<213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens
<400> SEQUENCE: 54
Met Glu Glu Pro Gln Ser Asp Pro Ser Val Glu Pro Pro Leu Ser Gln
1 5 10 15
Glu Thr Phe Ser Asp Leu Trp Lys Leu Leu Pro Glu Asn Asn Val Leu
20 25 30
Ser Pro Leu Pro Ser Gln Ala Met Asp Asp Leu Met Leu Ser Pro Asp
35 40 45
Asp Ile Glu Gln Trp Phe Thr Glu Asp Pro Gly Pro Asp Glu Ala Pro
50 55 60
Arg Met Pro Glu Ala Ala Pro Pro Val Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Ala Pro
65 70 75 80
Thr Pro Ala Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Pro Ser Trp Pro Leu Ser Ser Ser
85 90 95
Val Pro Ser Gln Lys Thr Tyr Gln Gly Ser Tyr Gly Phe Arg Leu Gly
100 105 110
Phe Leu His Ser Gly Thr Ala Lys Ser Val Thr Cys Thr Tyr Ser Pro
115 120 125
Ala Leu Asn Lys Met Phe Cys Gln Leu Ala Lys Thr Cys Pro Val Gln
130 135 140
Leu Trp Val Asp Ser Thr Pro Pro Pro Gly Thr Arg Val Arg Ala Met
145 150 155 160
Ala Ile Tyr Lys Gln Ser Gln His Met Thr Glu Val Val Arg Arg Cys
165 170 175
Pro His His Glu Arg Cys Ser Asp Ser Asp Gly Leu Ala Pro Pro Gln
180 185 190
His Leu Ile Arg Val Glu Gly Asn Leu Arg Val Glu Tyr Leu Asp Asp
195 200 205
Arg Asn Thr Phe Arg His Ser Val Val Val Pro Tyr Glu Pro Pro Glu
210 215 220
Val Gly Ser Asp Cys Thr Thr Ile His Tyr Asn Tyr Met Cys Asn Ser
225 230 235 240
Ser Cys Met Gly Gly Met Asn Arg Arg Pro Ile Leu Thr Ile Ile Thr
245 250 255
Leu Glu Asp Ser Ser Gly Asn Leu Leu Gly Arg Asn Ser Phe Glu Val
260 265 270
Arg Val Cys Ala Cys Pro Gly Arg Asp Arg Arg Thr Glu Glu Glu Asn
275 280 285
Leu Arg Lys Lys Gly Glu Pro His His Glu Leu Pro Pro Gly Ser Thr
290 295 300
Lys Arg Ala Leu Pro Asn Asn Thr Ser Ser Ser Pro Gln Pro Lys Lys
305 310 315 320
Lys Pro Leu Asp Gly Glu Tyr Phe Thr Leu Gln Ile Arg Gly Arg Glu
325 330 335
Arg Phe Glu Met Phe Arg Glu Leu Asn Glu Ala Leu Glu Leu Lys Asp
340 345 350
Ala Gln Ala Gly Lys Glu Pro Gly Gly Ser Arg Ala His Ser Ser His
355 360 365
Leu Lys Ser Lys Lys Gly Gln Ser Thr Ser Arg His Lys Lys Leu Met
370 375 380
Phe Lys Thr Glu Gly Pro Asp Ser Asp
385 390
<210> SEQ ID NO 55
<211> LENGTH: 393
<212> TYPE: PRT
<213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens
<400> SEQUENCE: 55
Met Glu Glu Pro Gln Ser Asp Pro Ser Val Glu Pro Pro Leu Ser Gln
1 5 10 15
Glu Thr Phe Ser Asp Leu Trp Lys Leu Leu Pro Glu Asn Asn Val Leu
20 25 30
Ser Pro Leu Pro Ser Gln Ala Met Asp Asp Leu Met Leu Ser Pro Asp
35 40 45
Asp Ile Glu Gln Trp Phe Thr Glu Asp Pro Gly Pro Asp Glu Ala Pro
50 55 60
Arg Met Pro Glu Ala Ala Pro Arg Val Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Ala Pro
65 70 75 80
Thr Pro Ala Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Pro Ser Trp Pro Leu Ser Ser Ser
85 90 95
Val Pro Ser Gln Lys Thr Tyr Gln Gly Ser Tyr Gly Phe Arg Leu Gly
100 105 110
Phe Leu His Ser Gly Thr Ala Lys Ser Val Thr Cys Thr Tyr Ser Pro
115 120 125
Ala Leu Asn Lys Met Phe Cys Gln Leu Ala Lys Thr Cys Pro Val Gln
130 135 140
Leu Trp Val Asp Ser Thr Pro Pro Pro Gly Thr Arg Val Arg Ala Met
145 150 155 160
Ala Ile Tyr Lys Gln Ser Gln His Met Thr Glu Val Val Arg Arg Cys
165 170 175
Pro His His Glu Arg Cys Ser Asp Ser Asp Gly Leu Ala Pro Pro Gln
180 185 190
His Leu Ile Arg Val Glu Gly Asn Leu Arg Val Glu Tyr Leu Asp Asp
195 200 205
Arg Asn Thr Phe Arg His Ser Val Val Val Pro Tyr Glu Pro Pro Glu
210 215 220
Val Gly Ser Asp Cys Thr Thr Ile His Tyr Asn Tyr Met Cys Asn Ser
225 230 235 240
Ser Cys Met Gly Gly Met Asn Arg Arg Pro Ile Leu Thr Ile Ile Thr
245 250 255
Leu Glu Asp Ser Ser Gly Asn Leu Leu Gly Arg Asn Ser Phe Glu Val
260 265 270
Arg Val Cys Ala Cys Pro Gly Arg Asp Arg Arg Thr Glu Glu Glu Asn
275 280 285
Leu Arg Lys Lys Gly Glu Pro His His Glu Leu Pro Pro Gly Ser Thr
290 295 300
Lys Arg Ala Leu Pro Asn Asn Thr Ser Ser Ser Pro Gln Pro Lys Lys
305 310 315 320
Lys Pro Leu Asp Gly Glu Tyr Phe Thr Leu Gln Ile Arg Gly Arg Glu
325 330 335
Arg Phe Glu Met Phe Arg Glu Leu Asn Glu Ala Leu Glu Leu Lys Asp
340 345 350
Ala Gln Ala Gly Lys Glu Pro Gly Gly Ser Arg Ala His Ser Ser His
355 360 365
Leu Lys Ser Lys Lys Gly Gln Ser Thr Ser Arg His Lys Lys Leu Met
370 375 380
Phe Lys Thr Glu Gly Pro Asp Ser Asp
385 390
<210> SEQ ID NO 56
<211> LENGTH: 393
<212> TYPE: PRT
<213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens
<400> SEQUENCE: 56
Met Glu Glu Pro Gln Ser Asp Pro Ser Val Glu Pro Pro Leu Ser Gln
1 5 10 15
Glu Thr Phe Ser Asp Leu Trp Lys Leu Leu Pro Glu Asn Asn Val Leu
20 25 30
Ser Pro Leu Pro Ser Gln Ala Met Asp Asp Leu Met Leu Ser Ser Asp
35 40 45
Asp Ile Glu Gln Trp Phe Thr Glu Asp Pro Gly Pro Asp Glu Ala Pro
50 55 60
Arg Met Pro Glu Ala Ala Pro Arg Val Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Ala Pro
65 70 75 80
Thr Pro Ala Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Pro Ser Trp Pro Leu Ser Ser Ser
85 90 95
Val Pro Ser Gln Lys Thr Tyr Gln Gly Ser Tyr Gly Phe Arg Leu Gly
100 105 110
Phe Leu His Ser Gly Thr Ala Lys Ser Val Thr Cys Thr Tyr Ser Pro
115 120 125
Ala Leu Asn Lys Met Phe Cys Gln Leu Ala Lys Thr Cys Pro Val Gln
130 135 140
Leu Trp Val Asp Ser Thr Pro Pro Pro Gly Thr Arg Val Arg Ala Met
145 150 155 160
Ala Ile Tyr Lys Gln Ser Gln His Met Thr Glu Val Val Arg Arg Cys
165 170 175
Pro His His Glu Arg Cys Ser Asp Ser Asp Gly Leu Ala Pro Pro Gln
180 185 190
His Leu Ile Arg Val Glu Gly Asn Leu Arg Val Glu Tyr Leu Asp Asp
195 200 205
Arg Asn Thr Phe Arg His Ser Val Val Val Pro Tyr Glu Pro Pro Glu
210 215 220
Val Gly Ser Asp Cys Thr Thr Ile His Tyr Asn Tyr Met Cys Asn Ser
225 230 235 240
Ser Cys Met Gly Gly Met Asn Arg Arg Pro Ile Leu Thr Ile Ile Thr
245 250 255
Leu Glu Asp Ser Ser Gly Asn Leu Leu Gly Arg Asn Ser Phe Glu Val
260 265 270
Arg Val Cys Ala Cys Pro Gly Arg Asp Arg Arg Thr Glu Glu Glu Asn
275 280 285
Leu Arg Lys Lys Gly Glu Pro His His Glu Leu Pro Pro Gly Ser Thr
290 295 300
Lys Arg Ala Leu Pro Asn Asn Thr Ser Ser Ser Pro Gln Pro Lys Lys
305 310 315 320
Lys Pro Leu Asp Gly Glu Tyr Phe Thr Leu Gln Ile Arg Gly Arg Glu
325 330 335
Arg Phe Glu Met Phe Arg Glu Leu Asn Glu Ala Leu Glu Leu Lys Asp
340 345 350
Ala Gln Ala Gly Lys Glu Pro Gly Gly Ser Arg Ala His Ser Ser His
355 360 365
Leu Lys Ser Lys Lys Gly Gln Ser Thr Ser Arg His Lys Lys Leu Met
370 375 380
Phe Lys Thr Glu Gly Pro Asp Ser Asp
385 390
<210> SEQ ID NO 57
<211> LENGTH: 393
<212> TYPE: PRT
<213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens
<400> SEQUENCE: 57
Met Glu Glu Pro Gln Ser Asp Pro Ser Val Glu Pro Pro Leu Ser Gln
1 5 10 15
Glu Thr Phe Ser Asp Leu Trp Lys Leu Leu Pro Glu Asn Asn Val Leu
20 25 30
Ser Pro Leu Pro Ser Gln Ala Met Asp Asp Leu Met Leu Ser Ser Asp
35 40 45
Asp Ile Glu Gln Trp Phe Thr Glu Asp Pro Gly Pro Asp Glu Ala Pro
50 55 60
Arg Met Pro Glu Ala Ala Pro Pro Val Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Ala Pro
65 70 75 80
Thr Pro Ala Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Pro Ser Trp Pro Leu Ser Ser Ser
85 90 95
Val Pro Ser Gln Lys Thr Tyr Gln Gly Ser Tyr Gly Phe Arg Leu Gly
100 105 110
Phe Leu His Ser Gly Thr Ala Lys Ser Val Thr Cys Thr Tyr Ser Pro
115 120 125
Ala Leu Asn Lys Met Phe Cys Gln Leu Ala Lys Thr Cys Pro Val Gln
130 135 140
Leu Trp Val Asp Ser Thr Pro Pro Pro Gly Thr Arg Val Arg Ala Met
145 150 155 160
Ala Ile Tyr Lys Gln Ser Gln His Met Thr Glu Val Val Arg Arg Cys
165 170 175
Pro His His Glu Arg Cys Ser Asp Ser Asp Gly Leu Ala Pro Pro Gln
180 185 190
His Leu Ile Arg Val Glu Gly Asn Leu Arg Val Glu Tyr Leu Asp Asp
195 200 205
Arg Asn Thr Phe Arg His Ser Val Val Val Pro Tyr Glu Pro Pro Glu
210 215 220
Val Gly Ser Asp Cys Thr Thr Ile His Tyr Asn Tyr Met Cys Asn Ser
225 230 235 240
Ser Cys Met Gly Gly Met Asn Arg Arg Pro Ile Leu Thr Ile Ile Thr
245 250 255
Leu Glu Asp Ser Ser Gly Asn Leu Leu Gly Arg Asn Ser Phe Glu Val
260 265 270
Arg Val Cys Ala Cys Pro Gly Arg Asp Arg Arg Thr Glu Glu Glu Asn
275 280 285
Leu Arg Lys Lys Gly Glu Pro His His Glu Leu Pro Pro Gly Ser Thr
290 295 300
Lys Arg Ala Leu Pro Asn Asn Thr Ser Ser Ser Pro Gln Pro Lys Lys
305 310 315 320
Lys Pro Leu Asp Gly Glu Tyr Phe Thr Leu Gln Ile Arg Gly Arg Glu
325 330 335
Arg Phe Glu Met Phe Arg Glu Leu Asn Glu Ala Leu Glu Leu Lys Asp
340 345 350
Ala Gln Ala Gly Lys Glu Pro Gly Gly Ser Arg Ala His Ser Ser His
355 360 365
Leu Lys Ser Lys Lys Gly Gln Ser Thr Ser Arg His Lys Lys Leu Met
370 375 380
Phe Lys Thr Glu Gly Pro Asp Ser Asp
385 390
<210> SEQ ID NO 58
<211> LENGTH: 2629
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens
<400> SEQUENCE: 58
acttgtcatg gcgactgtcc agctttgtgc caggagcctc gcaggggttg atgggattgg 60
ggttttcccc tcccatgtgc tcaagactgg cgctaaaagt tttgagcttc tcaaaagtct 120
agagccaccg tccagggagc aggtagctgc tgggctccgg ggacactttg cgttcgggct 180
gggagcgtgc tttccacgac ggtgacacgc ttccctggat tggcagccag actgccttcc 240
gggtcactgc catggaggag ccgcagtcag atcctagcgt cgagccccct ctgagtcagg 300
aaacattttc agacctatgg aaactacttc ctgaaaacaa cgttctgtcc cccttgccgt 360
cccaagcaat ggatgatttg atgctgtccc cggacgatat tgaacaatgg ttcactgaag 420
acccaggtcc agatgaagct cccagaatgc cagaggctgc tccccgcgtg gcccctgcac 480
cagcagctcc tacaccggcg gcccctgcac cagccccctc ctggcccctg tcatcttctg 540
tcccttccca gaaaacctac cagggcagct acggtttccg tctgggcttc ttgcattctg 600
ggacagccaa gtctgtgact tgcacgtact cccctgccct caacaagatg ttttgccaac 660
tggccaagac ctgccctgtg cagctgtggg ttgattccac acccccgccc ggcacccgcg 720
tccgcgccat ggccatctac aagcagtcac agcacatgac ggaggttgtg aggcgctgcc 780
cccaccatga gcgctgctca gatagcgatg gtctggcccc tcctcagcat cttatccgag 840
tggaaggaaa tttgcgtgtg gagtatttgg atgacagaaa cacttttcga catagtgtgg 900
tggtgcccta tgagccgcct gaggttggct ctgactgtac caccatccac tacaactaca 960
tgtgtaacag ttcctgcatg ggcggcatga accggaggcc catcctcacc atcatcacac 1020
tggaagactc cagtggtaat ctactgggac ggaacagctt tgaggtgcgt gtttgtgcct 1080
gtcctgggag agaccggcgc acagaggaag agaatctccg caagaaaggg gagcctcacc 1140
acgagctgcc cccagggagc actaagcgag cactgcccaa caacaccagc tcctctcccc 1200
agccaaagaa gaaaccactg gatggagaat atttcaccct tcagatccgt gggcgtgagc 1260
gcttcgagat gttccgagag ctgaatgagg ccttggaact caaggatgcc caggctggga 1320
aggagccagg ggggagcagg gctcactcca gccacctgaa gtccaaaaag ggtcagtcta 1380
cctcccgcca taaaaaactc atgttcaaga cagaagggcc tgactcagac tgacattctc 1440
cacttcttgt tccccactga cagcctccca cccccatctc tccctcccct gccattttgg 1500
gttttgggtc tttgaaccct tgcttgcaat aggtgtgcgt cagaagcacc caggacttcc 1560
atttgctttg tcccggggct ccactgaaca agttggcctg cactggtgtt ttgttgtggg 1620
gaggaggatg gggagtagga cataccagct tagattttaa ggtttttact gtgagggatg 1680
tttgggagat gtaagaaatg ttcttgcagt taagggttag tttacaatca gccacattct 1740
aggtaggtag gggcccactt caccgtacta accagggaag ctgtccctca tgttgaattt 1800
tctctaactt caaggcccat atctgtgaaa tgctggcatt tgcacctacc tcacagagtg 1860
cattgtgagg gttaatgaaa taatgtacat ctggccttga aaccaccttt tattacatgg 1920
ggtctaaaac ttgaccccct tgagggtgcc tgttccctct ccctctccct gttggctggt 1980
gggttggtag tttctacagt tgggcagctg gttaggtaga gggagttgtc aagtcttgct 2040
ggcccagcca aaccctgtct gacaacctct tggtcgacct tagtacctaa aaggaaatct 2100
caccccatcc cacaccctgg aggatttcat ctcttgtata tgatgatctg gatccaccaa 2160
gacttgtttt atgctcaggg tcaatttctt ttttcttttt tttttttttt tttctttttc 2220
tttgagactg ggtctcgctt tgttgcccag gctggagtgg agtggcgtga tcttggctta 2280
ctgcagcctt tgcctccccg gctcgagcag tcctgcctca gcctccggag tagctgggac 2340
cacaggttca tgccaccatg gccagccaac ttttgcatgt tttgtagaga tggggtctca 2400
cagtgttgcc caggctggtc tcaaactcct gggctcaggc gatccacctg tctcagcctc 2460
ccagagtgct gggattacaa ttgtgagcca ccacgtggag ctggaagggt caacatcttt 2520
tacattctgc aagcacatct gcattttcac cccacccttc ccctccttct ccctttttat 2580
atcccatttt tatatcgatc tcttatttta caataaaact ttgctgcca 2629
<210> SEQ ID NO 59
<211> LENGTH: 2629
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens
<400> SEQUENCE: 59
acttgtcatg gcgactgtcc agctttgtgc caggagcctc gcaggggttg atgggattgg 60
ggttttcccc tcccatgtgc tcaagactgg cgctaaaagt tttgagcttc tcaaaagtct 120
agagccaccg tccagggagc aggtagctgc tgggctccgg ggacactttg cgttcgggct 180
gggagcgtgc tttccacgac ggtgacacgc ttccctggat tggcagccag actgccttcc 240
gggtcactgc catggaggag ccgcagtcag atcctagcgt cgagccccct ctgagtcagg 300
aaacattttc agacctatgg aaactacttc ctgaaaacaa cgttctgtcc cccttgccgt 360
cccaagcaat ggatgatttg atgctgtccc cggacgatat tgaacaatgg ttcactgaag 420
acccaggtcc agatgaagct cccagaatgc cagaggctgc tccccccgtg gcccctgcac 480
cagcagctcc tacaccggcg gcccctgcac cagccccctc ctggcccctg tcatcttctg 540
tcccttccca gaaaacctac cagggcagct acggtttccg tctgggcttc ttgcattctg 600
ggacagccaa gtctgtgact tgcacgtact cccctgccct caacaagatg ttttgccaac 660
tggccaagac ctgccctgtg cagctgtggg ttgattccac acccccgccc ggcacccgcg 720
tccgcgccat ggccatctac aagcagtcac agcacatgac ggaggttgtg aggcgctgcc 780
cccaccatga gcgctgctca gatagcgatg gtctggcccc tcctcagcat cttatccgag 840
tggaaggaaa tttgcgtgtg gagtatttgg atgacagaaa cacttttcga catagtgtgg 900
tggtgcccta tgagccgcct gaggttggct ctgactgtac caccatccac tacaactaca 960
tgtgtaacag ttcctgcatg ggcggcatga accggaggcc catcctcacc atcatcacac 1020
tggaagactc cagtggtaat ctactgggac ggaacagctt tgaggtgcgt gtttgtgcct 1080
gtcctgggag agaccggcgc acagaggaag agaatctccg caagaaaggg gagcctcacc 1140
acgagctgcc cccagggagc actaagcgag cactgcccaa caacaccagc tcctctcccc 1200
agccaaagaa gaaaccactg gatggagaat atttcaccct tcagatccgt gggcgtgagc 1260
gcttcgagat gttccgagag ctgaatgagg ccttggaact caaggatgcc caggctggga 1320
aggagccagg ggggagcagg gctcactcca gccacctgaa gtccaaaaag ggtcagtcta 1380
cctcccgcca taaaaaactc atgttcaaga cagaagggcc tgactcagac tgacattctc 1440
cacttcttgt tccccactga cagcctccca cccccatctc tccctcccct gccattttgg 1500
gttttgggtc tttgaaccct tgcttgcaat aggtgtgcgt cagaagcacc caggacttcc 1560
atttgctttg tcccggggct ccactgaaca agttggcctg cactggtgtt ttgttgtggg 1620
gaggaggatg gggagtagga cataccagct tagattttaa ggtttttact gtgagggatg 1680
tttgggagat gtaagaaatg ttcttgcagt taagggttag tttacaatca gccacattct 1740
aggtaggtag gggcccactt caccgtacta accagggaag ctgtccctca tgttgaattt 1800
tctctaactt caaggcccat atctgtgaaa tgctggcatt tgcacctacc tcacagagtg 1860
cattgtgagg gttaatgaaa taatgtacat ctggccttga aaccaccttt tattacatgg 1920
ggtctaaaac ttgaccccct tgagggtgcc tgttccctct ccctctccct gttggctggt 1980
gggttggtag tttctacagt tgggcagctg gttaggtaga gggagttgtc aagtcttgct 2040
ggcccagcca aaccctgtct gacaacctct tggtcgacct tagtacctaa aaggaaatct 2100
caccccatcc cacaccctgg aggatttcat ctcttgtata tgatgatctg gatccaccaa 2160
gacttgtttt atgctcaggg tcaatttctt ttttcttttt tttttttttt tttctttttc 2220
tttgagactg ggtctcgctt tgttgcccag gctggagtgg agtggcgtga tcttggctta 2280
ctgcagcctt tgcctccccg gctcgagcag tcctgcctca gcctccggag tagctgggac 2340
cacaggttca tgccaccatg gccagccaac ttttgcatgt tttgtagaga tggggtctca 2400
cagtgttgcc caggctggtc tcaaactcct gggctcaggc gatccacctg tctcagcctc 2460
ccagagtgct gggattacaa ttgtgagcca ccacgtggag ctggaagggt caacatcttt 2520
tacattctgc aagcacatct gcattttcac cccacccttc ccctccttct ccctttttat 2580
atcccatttt tatatcgatc tcttatttta caataaaact ttgctgcca 2629
<210> SEQ ID NO 60
<211> LENGTH: 2629
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens
<400> SEQUENCE: 60
acttgtcatg gcgactgtcc agctttgtgc caggagcctc gcaggggttg atgggattgg 60
ggttttcccc tcccatgtgc tcaagactgg cgctaaaagt tttgagcttc tcaaaagtct 120
agagccaccg tccagggagc aggtagctgc tgggctccgg ggacactttg cgttcgggct 180
gggagcgtgc tttccacgac ggtgacacgc ttccctggat tggcagccag actgccttcc 240
gggtcactgc catggaggag ccgcagtcag atcctagcgt cgagccccct ctgagtcagg 300
aaacattttc agacctatgg aaactacttc ctgaaaacaa cgttctgtcc cccttgccgt 360
cccaagcaat ggatgatttg atgctgtcct cggacgatat tgaacaatgg ttcactgaag 420
acccaggtcc agatgaagct cccagaatgc cagaggctgc tccccgcgtg gcccctgcac 480
cagcagctcc tacaccggcg gcccctgcac cagccccctc ctggcccctg tcatcttctg 540
tcccttccca gaaaacctac cagggcagct acggtttccg tctgggcttc ttgcattctg 600
ggacagccaa gtctgtgact tgcacgtact cccctgccct caacaagatg ttttgccaac 660
tggccaagac ctgccctgtg cagctgtggg ttgattccac acccccgccc ggcacccgcg 720
tccgcgccat ggccatctac aagcagtcac agcacatgac ggaggttgtg aggcgctgcc 780
cccaccatga gcgctgctca gatagcgatg gtctggcccc tcctcagcat cttatccgag 840
tggaaggaaa tttgcgtgtg gagtatttgg atgacagaaa cacttttcga catagtgtgg 900
tggtgcccta tgagccgcct gaggttggct ctgactgtac caccatccac tacaactaca 960
tgtgtaacag ttcctgcatg ggcggcatga accggaggcc catcctcacc atcatcacac 1020
tggaagactc cagtggtaat ctactgggac ggaacagctt tgaggtgcgt gtttgtgcct 1080
gtcctgggag agaccggcgc acagaggaag agaatctccg caagaaaggg gagcctcacc 1140
acgagctgcc cccagggagc actaagcgag cactgcccaa caacaccagc tcctctcccc 1200
agccaaagaa gaaaccactg gatggagaat atttcaccct tcagatccgt gggcgtgagc 1260
gcttcgagat gttccgagag ctgaatgagg ccttggaact caaggatgcc caggctggga 1320
aggagccagg ggggagcagg gctcactcca gccacctgaa gtccaaaaag ggtcagtcta 1380
cctcccgcca taaaaaactc atgttcaaga cagaagggcc tgactcagac tgacattctc 1440
cacttcttgt tccccactga cagcctccca cccccatctc tccctcccct gccattttgg 1500
gttttgggtc tttgaaccct tgcttgcaat aggtgtgcgt cagaagcacc caggacttcc 1560
atttgctttg tcccggggct ccactgaaca agttggcctg cactggtgtt ttgttgtggg 1620
gaggaggatg gggagtagga cataccagct tagattttaa ggtttttact gtgagggatg 1680
tttgggagat gtaagaaatg ttcttgcagt taagggttag tttacaatca gccacattct 1740
aggtaggtag gggcccactt caccgtacta accagggaag ctgtccctca tgttgaattt 1800
tctctaactt caaggcccat atctgtgaaa tgctggcatt tgcacctacc tcacagagtg 1860
cattgtgagg gttaatgaaa taatgtacat ctggccttga aaccaccttt tattacatgg 1920
ggtctaaaac ttgaccccct tgagggtgcc tgttccctct ccctctccct gttggctggt 1980
gggttggtag tttctacagt tgggcagctg gttaggtaga gggagttgtc aagtcttgct 2040
ggcccagcca aaccctgtct gacaacctct tggtcgacct tagtacctaa aaggaaatct 2100
caccccatcc cacaccctgg aggatttcat ctcttgtata tgatgatctg gatccaccaa 2160
gacttgtttt atgctcaggg tcaatttctt ttttcttttt tttttttttt tttctttttc 2220
tttgagactg ggtctcgctt tgttgcccag gctggagtgg agtggcgtga tcttggctta 2280
ctgcagcctt tgcctccccg gctcgagcag tcctgcctca gcctccggag tagctgggac 2340
cacaggttca tgccaccatg gccagccaac ttttgcatgt tttgtagaga tggggtctca 2400
cagtgttgcc caggctggtc tcaaactcct gggctcaggc gatccacctg tctcagcctc 2460
ccagagtgct gggattacaa ttgtgagcca ccacgtggag ctggaagggt caacatcttt 2520
tacattctgc aagcacatct gcattttcac cccacccttc ccctccttct ccctttttat 2580
atcccatttt tatatcgatc tcttatttta caataaaact ttgctgcca 2629
<210> SEQ ID NO 61
<211> LENGTH: 2629
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens
<400> SEQUENCE: 61
acttgtcatg gcgactgtcc agctttgtgc caggagcctc gcaggggttg atgggattgg 60
ggttttcccc tcccatgtgc tcaagactgg cgctaaaagt tttgagcttc tcaaaagtct 120
agagccaccg tccagggagc aggtagctgc tgggctccgg ggacactttg cgttcgggct 180
gggagcgtgc tttccacgac ggtgacacgc ttccctggat tggcagccag actgccttcc 240
gggtcactgc catggaggag ccgcagtcag atcctagcgt cgagccccct ctgagtcagg 300
aaacattttc agacctatgg aaactacttc ctgaaaacaa cgttctgtcc cccttgccgt 360
cccaagcaat ggatgatttg atgctgtcct cggacgatat tgaacaatgg ttcactgaag 420
acccaggtcc agatgaagct cccagaatgc cagaggctgc tccccccgtg gcccctgcac 480
cagcagctcc tacaccggcg gcccctgcac cagccccctc ctggcccctg tcatcttctg 540
tcccttccca gaaaacctac cagggcagct acggtttccg tctgggcttc ttgcattctg 600
ggacagccaa gtctgtgact tgcacgtact cccctgccct caacaagatg ttttgccaac 660
tggccaagac ctgccctgtg cagctgtggg ttgattccac acccccgccc ggcacccgcg 720
tccgcgccat ggccatctac aagcagtcac agcacatgac ggaggttgtg aggcgctgcc 780
cccaccatga gcgctgctca gatagcgatg gtctggcccc tcctcagcat cttatccgag 840
tggaaggaaa tttgcgtgtg gagtatttgg atgacagaaa cacttttcga catagtgtgg 900
tggtgcccta tgagccgcct gaggttggct ctgactgtac caccatccac tacaactaca 960
tgtgtaacag ttcctgcatg ggcggcatga accggaggcc catcctcacc atcatcacac 1020
tggaagactc cagtggtaat ctactgggac ggaacagctt tgaggtgcgt gtttgtgcct 1080
gtcctgggag agaccggcgc acagaggaag agaatctccg caagaaaggg gagcctcacc 1140
acgagctgcc cccagggagc actaagcgag cactgcccaa caacaccagc tcctctcccc 1200
agccaaagaa gaaaccactg gatggagaat atttcaccct tcagatccgt gggcgtgagc 1260
gcttcgagat gttccgagag ctgaatgagg ccttggaact caaggatgcc caggctggga 1320
aggagccagg ggggagcagg gctcactcca gccacctgaa gtccaaaaag ggtcagtcta 1380
cctcccgcca taaaaaactc atgttcaaga cagaagggcc tgactcagac tgacattctc 1440
cacttcttgt tccccactga cagcctccca cccccatctc tccctcccct gccattttgg 1500
gttttgggtc tttgaaccct tgcttgcaat aggtgtgcgt cagaagcacc caggacttcc 1560
atttgctttg tcccggggct ccactgaaca agttggcctg cactggtgtt ttgttgtggg 1620
gaggaggatg gggagtagga cataccagct tagattttaa ggtttttact gtgagggatg 1680
tttgggagat gtaagaaatg ttcttgcagt taagggttag tttacaatca gccacattct 1740
aggtaggtag gggcccactt caccgtacta accagggaag ctgtccctca tgttgaattt 1800
tctctaactt caaggcccat atctgtgaaa tgctggcatt tgcacctacc tcacagagtg 1860
cattgtgagg gttaatgaaa taatgtacat ctggccttga aaccaccttt tattacatgg 1920
ggtctaaaac ttgaccccct tgagggtgcc tgttccctct ccctctccct gttggctggt 1980
gggttggtag tttctacagt tgggcagctg gttaggtaga gggagttgtc aagtcttgct 2040
ggcccagcca aaccctgtct gacaacctct tggtcgacct tagtacctaa aaggaaatct 2100
caccccatcc cacaccctgg aggatttcat ctcttgtata tgatgatctg gatccaccaa 2160
gacttgtttt atgctcaggg tcaatttctt ttttcttttt tttttttttt tttctttttc 2220
tttgagactg ggtctcgctt tgttgcccag gctggagtgg agtggcgtga tcttggctta 2280
ctgcagcctt tgcctccccg gctcgagcag tcctgcctca gcctccggag tagctgggac 2340
cacaggttca tgccaccatg gccagccaac ttttgcatgt tttgtagaga tggggtctca 2400
cagtgttgcc caggctggtc tcaaactcct gggctcaggc gatccacctg tctcagcctc 2460
ccagagtgct gggattacaa ttgtgagcca ccacgtggag ctggaagggt caacatcttt 2520
tacattctgc aagcacatct gcattttcac cccacccttc ccctccttct ccctttttat 2580
atcccatttt tatatcgatc tcttatttta caataaaact ttgctgcca 2629
<210> SEQ ID NO 62
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 62
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccacgcgttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 63
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 63
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcctc ggacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccacgcgttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 64
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 64
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacctc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gacctgtgga aattgcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgtcctc ggacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgaaga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 65
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 65
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacccc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gatctgtgga agcttcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgagccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgagga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccacgcgttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 66
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 66
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacccc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gatctgtgga agcttcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgagctc ggacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgagga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccacgcgttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 67
<211> LENGTH: 1182
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 67
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacccc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gatctgtgga agcttcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgagctc ggacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgagga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccaccggttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacaccagca gttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctt cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccgtg ctcatagcag ccacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac ctcccgccat 1140
aaaaaactga tgttcaagac cgaaggtcct gactcagact ga 1182
<210> SEQ ID NO 68
<211> LENGTH: 1181
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 68
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacccc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gatctgtgga agcttcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgagccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgagga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccacgcgttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacacgagct cttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctg cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccggg cccattcgtc tcacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac tagtcgccat 1140
aaaaaactga gttcaagacc gaaggtcctg actcagactg a 1181
<210> SEQ ID NO 69
<211> LENGTH: 1181
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 69
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacccc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gatctgtgga agcttcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgagctc ggacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgagga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccacgcgttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacacgagct cttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctg cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccggg cccattcgtc tcacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac tagtcgccat 1140
aaaaaactga gttcaagacc gaaggtcctg actcagactg a 1181
<210> SEQ ID NO 70
<211> LENGTH: 1181
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence
<220> FEATURE:
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: Produced by genetic engineering
<400> SEQUENCE: 70
atggaagaac cacagtcaga tcctagcgtc gaaccacccc tgagtcagga aaccttttca 60
gatctgtgga agcttcttcc tgaaaacaac gttctgtccc cattgcctag tcaagcaatg 120
gatgatttga tgctgagccc agacgatatt gaacaatggt tcactgagga tccaggccca 180
gatgaagctc cacgaatgcc agaggccgct ccacgcgttg ccccagcacc agcagctcct 240
acaccggcgg ccccagctcc ggccccatcc tggcctctgt catcttctgt cccttcccag 300
aaaacctacc agggcagcta cggtttccgt ctgggcttct tgcattctgg aactgccaag 360
tctgttactt gtacgtactc tccagccctt aacaagatgt tttgccaact cgcgaagacc 420
tgcccagtcc aactgtgggt cgactccacc cctccacctg gtacacgtgt ccgcgcaatg 480
gccatctaca agcagagcca gcacatgacg gaggtcgtac gacgctgtcc acaccatgag 540
cgctgctcag attctgatgg tctggcgcca ccacagcatc ttatccgagt ggaaggtaac 600
ctacgcgtgg agtatctaga tgaccgcaac acttttcgac acagtgtggt ggtgccatat 660
gagccaccag aagttggctc tgactgcacc accatccact acaactatat gtgtaacagt 720
tcatgcatgg gcggcatgaa ccggcggccg atcctgacca tcatcactct cgaggattcc 780
tcaggtaatc tcctaggacg gaattccttt gaggtgcgtg tttgtgcatg cccgggccgc 840
gatcgccgga ccgaagagga gaatctccgg aagaaaggtg agcctcacca cgagctgcca 900
ccaggaagca ctaagcgagc actgccaaac aacacgagct cttctccaca gccaaagaag 960
aaacctttgg acggagaata tttcaccctg cagatccgtg gccgtgagcg gttcgagatg 1020
ttccgagagc tgaatgaggc cttagaactt aaggatgccc aggctggtaa ggagccagga 1080
ggcagccggg cccattcgtc tcacctgaag tccaaaaagg gtcagtctac tagtcgccat 1140
aaaaaactga gttcaagacc gaaggtcctg actcagactg a 1181
<210> SEQ ID NO 71
<211> LENGTH: 1179
<212> TYPE: DNA
<213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens
<220> FEATURE:
<221> NAME/KEY: CDS
<222> LOCATION: (1)...(1179)
<221> NAME/KEY: misc_feature
<222> LOCATION: (1)...(1179)
<223> OTHER INFORMATION: n = A,T,C or G
<400> SEQUENCE: 71
atg gar gar ccn car nnn gay ccn nnn gtn gar ccn ccn ytn nnn car 48
Met Glu Glu Pro Gln Ser Asp Pro Ser Val Glu Pro Pro Leu Ser Gln
1 5 10 15
gar acn tty nnn gay ytn tgg aar ytn ytn ccn gar aay aay gtn ytn 96
Glu Thr Phe Ser Asp Leu Trp Lys Leu Leu Pro Glu Asn Asn Val Leu
20 25 30
nnn ccn ytn ccn nnn car gcn atg gay gay ytn atg ytn nnn ccn gay 144
Ser Pro Leu Pro Ser Gln Ala Met Asp Asp Leu Met Leu Ser Pro Asp
35 40 45
gay ath gar car tgg tty acn gar gay ccn ggn ccn gay gar gcn ccn 192
Asp Ile Glu Gln Trp Phe Thr Glu Asp Pro Gly Pro Asp Glu Ala Pro
50 55 60
nnn atg ccn gar gcn gcn ccn ccn gtn gcn ccn gcn ccn gcn gcn ccn 240
Arg Met Pro Glu Ala Ala Pro Pro Val Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Ala Pro
65 70 75 80
acn ccn gcn gcn ccn gcn ccn gcn ccn nnn tgg ccn ytn nnn nnn nnn 288
Thr Pro Ala Ala Pro Ala Pro Ala Pro Ser Trp Pro Leu Ser Ser Ser
85 90 95
gtn ccn nnn car aar acn tay car ggn nnn tay ggn tty nnn ytn ggn 336
Val Pro Ser Gln Lys Thr Tyr Gln Gly Ser Tyr Gly Phe Arg Leu Gly
100 105 110
tty ytn cay nnn ggn acn gcn aar nnn gtn acn tgy acn tay nnn ccn 384
Phe Leu His Ser Gly Thr Ala Lys Ser Val Thr Cys Thr Tyr Ser Pro
115 120 125
gcn ytn aay aar atg tty tgy car ytn gcn aar acn tgy ccn gtn car 432
Ala Leu Asn Lys Met Phe Cys Gln Leu Ala Lys Thr Cys Pro Val Gln
130 135 140
ytn tgg gtn gay nnn acn ccn ccn ccn ggn acn nnn gtn nnn gcn atg 480
Leu Trp Val Asp Ser Thr Pro Pro Pro Gly Thr Arg Val Arg Ala Met
145 150 155 160
gcn ath tay aar car nnn car cay atg acn gar gtn gtn nnn nnn tgy 528
Ala Ile Tyr Lys Gln Ser Gln His Met Thr Glu Val Val Arg Arg Cys
165 170 175
ccn cay cay gar nnn tgy nnn gay nnn gay ggn ytn gcn ccn ccn car 576
Pro His His Glu Arg Cys Ser Asp Ser Asp Gly Leu Ala Pro Pro Gln
180 185 190
cay ytn ath nnn gtn gar ggn aay ytn nnn gtn gar tay ytn gay gay 624
His Leu Ile Arg Val Glu Gly Asn Leu Arg Val Glu Tyr Leu Asp Asp
195 200 205
nnn aay acn tty nnn cay nnn gtn gtn gtn ccn tay gar ccn ccn gar 672
Arg Asn Thr Phe Arg His Ser Val Val Val Pro Tyr Glu Pro Pro Glu
210 215 220
gtn ggn nnn gay tgy acn acn ath cay tay aay tay atg tgy aay nnn 720
Val Gly Ser Asp Cys Thr Thr Ile His Tyr Asn Tyr Met Cys Asn Ser
225 230 235 240
nnn tgy atg ggn ggn atg aay nnn nnn ccn ath ytn acn ath ath acn 768
Ser Cys Met Gly Gly Met Asn Arg Arg Pro Ile Leu Thr Ile Ile Thr
245 250 255
ytn gar gay nnn nnn ggn aay ytn ytn ggn nnn aay nnn tty gar gtn 816
Leu Glu Asp Ser Ser Gly Asn Leu Leu Gly Arg Asn Ser Phe Glu Val
260 265 270
nnn gtn tgy gcn tgy ccn ggn nnn gay nnn nnn acn gar gar gar aay 864
Arg Val Cys Ala Cys Pro Gly Arg Asp Arg Arg Thr Glu Glu Glu Asn
275 280 285
ytn nnn aar aar ggn gar ccn cay cay gar ytn ccn ccn ggn nnn acn 912
Leu Arg Lys Lys Gly Glu Pro His His Glu Leu Pro Pro Gly Ser Thr
290 295 300
aar nnn gcn ytn ccn aay aay acn nnn nnn nnn ccn car ccn aar aar 960
Lys Arg Ala Leu Pro Asn Asn Thr Ser Ser Ser Pro Gln Pro Lys Lys
305 310 315 320
aar ccn ytn gay ggn gar tay tty acn ytn car ath nnn ggn nnn gar 1008
Lys Pro Leu Asp Gly Glu Tyr Phe Thr Leu Gln Ile Arg Gly Arg Glu
325 330 335
nnn tty gar atg tty nnn gar ytn aay gar gcn ytn gar ytn aar gay 1056
Arg Phe Glu Met Phe Arg Glu Leu Asn Glu Ala Leu Glu Leu Lys Asp
340 345 350
gcn car gcn ggn aar gar ccn ggn ggn nnn nnn gcn cay nnn nnn cay 1104
Ala Gln Ala Gly Lys Glu Pro Gly Gly Ser Arg Ala His Ser Ser His
355 360 365
ytn aar nnn aar aar ggn car nnn acn nnn nnn cay aar aar ytn atg 1152
Leu Lys Ser Lys Lys Gly Gln Ser Thr Ser Arg His Lys Lys Leu Met
370 375 380
tty aar acn gar ggn ccn gay nnn gay 1179
Phe Lys Thr Glu Gly Pro Asp Ser Asp
385 390
|
The transcription factor and tumor suppressor protein p53 is inactivated in many human cancers. Approximately forty percent of cancers carry large amounts of mutated full-length p53 protein with one of over 900 reported single amino acid changes in the p53 core domain that recognizes p53 DNA binding sites. The ability to restore function to these inactive p53 proteins would dramatically improve cancer therapy. Alternative open reading frames that are more easily engineered encode a wild-type p53. The alternative open reading frames are optimized for codon usage and expression of p53 proteins in E. coli , yeast and mammalian cells. The alternative open reading frames may additionally contain mutations that are naturally found in human cancers, substitutions that correspond to polymorphic p53 alleles, or mutations in residues that can be post-translationally modified.
| 2
|
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates generally to the field of steganography and, more particularly, to such steganography which integrally combines a visible colorant with an invisible colorant which invisible colorant is imperceptible to the human eye and which is not present in a reproduction therefrom for detecting counterfeiting, forgery or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] “I would never put it in the power of any printer or publisher to suppress or alter a work of mine, by making him master of the copy” Thomas Paine, Rights of Man, 1792.
[0003] “The printer dares not go beyond his licensed copy” Milton, Aeropagetica, 1644.
[0004] Since time immemorial, unauthorized use and outright piracy of proprietary source material has been a source of lost revenue, confusion, and artistic corruption.
[0005] These historical problems have been compounded by the advent of digital technology. With it, the technology of copying materials and redistributing them in unauthorized manners has reached new heights of sophistication, and more importantly, omnipresence. Lacking objective means for comparing an alleged copy of material with the original, owners and litigation proceedings are left with a subjective opinion of whether the alleged copy is stolen, or has been used in an unauthorized manner. Furthermore, there is no simple means of tracing a path to an original purchaser of the material—something which can be valuable in tracing where a possible “leak” of the material first occurred.
[0006] A variety of methods for protecting commercial material have been attempted. One method is to embed information in the document or image that is imperceptible to the human eye and which is copied into reproductions. The embedded information includes data that permits the copyright owner to discern copies from the original so that illegal copying is detected.
[0007] Although the presently known and utilized media having steganography and methods using steganography are satisfactory, they include drawbacks. One such drawback is that, upon copying the reproduced copy over and over again, the embedded data may become degraded so that the data is not decodable. Another drawback is that image processing, such as scaling, rotation and the like, may also degrade the embedded data so that it is not decodable. Another drawback is that exact copies of images containing steganographic data reproduce that information as well as the original so that copies cannot easily be distinguished from the original by the presence of the steganographic mark. While the presence of the steganographic mark authenticates the original as legitimate and prevents the creation of an altered copy of the original, it does not distinguish between an exact copy of the original and the original itself.
[0008] Consequently, a need exists for a form of embedded data which is not reproduced in photocopies so that all subsequent copies (i.e., those which do not contain the unreproducable embedded data) are identifiable as photocopies so that fraudulent photocopies are easily detected. It is noted that this is the inverse of the currently known embedded steganography which passes the embedded data to photocopies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect of the present invention, the a medium for displaying information thereon, the medium comprising (a) a substrate; (b) visible information formed from a plurality of colors displayed on the substrate; wherein at least one of the colors includes at least one visible colorant and at least one invisible colorant which invisible colorant is imperceptible to the human eye and which is not present in a reproduction therefrom for detecting counterfeiting or forgery.
[0010] These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention has the following advantages of detecting original copyrighted media by illuminating the media of interest with infrared light for detecting data which is imperceptible to the human eye and which is lost upon reproduction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] [0012]FIG. 1 is a drawing of a typical hardcopy image of the present invention encoded with the at least one invisible colorant;
[0013] [0013]FIG. 2 is an alternative embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrating a different substrate for the hardcopy image of the present invention;
[0014] [0014]FIG. 3 is an illustration of an illumination source illuminating the hardcopy images of FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0015] [0015]FIG. 4 is an illustration of the reflection from the hardcopy image of FIG. 3; and
[0016] [0016]FIG. 5 is an illustration illumination source having an output mechanism for displaying to a user its results.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a medium 10 , such a paper, forming a substrate onto which text, graphics, images and the like (hereinafter referred to visible information) may be displayed. The visible information is formed from a plurality of colorants 20 , such as cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) that is placed on the substrate via any suitable means. Such means are well known in the art and will not be discussed herein.
[0018] One of the colorants, for example magenta, includes an invisible colorant 30 that is substantially non-reflective or luminesce in the visible wavelengths. Although magenta is used in the preferred embodiment, any one or any combination of the CMYK colorants 20 could include an invisible colorant.
[0019] The invisible colorant 30 is typically formed from an ultraviolet (UV) or infrared (IR) absorbing dye, pigment or ink. As used herein, UV is defined as a colorant having substantially all of its absorption at below 400 nanometers, and an IR dye, pigment or ink has substantially all of its absorption at or above 800 nanometers. The UV materials and the IR materials may be those as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,027 and 4,866,025 for UV and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,950,640 and 4,942,141 for IR, but are not limited to those disclosures.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a medium 40 having one or more different physical properties or characteristics than the medium 10 . This illustrates that, for example, a plain paper receiver (i.e., medium 10 ) would require different dyes, pigments or inks 20 than a receiver (i.e., medium 40 ) constructed from biaxially oriented polyethylene for compatibility. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize the different dyes, pigments or inks required to be used. To illustrate this, a compatible invisible colorant 50 , for example magenta, would be required to be used. As in the previous embodiment, although magenta is used for the invisible colorant 50 , any one or any combination of the colorants 20 may contain the invisible colorant.
[0021] Referring to FIG. 3, there is an illustration for detecting whether the mediums 10 and 40 are authorized copyrighted materials or are illegal copies. It is instructive to note that an illegal copy will not contain the invisible colorant because the invisible colorant is not reproduced in a photocopy; only the copyrighted material will contain the invisible material. In this regard, a combined reader and illumination source 60 contains a light source 70 that illuminates the mediums of interest 10 or 40 which causes the colorants to be reflected. It should be readily apparent that, although mediums 10 and 40 are both shown as being illuminated for understanding that both can be illuminated, only one will be illuminated at any given time in practice.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown an illustration of the reflected material from the mediums 10 or 40 as a result of being illuminated by the illumination source 60 . The reflected light is passed through a filter 80 which removes substantially all visible light and passes only the invisible light. The invisible light is imaged upon an imaging device 90 such as a CMOS (complimentary metal oxide semiconductor) imager or a CCD (charge-coupled device) imager both of which are capable of reading or detecting the reflected invisible wavelength light that is invisible only to the human eye, but not to the imagers.
[0023] Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown an illustration of the reader and illumination source 60 having an output mechanism 100 such as LEDs which, when illuminating as a red color, alerts the user of an illegal copy or, when illuminating as a green color, alerts the user of a copyrighted original. A second embodiment of the output mechanism 100 can be a screen of some type such as an LCD or an OLED display which will image the invisible image to the human eye.
[0024] An illustration of the operation of the dual reader and illumination device 60 is as follows. A media 10 or 40 having both visible 20 and invisible colorant 50 , when illuminated by the dual reader and illumination device 60 , both the visible and invisible wavelengths of light are reflected into the reading device 60 . By filtering out the visible light, only the invisible light is imaged upon a detector 90 which is sensitive to that wavelength so that the image is detectable.
[0025] In contrast, a copy of the media processed on something such as a photocopier the photocopier will output an image without any invisible colorant. When the copied image is scanned and filtered by the reading device no light will pass through the filter thus detecting an illegal copy.
[0026] The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.
PARTS LIST
[0027] [0027] 10 first medium 20 visible colorant 30 invisible colorant 40 second medium 50 invisible colorant 60 illumination source 70 light source 80 filter 90 imaging device
|
A medium for displaying information thereon, the medium includes a substrate; and visible information formed from a plurality of colors displayed on the substrate; wherein at least one of the colors includes at least one visible colorant and at least one invisible colorant which invisible colorant is imperceptible to the human eye and which is not present in a reproduction therefrom for detecting counterfeiting or forgery.
| 8
|
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an air operated grease gun, and in particular to a grease gun with a reciprocating plunger driven by a piston in a cylinder.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In one type of air operated grease gun previously available, a reciprocating plunger ejects grease from the tip of the gun. The plunger is driven by a piston reciprocating in a cylinder. Air pressure in the cylinder advances the piston in the cylinder against the force of a return spring, until the piston reaches a position where a release opens a seal over apertures in the piston, allowing the air pressure to escape and the piston to retract under the force of the return spring.
This type of air operated grease gun suffers from at least two disadvantages. The opening of the seal results in a significant pressure drop in the pressure of the grease ejected by the gun, resulting in large swings in the grease application pressure. Furthermore, the piston must be relatively large and rigid, and carefully manufactured to close tolerances so that the seal can close all of the apertures so that the piston functions properly. This makes the piston very expensive, increasing the total cost of the grease gun.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The grease gun of the present invention is of simple and inexpensive construction. It reduces the larger pressure swings that can occur in prior art air operated grease guns. Moreover, the construction eliminates the need for a large, and carefully and expensively fabricated piston, allowing the piston to be fabricated from inexpensive stamped parts.
Generally, the air operated grease gun of the present invention comprises a reciprocating grease plunger for ejecting grease. A piston, connected to the plunger for operating the plunger, is slidably mounted in a cylinder to move between a retracted position and an advanced position. A return spring resiliently biases the piston to its retracted position. There is a valve for selectively connecting the cylinder to a source of gas under pressure to advance the piston against the return spring. The piston has a plurality of apertures therein, and each aperture has an individual seal. There is a release for opening the individual seals to relieve the pressure behind the cylinder and allow it to retract under the force of the return spring.
The use of individual seals for the apertures, rather than a large seal encompassing all of the apertures, reduces the pressure differential at the point where the release opens the seals, thereby allowing the air operated grease gun to operate at a more constant pressure. Furthermore the reduction in the size of the seal means larger tolerances can be used, eliminating the need for a large, carefully and expensively machined piston.
These and other features and advantages will be in part apparent, and in part pointed out hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal cross-sectional view of an air operated grease gun constructed according to the principles of this invention with the piston in its retracted position in the cylinder;
FIG. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal cross-sectional view of the grease gun, with the piston in its extended position;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the piston that reciprocates in the cylinder in the body of the gun with the apertures closed;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the piston with the apertures open;
FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the return spring seat;
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the return spring seat taken along the plane of line 6--6 in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a plan view of the washer;
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the washer taken along the plane of line 8--8 in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a front plan view of the U-cup seat;
FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of the U-cup seat taken along the plane of line 10--10 in FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a rear end view of the piston; and
FIG. 12 is a graph of the percent of grease stall pressure of the valve shift point versus operating air pressure for a grease gun constructed according to the present invention and a prior art grease gun.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts through out the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
An air operated grease gun constructed according to the principles of this invention is indicated generally as 20 in FIG. 1 and 2. The gun 20 comprises a body 22 with a hand grip 24 extending from the rear of the body, and a barrel 26 extending from the front of the body having an opening 28 therein for ejecting grease. A trigger 30 is mounted adjacent the hand grip 24 for operating the grease gun 20. A socket 32 for mounting a supply of grease, is located on the underside of the body 22, adjacent the front. The body 22 is preferably formed from interfiling front and back sections 34 and 36, secured together with screws 38.
The gun 20 operates by the reciprocation of a plunger 40 in the barrel 26. The back stroke of the plunger 40 draws grease from the grease supply connected to the socket 32 via passage 42, and the forward stroke of the plunger pushes grease through the opening 28 of the barrel 26, which has a check valve 44. The check valve 44 comprises a ball 46, resiliently biased by spring 50, that seats against a shoulder 47 formed inside the barrel 26. The check valve 44 allows grease to flow out of the barrel 26 on the forward stroke of the plunger 40, but prevents reflux on the back stroke of the plunger. An extension tube 48 having a fitting 49 on its end, can be installed in the opening 28 of the barrel 26 to direct the delivery of the grease from the gun 20. The spring 50 separates the ball 46 from the extension tube 48.
The plunger 40 is driven by the reciprocation of piston 52 in cylinder 54 inside the body 22. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the piston 52 comprises a unique U-cup seat weldment 56 formed from three pieces, a shallow cup-shaped return spring seat 58 (FIGS. 5 and 6), a washer 60, and a dish-shaped U-cup seat 62. The return spring seat 58 has a generally circular bottom 64 surrounded by a cylindrical rim 66, and a central opening 68 surrounded by three apertures 70. The washer 60 (FIGS. 7 and 8) is generally circular, with larger diameter than the return spring seat 58. There is a central opening 72 in the washer, surrounded by three apertures 74. The U-cup seat 62 has a generally circular bottom 76 surrounded by a cylindrical rim 78 having a radially extending flange 80. There is a central opening 82 in the U-cup seat 62 (FIGS. 9 and 10), surrounded by three apertures 84. The return spring seat 58, the washer 60, and the U-cup seat 62 can each be made inexpensively, for example by stamping, and they are secured together with their respective apertures aligned, for example with spot welds.
An annular U-cup 86, having a groove 87 in one face, is mounted with an O-ring 88 in the groove, on the U-cup seat weldment 56, between the washer 60 and the U-cup seat 62, for sealing with the wall of the cylinder 54.
An aligning socket 90 is located on the forward side of the weldment 56, and comprises a forward section with a socket 92 for receiving and engaging the rounded end 94 of the plunger 40, and a rearward section that extends through the aligned central apertures in the weldment, and has a socket 96 therein for seating the valve spring, as described below. The socket 92 is swaged to enclose the end 94 of the plunger 40, and retain it while permitting the plunger to swivel. There is a hat-shaped valve guide 98 on the front side of the weldment 56, and a three-lobed washer 100 on the rear side of the weldment, connected by three pins 102, one pin extending through each of the apertures in the weldment. A valve spring 104 extends between the rearward section of the aligning socket 90 and the three-lobed washer 100, to resiliently bias the washer 100 away from the weldment 56.
A cup shaped rubber packing 106 surrounds each pin 102 and is held against the washer 100 with a spacer 108, that is engaged by a shoulder on the pin 102. The cup-shaped packing 106 are adapted to engage the edge margins of the apertures through the weldment 56 and seal them.
A return spring 110 is positioned in the cylinder 54, in front of the piston 52, extending between the front of the cylinder and the return spring seat 58. An actuation spring 112 is also positioned in the cylinder 54, in front of the piston 52 at the front of the cylinder, concentrically inside the return spring 110 in position so that when the piston is at the front of the cylinder, the actuation spring engages the valve guide 98.
The handle 24 is adapted to be connected to a source of air under pressure, and has a passage 114 therein extending to a trigger chamber 116. The trigger 30 is pivotally mounted to the body 22 of the gun, and operates a valve 118 that selectively connects the trigger chamber 116 to the back of the cylinder 54 via passage 120.
The socket 32 is adapted to mount a grease tube 122, which is closed with an end cap 124. A follower rod 126 extends through the end cap 124 and has a follower assembly 128 on the end inside the tube 122, and a handle 130 on the end outside the tube. A follower spring 132 is mounted concentrically over the follower rod 126, between the follower assembly 128 and the inside of the cap 124, to resiliently bias the follower assembly upwardly in the tube 122.
OPERATION
In operation, the grease tube 122 is filled with grease, either by installing a prefilled cartridge in the tube, or by drawing grease from a bulk supply into the tube with the handle 130, or by pumping it into the tube. The handle 24 of the grease gun 20 is then connected to a source of air under pressure, and the gun is ready for use.
In the retracted position, the apertures through the weldment 56 forming the piston 52 are sealed with the packing 106 because the return spring 110 pushes the piston rearwardly with sufficient force to overcome the force of spring 104 and hold the piston against the packing 106 on the washer 100. When the trigger 30 is depressed, it operates the valve 118 to allow air under pressure into the back of the cylinder 54. The air pressure advances the piston 52 in the cylinder 54 against the return spring 110, until the valve guide 98 engages the actuator spring 112. Continued forward movement of the piston 52 compresses the actuator spring 112 against the valve guide 98 until the force of the actuator spring on the valve guide, and the force of the spring 104 on the washer 100 unseat the packing 106 from around the apertures. This allows the air pressure to escape from behind the piston 52, allowing the return spring 110 to return the piston to the back of the cylinder 54 where the piston is again pressed against the packing 106 to seal the apertures, and the cycle continues until the trigger 30 is released.
The reciprocation of the piston 52 causes the plunger 40 to reciprocate. On the back stroke of the plunger 40, grease is drawn from the tube 122, through the passage 42 into the barrel 26 of the gun 20. On the forward stroke of the plunger 40, the plunger pushes grease out the opening 28 of the barrel 26, through the check valve 44, through extension tube 48 and out fitting 49.
When the trigger 30 is finally released, pressurized air from the trigger chamber 116 is cut off from the cylinder 54, and any air in the cylinder behind the piston 52 can vent through the trigger mechanism, allowing the return spring 110 to return the piston to the back of the cylinder ready for use.
In contrast to prior art air operated grease guns, the grease gun 20 of the present invention employs separate packing 106 for each aperture, rather than a single large packing or seal. This reduces the pressure differential at the valve shift point--the point where the force of the valve spring 104 and the actuation spring 112 exceeds the air pressure differential across the piston. The reduction of this differential provides a more even application pressure. Moreover, the large seal employed in the prior art required that the piston be fairly substantial and machined to close tolerances to seal across the relatively large diameter of the packing or sealing member. The individual packing 106 employed with the present invention allow the use of a smaller and less precise piston that can be formed from inexpensive formed (e.g. stamped) pieces, rather that expensive and elaborately machined parts.
FIG. 12 is a graph of the percent of grease stall pressure at valve shift point versus air operating pressure for a grease gun constructed according to the principles of the present invention (I) versus a prior art grease gun (PA). FIG. 12 illustrates that a grease gun constructed according to the principles of the present invention (I) has a valve shift point that is a higher percentage of its stall pressure than a typical prior art grease gun (PA). This means that for a given operating pressure and piston ratio, a grease gun constructed according the principles of the present invention will be able to operate in its automatic reciprocating mode at a higher pressure than a conventional prior art grease gun, or put another way a conventional grease gun will cease to function in the automatic reciprocating mode at a lower pressure than a grease gun constructed according to the principles of the present invention.
|
An automatic air operated grease gun comprising a reciprocating grease plunger for ejecting grease, and a piston, connected to the plunger, for operating the plunger. The piston is slidably mounted in a cylinder to move between a retracted position and an advanced position. A return spring resiliently biases the piston to its retracted position. A switch selectively connects the cylinder to a source of gas under pressure to advance the piston against the return spring. The piston has a plurality of apertures therein, each aperture having an individual seal, and a release for opening the individual seals to relieve the pressure behind the cylinder and allow it to retract under the force of the return spring.
| 5
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an operation unit of an engine which can be applied to various working devices provided with a self-starter using an engine as a source of power such as a trimmer, a chain saw, a rotation saw or the like, or a power spreader, various farm working machines or the like, and more particularly relates to an operation unit of an engine based on a simple mechanism which eliminates an erroneous operation of a start switch.
[0003] 2. Description of the related art
[0004] An engine provided with a self-starter actuates a start motor by operating a start switch, and starts the engine based on the actuation. A rotation speed of the engine is controlled by operating a throttle lever so as to control an opening degree of a throttle valve via a control wire. When the rotation speed of the engine reaches a predetermined rotation speed, a clutch within a clutch housing engages so as to start an actuation of a rotary blade or the like. When stopping the rotation of the engine, an engine stop switch is turned on. In conventional, the start switch and the engine stop switch are independently provided, however, for example, according to a switch apparatus described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-22194, a single movable contact having three contact points being provided, the contact is structured such that a pressure button rotating and operating an operation knob and actuating a start switch provided within the operation knob is pressured and actuated to a terminal side, an engine stop switch is changed between a stop position and a working position based on the rotating operation of the knob, and the start switch and the stop switch are composed such that an OFF state, that is, a stop state of the engine is maintained even by pushing the pressure button at a time when the stop switch is at the stop position, and the engine is started by pushing the pressure button only when the stop switch is at the working position.
[0005] Further, for example, according to Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-5233, the apparatus is structured by a throttle operating lever, a start and stop operating lever, one control wire in which one end thereof is coupled to the throttle operating lever, and an interlocking mechanism controlling an opening degree of the throttle valve, an actuation of a start switch actuating a start motor and an actuation of an engine stop switch controlling an ignition fire and an extinguished fire of the engine in conjunction with a working state of the control wire. Further, a start safety lock lever is arranged near the throttle operating lever. The throttle operating lever, the start and stop operating lever and the start safety lock lever are arranged in a handy operating portion intensively.
[0006] The opening degree of the throttle valve of the engine is controlled from an idle position to a full-open position based on the operation of the throttle operating lever. The start and stop operating lever is at a reference position which can be freely operated by the throttle operating lever, and is moved to a stop position locking to the start safety lock lever so as to stop the engine, and is moved further to a start position after canceling the lock by the start safety lock lever so as to start the engine. Further, the one control wire is actuated in correspondence to an operated state of the throttle operating lever and the start and stop operating lever, and the interlocking mechanism controls the opening degree of the throttle valve, the actuation of the start switch actuating the start motor and the actuation of the engine stop switch stopping the engine, interlocking with the working state of the control wire.
[0007] According to the engine control apparatus, when operating the throttle operating lever and the start and stop operating lever in accordance with a required procedure, the operation state is transmitted to the interlocking mechanism via the one control wire, the opening degree of the throttle valve, the actuation of the start switch and the actuation of the engine stop switch are controlled by the interlocking mechanism in correspondence to the operation state, and the engine is controlled to a desired start and stop or a desired rotation speed. Further, since the throttle operating lever and the start and stop operating lever are provided in the operating portion in the working machine, and the interlocking mechanism, the start switch and the engine stop switch are provided in the prime mover portion, it is possible to control all of the engine start and stop and the rotation speed by the handy portion. Accordingly, an operability is excellent, an electric wiring to the start switch and the engine stop switch can be simplified, and a connecting line connecting the operating portion and the prime mover portion can be constituted only the one control wire so as to improve an outer appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Meantime, the composite switch apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-22194 mentioned above is structured such that the start switch of the self-starter and the engine stop switch are integrally installed and composed, however, the start switch is turned on by pushing the start button, for example, unless the operating knob for the engine stop switch is rotated to the stop position, so that the engine rotation starts. Accordingly, it is required to make certain of the fact that the operating knob is not at the stop position every time when it is intended to start the engine. Further, according to Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-22194 at this time, there is no description which directly associates the operation of the throttle operating lever operating so as to open and close the throttle valve of the engine with the composite switch apparatus as far as determining based on the drawings thereof. Accordingly, even if the throttle operating lever is in the operated state, the working device such as the rotary blade or the like is actuated by pushing the start button as mentioned above.
[0009] On the other hand, in accordance with Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-5233 mentioned above, there is no risk that the working device or the like is erroneously actuated as far as the throttle operating lever and the start and stop operating lever is not erroneously operated. However, the mechanism and the operating procedure are extremely complicated and troublesome, an accuracy of the parts is required, and it is troublesome to maintain the parts. Further, the erroneous operation tends to be generated in the throttle operating lever and the start and stop operating lever, it is hard to simply start and stop the engine itself, and a smooth operation is expected only by persons of experience in the art.
[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide an operation unit which can securely avoid an erroneous operation and an erroneous actuation tending to be generated between the start switch of the self-starter and the throttle operating lever as mentioned above, and in which the start switch and the throttle operating lever are integrally installed, with an extremely simple structure.
[0011] The object can be achieved by a basic structure of the present invention, that is, an operation unit of an engine starting and stopping the engine via a start motor and controlling an engine rotation, being characterized by comprising: a throttle operating lever operating a throttle valve of the engine from an idle position to a full-open position; two terminals connected to an inner side of a circuit for driving the start motor; a contact element interposed between the two terminals and setting a region between the two terminals to a conduction state or a non-conduction state; a start switch making the region between the two terminals conductive or non-conductive; interlocking means for relatively moving a contact position between at least one of the two terminals and the contact element in correspondence to an operation amount of the throttle operating lever; and the two terminals and the contact element being arranged at a relative position which is brought into contact with each other only at a time when the throttle operating lever is at an idle position.
[0012] According to the basic structure mentioned above of the present invention, when the throttle operating lever is at the idle position, the throttle operating lever is brought into contact with the contact element, and the region between both the terminals is in the conduction state. In the case of operating the throttle operating lever, and moving the lever to a position which is apart from the idle position so as to turn on the start switch, a relative movement is generated between at least one terminal of the start motor and the contact element via the interlocking means, and the contact between the one terminal and the contact element is disconnected. As a result, the region between both the terminals becomes in the non-conduction state, and the start motor is not driven and the engine is not started even if the start switch is operated.
[0013] In other words, according to the present invention, the region between the terminals of the start motor is not conducted even if the start switch is operated as far as the operating lever is not at the idle position, so that it is impossible to start the engine. Further, it is preferable that the engine stop switch is installed in the start switch. The engine is not ignited and the engine rotation is stopped, by operating the stop switch, for example, in the case of the stop switch provided with the same structure as that of Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-22194 mentioned above, by rotating the operating knob for the stop switch to the stop position.
[0014] Preferably, the two terminals are arranged at fixed positions, and the contact element is moved in correspondence to a moving amount of the throttle operating lever via the interlocking means. Alternatively, it is preferable that the contact element is arranged at a fixed position, and the at least one of the two terminals is moved in correspondence to a moving amount of the throttle operating lever via the interlocking means. In this case, it is preferable that the other terminal of the two terminals is arranged at a fixed position, or the structure is preferably made such that the two terminals are moved at the same amount in the same direction. Further, the operation of the throttle operating lever may be constituted of a rotating operation or linear operation in an axial direction of the lever.
[0015] The relative motion has an aspect that two terminals are arranged at the fixed positions so as to be immovable as mentioned above, and the contact element is moved via the interlocking means in correspondence to the operation amount of the throttle operating lever. By the movement of the contact element, when the throttle operating lever is actuated and is not at the idle position, two terminals become in the non-contact state, and the region between two terminals becomes in the non-conduction state. Further, as the other relative motion, there is an aspect that the contact element is arranged at the fixed position as mentioned above, and at least one terminal mentioned above is moved via the interlocking means in correspondence to the operation amount of the throttle operating lever. In this aspect, when the throttle operating lever is not at the idle position based on the movement of at least one terminal mentioned above, at least one of two terminals which are brought into contact with the contact element becomes in the non-contact state, and the region between two terminals becomes non-conduction state. As a result, the start motor is not actuated, and the engine is not started, even if the start switch is operated.
[0016] As mentioned above, according to the present invention, it is possible to do away with the troublesome operation so as to securely eliminate the erroneous actuation of the engine due to the erroneous operation, and it is possible to secure a further safety, based on the simple structure obtained only by installing the normally used start switch, the throttle operating lever, two terminals of the start motor, the contact element with which these two terminals are simultaneously brought into contact, and the interlocking means as one unit in the single box. The effects which the present invention exerts are considerably great.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bush cutter to which the present invention is applied, as seen from a back surface side;
[0018] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an operation unit of an engine according to an embodiment 1 of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a structural view within a unit showing a conduction state at a time when a throttle operating lever is at an idle position;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a top view of the unit in the same state;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a structural view within the unit showing a non-conduction state at a time when the throttle operating lever comes off from the idle position;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a top view of the unit in the same state;
[0023] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an entire showing one example of a start switch attached to the unit; and
[0024] FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view showing an example of an internal structure of the start switch.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0025] A description will be specifically given below of a preferable embodiment in accordance with the present invention based on an illustrated embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 1 is a bush cutter provided with a self-starter corresponding to a typical embodiment in which an operation unit according to the present invention is attached to a handle portion.
[0027] The bush cutter 1 mentioned above is provided with an engine portion 2 , a long lever 3 being a long operation lever, and a rotary blade 4 . A long driven shaft (not shown) constituted of a metal rod is inserted to the long lever 3 , and a base end portion of the long lever 3 is coupled to the rotary blade 4 via a gear housing 5 . A bevel gear mechanism (not shown) is arranged in an inner portion of the gear housing 5 . On the other hand, a base end portion of the long lever 3 is coupled to the engine portion 2 via a clutch housing (not shown). Further, a grip 6 doubling as a suspended portion suspended to a part of a harness (not shown) is attached to aposition adjacent to the clutch housing in a base end portion of the long lever 3 . Further, an operating handle 8 of the bush cutter 1 is fixedly provided in adjacent to the rotary blade side corresponding to a front side of the grip 6 doubling as the suspended portion. A main body 9 of a self-starter is fixedly provided in a back face of the engine portion 2 . In this case, reference numeral 4 ′ in the drawing denotes a dustproof member.
[0028] The operating handle 8 is extended to right and left sides with respect to the long lever 3 , and is constituted of a pipe member in which an apical end portion is risen up to an obliquely upper side, and operation grip portions 8 a ′ and 8 b ′ made of a hard rubber or the like are fixedly provided in apical ends of left and right handles 8 a and 8 b . In accordance with an illustrated embodiment, an operation unit 10 of an engine according to the present invention is attached to an upper end of the right operation grip 8 b ′. Operating members such as a throttle operating lever 11 , a start switch 24 and the like are attached to the operation unit 10 . The operating members are respectively coupled to the engine portion 2 and a start motor (not shown) placed in the main body 9 of the self-starter, via a throttle wire and a lead wire which are not illustrated, and various operations at a time of starting the engine and after starting the engine can be executed by the operating members arranged in the operation unit 10 .
[0029] FIGS. 2 to 8 show the operation unit 10 corresponding to a first embodiment in accordance with the present invention. The operation unit 10 according to the present embodiment is assembled in a single case 13 . The case 13 is constituted of first and second case half bodies 14 and 15 which are divided into two pieces. To the first case half body 14 , there are attached a throttle operating lever 11 coupled to a throttle valve (not shown) via a throttle wire (not shown), first and second contact elements 22 and 23 connected to a start motor (not shown) via a lead wire, and a contact element 21 rotating together with a contact element holding member 20 corresponding to an interlocking means in correspondence to a rotating operation of the throttle operating lever 11 .
[0030] The first case half body 14 is constituted of a rectangular case body in which one surface thereof is open, the mating second case half body 15 and a boss portion 14 a are provided in a protruding manner in left and right corner portions of one side portion thereof, and a bolt insertion hole 14 b is formed in an opposite side portion to one side portion to which the boss portion 14 a protrudes. Center portions of the opposing side wall portions of the other two side portions are respectively notched in a semicircular shape. A diameter of a notch portion 14 ′ notched in the semicircular shape is approximately equal to an outer diameter of the pipe member constituting the handle 8 mentioned above.
[0031] One end portion of the throttle operation lever 11 is rotatably supported to a closed wall portion 14 d of the first case half body 14 . Accordingly, a bolt insertion hole (not shown) is formed in the closed wall portion 14 d of the first case half body 14 . The throttle operating lever 11 is entirely formed approximately in a J shape, and a disc portion 11 a rotating around a bolt portion 11 b while being in contact with an outer surface of the closed wall portion 14 d of the first case half body 14 is formed in a rotation support side end portion. Accordingly, the bolt portion 11 b is integrally formed in a center of the disc portion 11 a so as to protrude. A rotation side end portion bent perpendicularly in an opposite side to the disc portion 11 a of the throttle operating lever 11 is guided to an outer surface of an upper peripheral wall portion 14 c formed as a circular arc surface protruding to the outer side of the first case half body 14 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 so as to rotate. A stopper 14 c ′ defining a rotation limit of the throttle operating lever 11 is provided in a protruding manner in one end portion of an outer surface of the upper peripheral wall portion 14 c . In the present embodiment, the rotation limit position of the throttle operating lever 11 becomes an idle position.
[0032] Further, a contact element holding member 20 rotating around the bolt insertion hole is arranged in an inner surface of the closed wall portion 14 d of the first case half body 14 . The contact element holding member 20 is constituted of a plate material having a shape in which a circular portion 20 a and an isosceles triangle portion 20 b formed by two tangent lines of the circular portion 20 a are integrally combined, and a nut installation hole 20 d is formed in a center of the circular portion 20 a . Further, as shown in FIG. 2 , a tubular guide portion 20 c of a throttle wire (not shown) is additionally provided in a curved manner in a lower peripheral wall portion of the circular portion 20 a and the isosceles triangle portion 20 b of the contact element holding member 20 , one end of the throttle wire is firmly fixed and supported to an inner portion in an apex angle portion side of the isosceles triangle portion 20 b of the wire guide portion 20 c , and the other end of the throttle wire is guided by the guide portion 20 c and a wire guide tube portion 14 e formed in one side wall of the first case half body 14 so as to be drawn out to an external portion, and is connected to a throttle valve of an engine (not shown).
[0033] On the other hand, an approximately C-shaped contact element 21 is firmly fixed to a surface of the contact element holding member 20 , which is an opposite side to the closed wall portion 14 d side of the first case half body 14 , in a state of being fitted to a contact element fitting groove formed on a circumference of the circular portion 20 a . The contact element 21 is formed by a thin member made of a conductive material, one end thereof is arranged on a straight line connecting an apex angle portion peak of the isosceles triangle portion 20 b of the contact element holding member 20 and a center of the circular portion 20 a , and the other end is arranged while leaving a space of an approximately 90 degree in a clockwise direction with respect to the one end, as shown in FIG. 2 .
[0034] Further, to the first case half body 14 , there are attached a pair of first and second contact terminals 22 and 23 in which each end thereof is provided so as to be brought into contact with the C-shaped contact element 21 . The first and second contact terminals 22 and 23 have the same shape, one end portion thereof is formed as a hook-shaped end portion attached in such a manner as to be hooked to terminal attachment holes 14 - 1 and 14 - 2 formed in the first case half body 14 , and the other end portion thereof is constituted of a small plate piece formed in such a manner as to be elastically brought into contact with the contact element 21 via a bent step portion. In FIGS. 2, 3 and 5 , the hook-shaped end portion of the first contact terminal 22 arranged in an obliquely upper portion of the first case half body 14 is connected to a pin-shaped terminal member 29 of a push button type start switch 24 mentioned below via a coupling line (not shown), and an end portion of a lead wire (not shown) extending from one terminal of a start motor (not shown) is firmly fixed to the hook-shaped end portion of the second contact terminal 23 arranged in a lower end edge portion of the first half body 14 . The start switch 24 is installed in an upper peripheral wall portion 15 c of the second case half body 15 , as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6 .
[0035] The second case half body 15 is structured such that a boss portion 15 a connected to the boss portion 14 a so as to be firmly contacted is formed in a lower portion peripheral wall portion corresponding to the boss portion 14 a of the first half body 14 , and an attachment portion 15 b of the start switch 24 is formed in the upper peripheral wall portion 15 c in the opposite side to the boss portion 15 a . The second case half body 15 is constituted of an approximately rectangular case body which is the same as the first case half body 14 in which one surface in an opposite side to an open surface of the first case half body 14 is open. Since it is necessary that the upper peripheral wall portion 15 c of the second case half body 15 is brought into surface contact with the upper peripheral wall portion 14 c of the corresponding first case half body 14 , an outer surface thereof is formed by the same circular arc surface as the first case half body 14 . A bolt threaded hole 15 c ′ is formed at a position corresponding to the bolt insertion hole 14 b formed in the first case half body 14 , in the upper peripheral wall portion 15 c . On the other hand, it is desirable that the attachment portion 15 b of the start switch 24 is formed as a flat surface, whereby the switch 24 can be stably attached thereto. Accordingly, a portion in a back face side of the upper peripheral wall portion 15 c is formed as a horizontal surface via a step, and is set to the attachment portion 15 b of the start switch 24 . Further, the notch portion 15 ′ having the same shape as the semicircular notch portion 14 ′ formed in the first case half body 14 is formed in a center of a peripheral wall portion in which the rotation half portion is formed.
[0036] FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example of the start switch 24 . The start switch 24 is similar to a capped tube body having an open lower surface, a pressure portion 25 , an engine stop switch portion 26 and a cylindrical base portion 27 are sequentially arranged in a pressing direction, and a compression spring 28 and a pin-shaped terminal member 29 are arranged in series in hollow portions thereof.
[0037] The pressure portion 25 is formed in a cap shape having a peripheral wall portion 25 b extending toward the pressing direction from a peripheral edge of a disc part 25 a , and an end portion of the peripheral wall portion 25 b is bent to an inner side so as to be fixed to the engine stop switch portion 26 so as to be slidable and rotatable. The engine stop switch portion 26 is structured such that a peripheral surface thereof is constituted of a hollow body in which a large-diameter portion 26 a and a small-diameter portion 26 b are coupled via a step in a direction of a center line, a rotation knob 26 c is protruded from a part of the large-diameter portion 26 a , and an indication projection 26 d is provided in a protruding manner in an opposite side to the rotation knob 26 c . On and off positions by the engine stop switch portion 26 are expressed on a leading end rotation circumference of the indication projection 26 d in the attachment portion 15 b of the start switch 24 . The cylindrical base portion 27 supports a lower face outer peripheral edge portion of the large-diameter portion 26 a of the engine stop switch portion 26 from a lower side so as to be slidable and rotatable. The cylindrical base portion 27 isfixedlyprovided so as to be fitted to the attachment portion 15 b of the second case half body 15 . A plurality of arm portions 27 b extending in a radial pattern to an inner peripheral surface of a lower end portion of the cylindrical base portion 27 are integrally formed in the cylindrical base portion 27 , while arranging a cylindrical thread portion 27 a screwing and supporting the pin-shaped terminal member 29 in a center in the lower end opening surface of the cylindrical base portion 27 .
[0038] The pin-shaped terminal member 29 is screwed into the cylindrical thread portion 27 a , and an upper end thereof is protruded to an upper side from an upper end of the cylindrical thread portion 27 a . Further, a lower end of the pin-shaped terminal member 29 is protruded to a lower side from a lower end of the cylindrical thread portion 27 a . Although an illustration is omitted, to a lower end portion of the pin-shaped terminal member 29 , there is firmly fixed the other end of the coupling line constituted of a short normal lead wire (not shown) in which one end is firmly fixed to the hook-shaped end portion of the first contact terminal 22 attached to the obliquely upper portion of the first case half body 14 as already described. A retainer 30 supporting an upper end of the compression spring 28 is attached to the disc part 25 a of the cap-shaped pressure portion 25 , an upper end of the compression spring 28 is fixed to the retainer 30 , and a lower end of the compression spring 28 is loaded and fixed to a flange portion 27 c formed in a peripheral surface of an upper end portion of the cylindrical thread portion 27 a.
[0039] The compression spring 28 is constituted of a small-diameter spiral portion 28 a and a large-diameter spiral portion 28 b , an upper end of the small-diameter spiral portion 28 a is fixed to the retainer 30 arranged in the cap-shaped pressure portion 25 , and a lower end of the large-diameter spiral portion 28 b is fixed to the flange portion 27 c of the cylindrical thread portion 27 a . An inner diameter of the small-diameter spiral portion 28 a is set to be smaller than a diameter of the pin-shaped terminal member 29 , and an inner diameter of the large-diameter spiral portion 28 b is set to be larger than the diameter of the pin-shaped terminal member 29 . An end portion of the lead wire extending from the other terminal of the start motor (not shown) is firmly fixed to the large-diameter spiral portion 28 b of the compression spring 28 . As is already mentioned, since the end portion of the lead wire extending from one terminal of the start motor (not shown) is firmly fixed to the hook-shaped end portion of the second contact terminal 23 , an electric power from a battery is supplied to the start motor if the compression spring 28 and the pin-shaped terminal member 29 are brought into contact with each other and the first and second contact terminals 22 and 23 are brought into contact with the C-shaped contact element 21 , whereby the start motor is driven.
[0040] In accordance with the start switch 24 having the structure mentioned above, the cap-shaped pressure portion 25 and the engine stop switch portion 26 are normally at the upper positions due to a spring force of the compression spring 28 , and are moved to the lower side together with the retainer 30 by pressing the cap-shaped pressure portion 25 against the spring force of the compression spring 28 . When the start switch 24 is in the normal state, the upper end portion of the pin-shaped terminal member 29 inserted to the inner portion of the compression spring 28 exists in the inner portion of the large-diameter spiral portion 28 b of the compression spring 28 in a non-contact state, and does not reach the small-diameter spiral portion 28 a . In this case, when pushing the cap-shaped pressure portion 25 , the compression spring 28 is compressed and the small-diameter spiral portion 28 a is moved in the pushing direction. By this movement, the upper end portion of the pin-shaped terminal member 29 is brought into contact with the small-diameter spiral portion 28 a.
[0041] On the other hand, the engine stop switch portion 26 is guided by the lower end edge of the cap-shaped pressure portion 25 around the center axis line of the start switch 24 so as to be independently rotated, by operating the rotation knob 26 c . By the rotation, an ignition coil of an ignition circuit becomes in a connection state or a disconnection state, and set a spark plug to an ignition fire state or an extinguished fire state. Under the ignition fire state, the apical end of the indication projection 26 d of the engine stop switch portion 26 indicates an indication position ON expressed in the start switch attachment portion 15 b , as shown in FIG. 6 , and under the extinguished fire state, the apical end of the indication projection 26 d indicates an indication position OFF.
[0042] Further, the engine operation unit 10 according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention provided with the structure mentioned above is fixedly provided, for example, in any (the right operation grip portion 8 b ′ in the illustrated embodiment) of the operation grip portions 8 a ′ and 8 b ′ arranged in the apical end portion of the operation handle 8 of the bush cutter 1 , as already mentioned. In order to achieve the fixedly provision, the first and second case half bodies 14 and 15 are firmly contacted by the boss portion 15 a , and are closed in such a manner as to sandwich a pipe portion protruding from the apical end of the operation grip portion 8 b ′ so as to be exposed between the semicircular notch portions 14 ′ and 15 ′ formed in the first and second case half bodies 14 and 15 . Thereafter, they are fastened and fixed by inserting a fastening bolt (not shown) to the bolt insertion hole 14 b formed in the first case half body 14 and screwing the bolt into the bolt thread hole 15 c ′ formed in the second case half body 15 .
[0043] When it is intended to start the engine, if the engine stop switch portion 26 is at the OFF position, the engine is not started even by pushing the start switch 24 . In this case, the structure is made such that the indication projection 26 d indicates the ON position by rotating the engine stop switch portion 26 . In this state, it is possible to start the engine by pushing the start switch 24 . However, in accordance with the present embodiment, the indication projection 26 d simply indicates the ON position, and the engine is not always started necessarily only by pushing the start switch 24 .
[0044] In other words, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to start the engine by pushing the start switch 24 at a time when the throttle operation lever 11 is at the idle position, however, in the case that the throttle valve is open at an opening degree equal to or more than an idle opening degree at which the throttle opening lever 11 is at the other position, the circuit of the start motor is disconnected, the electricity is not conducted even by pushing the start switch 24 , and it is impossible to start the start motor. Accordingly, the structure is made such that the engine can not be started. As a result, in the case that the throttle operating lever 11 is at the other position than the idle position, the working devices actuated by the engine rotation is not actuated. Accordingly, the working devices are not carelessly actuated.
[0045] A description will be specifically given of this matter by reference to FIGS. 3 and 5 . In the case that the throttle operating lever 11 is brought into contact with the stopper 14 c ′ defining the idle position of the upper peripheral wall portion 14 c of the first case half body 14 as shown in FIG. 3 , the first contact elements 22 and 23 are brought into contact with the C-shaped contact element 21 firmly fixed to the contact element holding member 20 corresponding to the interlocking means in accordance with the present invention. In the case of pushing the start switch 24 under this state, the upper end portion of the pin-shaped terminal member 29 is brought into contact with the small-diameter spiral portion 28 a of the compression spring 28 arranged within the start switch 24 as already described, and the start motor circuit is conducted. As a result, the start motor (not shown) is driven, and starts the engine (not shown). In this case, when rotating the throttle operation lever 11 to a position shown in FIG. 5 , the contact element holding member 20 is also rotated, the second contact terminal 23 is relatively moved to the open position of the C-shaped contact element 21 , the circuit of the start motor becomes in the non-conduction state due to the disconnection of the contact of the C-shaped contact element 21 , and the rotation of the start motor is stopped. At this time, the engine keeps on rotation at a predetermined rotation speed.
[0046] When rotating the throttle operating lever 11 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2 from the idle position, a throttle wire (not shown) within the tubular wire guide portion 20 c additionally provided in the contact element holding member 20 is drawn via the wire drawing portion 14 e of the first case half body 14 in correspondence to a rotation amount of the throttle operating lever 11 , and increases the opening degree of the throttle valve (not shown) so as to increase the engine speed, via the contact element holding member 20 . In the case that the work is finished and the engine is stopped, the engine is immediately stopped by operating the operation knob 26 c of the start switch 24 so as to set the engine stop switch portion 26 to the OFF position. Even if the engine stop switch portion 26 is set to the ON position, and the start switch 24 is pushed in a state in which the throttle operating lever 11 is rotated to the position shown in FIG. 5 , the start motor circuit is not conducted because the second contact element 23 is not brought into contact with the C-shaped contact element 21 , so that the start motor is not driven and the engine is not started. At this time, the first contact element 22 is brought into contact with the C-shaped contact element 21 .
[0047] As it could be understood from the description mentioned above, according to the operation unit of the engine based on the present invention, since the throttle operating lever and the start switch including the engine stop switch are installed within the single case so as to be unitized, it is not necessary that the throttle operating lever, the engine stop switch and the start switch are provided in the machine body in the separated manner, and the unit can be attached intensively in the handy handle portion. Accordingly, it is possible to easily carry out the operation itself of the working devices. Further, particularly, in accordance with the present invention, since the start switch is effective in the case that the throttle operating lever is at the idle position, the engine is not started even if the start switch is operated in the state in which the throttle operating lever is moved, so that it is possible to securely eliminate the erroneous actuation caused by the erroneous operation without paying any specific attention, and it is possible to secure a further safety.
[0048] In this case, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment mentioned above, for example, the shapes, the connection and disconnection structure of the contact element holding member 20 , the C-shaped contact element 21 and the first and second contact terminals 22 and 23 which correspond to the interlocking means, or the layout relation thereof, the attachment structure of the throttle wire and the like can be appropriately changed within the scope of claims.
|
The invention provides an operation unit of an engine provided with a throttle operating lever operating a throttle valve of the engine from an idle position to a full-open position, two terminals connected to an inner side of a drive circuit of a start motor, a contact element interposed between the terminals and setting a region between both the terminals to a conduction state or a non-conduction state, and a start switch making the region between the terminals conductive or non-conductive, the operation unit further comprising interlocking means for relatively moving a contact position between at least one terminal of the two terminals and the contact element in correspondence to an operation amount of the throttle operating lever, and the terminals and the contact element being brought into contact with each other only at a time when the throttle operating lever is at an idle position.
| 5
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fuel metering system having improved ability to handle transient fuel metering modes of operation. More particularly, it relates to a fuel metering system for an internal combustion engine wherein the fuel control system of the engine is better enabled, as compared to the prior art, to handle the transient conditions that occur during engine accelerations, decelerations (negative acceleration) and other conditions that cause fluctuations to occur on a temporary basis in the flow of fuel from the engine's primary fuel metering apparatus to its combustion chamber or chambers.
2. Prior Art
In internal combustion engines, the rate at which fuel is metered to the engine varies during engine operation. Changes in engine load cause the engine's fuel metering apparatus to increase or to decrease the rate at which fuel is metered to the engine. As a result, the engine must change from a first state, where the engine operation and fuel flow rate is quite stable to a second state, where these conditions again become stable. The conditions in between the stable states are of a transient character in that the rate of fuel flow varies continuously and can produce undesirable air/fuel ratios. For example, with carburetion or other central location of the fuel metering apparatus, there is an intake manifold passage that the vaporized or atomized fuel must traverse in order to reach the engine's combustion chamber or chambers. At a given engine load, prior art fuel control systems under transient engine operation are unable to maintain precise air/fuel ratios until the conditions in the engine's intake passages have stabilized. Sudden accelerations create a need to deposit liquid fuel on the walls of the intake passages (wall wetting), while sudden decelerations result in the evaporation of the previously deposited fuel. The reason for this has to do with the changing vapor pressures. The higher the vapor pressure, the more the fuel tends to accumulate on the walls of the intake passages. Vapor pressure is a partial pressure, and the major contributor to pressure in the intake pressure is air. The air pressure in the intake passages in general is below atmospheric, unless the usual throttle valve is fully open, during engine operation.
While the wall-wetting changes, the amount of fuel metered by the fuel metering apparatus on the engine is not the amount of fuel that actually reaches the engine's combustion chambers within the charge transport time (air/fuel delivery time) applicable to the particular engine speed and load conditions at the time. The engine speed and load under stable engine operating conditions are the factors primarily determinative of the transport time of the air/fuel mixture from the fuel metering apparatus, such as a conventional carburetion system, to the engine's respective combustion chambers.
When the engine is cold, the amount of liquid fuel deposited on the intake passage surfaces is greater than it is when the engine is warm. This is because the tendency to vaporize fuel is greater at higher temperatures, and also because the fuel condenses more easily at the lower temperatures. Also, at lower intake air or fuel temperatures, the fuel metering device or system employed may not be as effective in thoroughly mixing the air and fuel inducted into the engine. For these reasons, it conventionally has been necessary to employ fuel enrichment devices and techniques (the general equivalent of the choke function conventionally employed on spark ignition engines) in order to compensate for operation at lower temperatures. Unfortunately, the fuel enrichment that occurs results in increased hydrocarbon engine exhaust emissions and this has necessitated the use of elaborate choke control devices and systems to reduce the hydrocarbon emissions as much and as rapidly as possible. Such reduction of the hydrocarbon emissions has impeded or reduced the performance of the associated engines during the warm-up period.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, an improved fuel metering system is provided that is particularly suitable for use with a spark ignition internal combustion engine. The principles of the improvement may, however, be extended to other engine designs, such as external combustion and turbine. Each of these and other engine types requires an air/fuel mixture and may need the transient control provided by the invention.
The improved fuel control system of the invention is designed to take into account the variations that occur in the quantity of fuel that is deposited in the liquid state in the intake passage or passages of an engine. Thus the fuel control system facilitates transitions between two steady state operating conditions. The air/fuel ratio of the mixture in the intake passages varies depending upon the initial metering of fuel in proportion to the incoming air and also as a function of the net transfer of fuel from the surfaces of the intake passage to the inducted air/fuel mixture or vice versa. The incoming air, after being mixed with fuel at some point or points in the intake passage, flows into the engine's combustion chambers. Liquid fuel on the walls of the combustion chambers may be included in the net transfer.
In accordance with the invention, an improved fuel metering system for an engine having an intake passage comprises fuel metering apparatus and means associated with the fuel metering apparatus for taking into account the rates of deposition and removal of liquid fuel on or from the surfaces of the engine's intake passages. The liquid fuel on the walls of the intake passage is transferred into and removed from the air/fuel mixture that flows through the intake passages into the combustion chambers. This transfer and removal occurs at a rate which varies both locally within the passage and also on an overall basis. The variations of rate are a function of engine speed, load on the engine, engine and intake air and fuel temperatures, and some other vehicle-to-vehicle variations.
This invention teaches controlling the air fuel ratio for an internal combustion engine having an air supply passage by providing an auxiliary air supply passage and regulating air flow through the auxiliary air supply passage so it can be adjusted to counteract a predicted transient. The method includes generating a stored look-up table to govern the amount of change in the auxiliary air supply passage upon detection of a transient. After a transient is detected, the amount of air flow in the auxiliary air supply passage is altered as a function of the look-up table. As the transient passes, the air flow is adjusted in the auxiliary air supply passage to a value suitable for compensating for the next predicted transient. Finally, the method includes adaptively updating the look up table to take into account engine operating conditions. The use of air control is advantageous compared to the control of the fuel flow because of increased speed of response offered by the auxiliary air supply passage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a basic fuel control system and a transient compensation system that is used to modify as necessary the computer-calculated air fuel ratio determined by the basic system.
FIG. 2 is a graph of constant fuel film quantity on axes of intake manifold absolute pressure of an internal combustion engine and engine speed.
FIG. 3 is a simplified schematic diagram of an apparatus for carrying out the process indicated by FIG. 1 and includes an air bypass solenoid valve in parallel with the main air path.
FIG. 4 is a graphical representation of time versus variations in the air fuel ratio controlled by an embodiment of this invention contrasted with variation in air fuel ratio controlled without an embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of the air flow versus time through the air bypass solenoid valve during different engine operating conditions so as to prepare the air flow through the air bypass valve for a predicted transient.
FIG. 6A is a representation of an adaptively updated table of values of the magnitude of the change in air flow through the air bypass valve upon detection of a transient, the table having coordinates of RPM versus the initial rate of change of load.
FIG. 6B is a representation of an adaptively updated table of valves of the length of time the air flow through the air bypass valve takes to return to steady state after a transient, the table having coordinates of RPM versus the initial rate of change of load.
FIG. 6C is a representation of a table of values of the magnitude of the expected compensation to be provided by the air bypass valve upon detection of a transient, the table having coordinates of RPM versus load.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference now to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a basic fuel metering system 10 and a transient compensation fuel metering system 12. The basic fuel metering system has an engine 16 that produces certain operational conditions that are sensed via an engine sensor system 14, as is indicated by an arrow 15. With sensor system 14 connected by electrical leads 32, which may be in the form of a data bus for transmitting digital information, the engine operating conditions may be used in the computer calculation of the rate at which it is desired that fuel be metered to the engine 16 at a particular instant in time. This rate is calculated by the basic fuel metering system 10. Fuel is supplied to the engine with the use of a fuel system 18 that delivers fuel to the engine, as indicated by an arrow 17, in response to a suitable signal appearing on an electrical or mechanical path 19.
The basic fuel metering system 10 can include a digital computer of the type employed in the fuel metering system described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,969,614 to Moyer et al to provide a desired air/fuel ratio. For fuel injected systems, a mass air flow meter or other device may be used to determine directly the mass air flow. The appropriate fuel injection commands are to be generated based on the mass air flow and using an instantaneous indication of exhaust gas oxygen concentration. For carbureted engines, in a similar manner a pulsewidth modulated solenoid actuation signal can be generated to cause an A/F ratio change in response to an exhaust gas oxygen concentration sensor signal.
The transient fuel metering compensation system 12 is intended to modify the basic rate of fuel metering calculated by the digital computer. The compensation takes into account the rate at which fuel is removed from or added to the liquid residing on the surfaces of the engine's intake passages.
Referring to FIG. 3, fuel system 18 may be a conventional carburetor. The air fuel ratio applied to engine 16 is determined by fuel system 18 using a a signal on line 19 and the air flow provided on line 46 which comes from transient control system 12.
The fuel flow supplied by the basic fuel control system 10 in response to an instantaneous EGO indication or action of air flow, is calculated as previously described. The additional modulation provided by the air flow on line 46 is accomplished separately in transient air fuel ratio control system 12. Modulation of an air bypass valve 47 controlling air flow on line 46 takes into account the equilibrium intake surface fuel discussed further below.
Transient air/fuel ratio control system 12 provides inputs 32 representing engine speed and manifold absolute pressure to blocks 54 and 58. Inputs 32 also provide the time rate of change of manifold absolute pressure to blocks 58 and 55. Input 32 also provides to block 55 information for determining air fuel ratio from the exhaust gas oxygen sensor. Block 54 calculates a desired steady state air bypass valve position. Block 55 provides for a statistical analysis of exhaust gas oxygen sensor samplings used to update time (FIG. 6B) and amplitude (FIG. 6A) command tables. Block 56 contains the keep-alive memory tables of valve actuation times during transients as a function of engine parameters. The output of block 55 is supplied to a block 57 which provides the keep-alive memory table of the valve opening and closing commands as a function of engine parameters. The outputs of block 54, 56 and 57, are supplied to a block 58 for calculation of the instantaneous valve position. The output of block 58 is supplied to air bypass valve 47 for setting the valve position thus controlling air flow in line 46.
Referring to FIG. 3, a vehicle air/fuel ratio control system includes basic air/fuel control system 10 and transient air/fuel ratio system 12. An air cleaner element 60 within an air cleaner housing 61 supplies air to primary path 62 and transient control path 63 which includes a solenoid valve 64 coupled to valve actuator 77. Primary path 62 includes a choke 65 positioned adjacent the venturi section 66 which is adjacent main fuel injection nozzle 67. A throttle 68 is positioned adjacent an idle control circuit 69. In operation, the air coming through solenoid valve 64 joins the main air fuel mixture at an air bypass entry spacer 70 located downstream of throttle 68.
Calculation of the magnitude of the transient air fuel ratio compensation is initially based on a table of values for the equilibrium intake surface fuel (EISF) expressed as a function of one or more engine operating parameters, such as engine speed and engine load. In FIG. 2, EISF is related to intake manifold absolute pressure, a quantity that is closely related to the load on the engine. Other parameters indicative of intake air or mixture flow rate or indicative of engine torque also may be used. The EISF curves indicate that different engine power output requirements can occur at the same engine speed. In a vehicle application of an engine, this might correspond to a change from operation of the vehicle on level ground to operation on an upward incline with increased throttle opening to maintain engine speed. In such situation, the engine speed would remain substantially constant if the throttle valve (conventionally used on the engine to control airflow and power output) were to be opened to increase the engine's power output. Opening of the throttle causes the intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP) to increase and thus, engine operation shifts to a higher intake manifold absolute pressure.
The intake surface fuel at equilibrium engine operation is not changing and can be ignored. During changes or transients occurring in engine operation, however, accurate air fuel ratio control requires that allowance be made for the contribution of the inducted air/fuel mixture to the quantity of liquid fuel residing on the intake passage surfaces or the contribution of fuel to the air/fuel mixture from the intake surface deposits. The fuel leaving the intake surfaces becomes an aerosol or vapor or gas and mixes with the air and fuel moving along the intake passage. This intake surface fuel is added to the received quantity of fuel as determined by the current air fuel ratio setting. On the other hand, gaseous fuel that is deposited on the intake passage surfaces undergoes a change in state and subtracts from the quantity of fuel that actually reaches the engine's combustion chamber.
When air is added to the air/fuel mixture through valve 64 it is in addition to that flowing through port 62 which is calculated in block 10 of FIG. 1. When the air flow supplied the main port 62 is the same as the amount needed to achieve the desired air fuel ratio, the transient air fuel ratio control system 12 is not providing any transient compensation. The air/fuel ratio of the air/fuel mixture inducted into engine 16 under transient conditions is a combination of the main air flow and the quantity of air obtained through solenoid valve 64.
Referring to FIG. 4, the solid zig zag line along the time axis indicates the magnitude of the air fuel ratio as controlled in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. Closed loop operation uses a feedback signal provided by the output of an exhaust gas oxygen sensor to maintain stoichiometry on an average basis. The air fuel ratio is correcting itself about a stoichiometric mean as it approaches point 1. At point 1, a transient occurs so that there is an instantaneous error and the air fuel ratio deviates from stoichiometry.
The dotted line beginning at point 2 indicates the result of an engine operating condition transient upon the air fuel ratio of a system operating without an air bypass in accordance with this invention. Correction of the air/fuel ratio from point 2 to stoichiometry occurs at the same rate as the previous excursions about the stoichiometric mean, i.e., the same slope. As a result, the air/fuel ratio reaches stoichiometry after a time T' which is governed by the closed loop correction rate and the site of the air/fuel ratio error. A typical duration of the time T' is about 50 to 100 revolutions of the engine.
In contrast, with transient control in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, the instantaneous error upon the occurrence of the transient is substantially reduced and is only the difference between stoichiometry and point 2'. This rapid response reducing the air fuel ratio deviation is possible because air bypass valve 47 can rapidly adjust the amount of air to set the actual value of the air fuel ratio to the desired value of the air fuel ratio. As a result, modulation of the bypass air in accordance with an embodiment of this invention permits a more rapid return to a stoichiometric air fuel ratio even using the closed loop rate of change of air fuel ratio.
In operation, the air bypass system is prepositioned anticipating the next transient to act upon the steady state established by basic air fuel control system 10. For example, when in the idle mode, the air bypass air flow is fully turned on so as to be ready to be shut off under a sudden acceleration (FIG. 5). This shut-off action would create a richer condition at a time when generally lean engine operation develops. When in a heavy cruise mode, the air bypass air flow is shut off completely creating an ability to turn additional air on when needed (FIG. 5). This feature could be used to counter the normal rich condition arising during decelerations. For part throttle steady state operation, the air bypass valve is positioned near mid-range so as to be able to compensate in either direction. The use of air control is advantageous compared to the control of fuel flow due to the increase speed of response offered by the air-bypass type systems.
As shown in FIG. 6A, the amount of change in the air-bypass air flow is based on values in a table as a function of engine speed and rate of change of load. When a transient is detected, that is, a minimum value of the rate of change of load, at a specific engine speed, the air flow control provided by the air bypass system is changed by an amount Δ represented by the table value. This change would then be decreased with time to a new value, Δ, anticipating the next transient, depending on the steady state value of engine speed and load. The new value is chosen from the table represented in FIG. 6C which is derived from a study of the most likely change to occur at a given RPM and load. Both the amount of instantaneous air flow change (FIG. 6A) as well as the time constant associated with its decay (FIG. 6B) would be obtained from adaptively updated tables on engine speed and the rate of change of load, or similar engine transient tracking parameters. Depending on the sign of the rate of change of load, the value in the table would represent an opening of the valve for decelerations and a closing of the valve for accelerations.
The process of adaptively updating these tables is carried out as follows. The exhaust gas oxygen sensor signal is sampled at predetermined intervals, small compared to the duration of the transient, and is statistically analyzed. Based on a statistical result, that is, for example, 30 rich indications versus 70 lean indications during a given time period, the values in the two tables (FIGS. 6A and 6B) are incremented or decremented producing a richer or leaner average control for the next transient. Once the statistical result of the exhaust gas oxygen sensor indications reaches 50 rich/50 lean indications, within some tolerance band, no further modifications are generated. However, each transient is monitored to check the validity of the table values.
The instantaneous amount of air flow, Δ", through air bypass valve 47 can be computed as follows:
Δ"(t)=(A)(Δ')(t/T)-(B)(Δ)(1-t/T)
Wherein
t--is a measure of real elapsed time since the initiation of transient;
T-is the time constant associated with the air fuel transient during which control through the bypass valve is required;
Δ--is the initial magnitude of change in air flow in response to a transient;
Δ'--is the desired air flow through the air bypass valve as a function of engine RPM and load so as to preposition the bypass valve so a transient can be effectively counteracted next time;
A,B--constants picked to achieve a desired transition rate in the magnitude of the air flow supplied by the air bypass valve during the transient lasting time, T;
In accordance with the above formula, if the air fuel ratio during the early part of the transient is too rich, the amount of air flow, Δ, through the bypass valve is increased. If the air fuel ratio is too lean, air flow Δ is decreased. Analogously, if the air fuel ratio during the latter part of the transient is too rich, the duration T of time is decreased so that the amount of air passed can increase rapidly. On the other hand, if the air fuel ratio is too lean, the duration T of time is increased so that a decreased bypass air flow is maintained for a longer period of time.
The benefits which such a strategy offers include improved fuel economy in driving conditions ranging from city to highway, improved catalyst performance, improved emission control system integrity and operation and a reduction in reliance on the catalyst through better transient air fuel ratio control. The reduction on the catalyst is particularly advantageous because it reduces the catalyst size, volume and the need for precious metal in the catalyst thus reducing cost.
|
This specification discloses a method for controlling the air fuel ratio for an internal combustion engine having an air supply passage by prepositioning an auxiliary air supply passage to counteract a predicted transient. A stored look-up table indicates the amount of change in the auxiliary air supply passage upon detection of a transient. After the detected transient, the air flow in the auxiliary air supply is adjusted to a value so as to be able to provide a rapid change in magnitude to compensate the next predicted transient. The look-up table is adaptively updated to take into account engine operating conditions.
| 5
|
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
This application claims the benefit, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/867,756, filed Nov. 29, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to microwave amplification tubes, such as an inductive output tube (IOT), and, more particularly, to an input circuit for an IOT or other emission-gated device providing improved instantaneous bandwidth.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known in the art to utilize a linear beam device, such as a klystron or traveling wave tube amplifier, to generate or amplify a high-frequency RF signal. Such a device generally includes an electron-emitting cathode and an anode spaced therefrom. The anode includes a central aperture, and by applying a high voltage potential between the cathode and anode, electrons may be drawn from the cathode surface and directed into a high-power beam that passes through the anode aperture. One class of linear beam device, referred to as an inductive output tube (IOT), further includes a grid disposed in the inter-electrode region defined between the cathode and anode. The electron beam may thus be density modulated by applying a radio-frequency (RF) signal to the grid relative to the cathode. After the anode accelerates the density-modulated beam, the beam propagates across a gap provided downstream within the IOT, and RF fields are thereby induced into a cavity coupled to the gap. The RF fields may then be extracted from the output cavity in the form of a high-power, modulated RF signal.
More particularly, an IOT, as well as other emission-gated microwave amplifiers, use density modulation to establish an AC current J b on the electron beam directly at the cathode surface. This current is subsequently converted to RF energy through the J b ·E c interaction with the output circuit field, E c . Density-modulated amplifiers are highly efficient, even when operated in the linear region. Direct modulation of the beam at the cathode also enables compact device size.
In most density-modulated devices, RF gating of the electron emission is accomplished via an input cavity structure with a high-electric-field region situated between the cathode surface and a control grid. Energy from the signal generator is coupled into the input circuit, modulating the electron beam at the grid-to-cathode (g-k) gap. The basic elements of the input circuit are a resonant cavity, a coupled transmission line and a DC block. The gain-bandwidth product is limited by the interaction impedance R/Q·Q, where R/Q is the shunt impedance across the g-k gap, primarily determined by the gap geometry, and Q is the quality factor. The Q, proportional to the ratio of stored energy to dissipated power, determines the bandwidth of interaction between the drive signal and the electron beam. The power is dissipated by cavity ohmic losses, beam loading and external loading. The total Q is thus the parallel combination of the ohmic quality factor Q 0 , the beam loading quality factor Q b and the external quality factor Q ext . When heavily loaded by the generator impedance through the transmission line, the cavity is strongly coupled and has a correspondingly low Q ext . This reduces the total Q, which increases the bandwidth.
The input resonant cavity can be modeled as a parallel RLC circuit. The beam is included as a shunt impedance and the connection to the drive line is represented by a transformer with a turns ratio of N. The Q ext is related to the turns ratio by:
N 2 Z 0 =R/Q·Q ext ,
where Z 0 is the characteristic impedance of the input transmission line. Driven at its resonant frequency ω 0 , the cavity presents a purely resistive load of magnitude R/Q·Q to the signal generator, where R/Q is the shunt impedance across the g-k gap. As the drive frequency is shifted away from ω 0 , the load becomes increasingly reactive, and the resistive component decreases. At a small offset Δω from the center frequency, the load impedance is given by:
Z
load
=
R
1
+
2
j
Q
Δω
/
ω
0
When the real component of the load impedance has dropped to half of its value at resonance, or R/2, the power delivered by the generator will be halved. This occurs when Δω/ω 0 =1/(2Q). Hence, the fractional bandwidth of a resonant cavity, defined as the distance between the two half-power points divided by ω 0 , is given by the reciprocal of the total quality factor (1/Q).
The coupling transformer connecting the signal generator to the resonant cavity is typically implemented using an inductive loop to transfer power from the signal generator to the cavity. The degree of coupling is proportional to the ratio of the magnetic flux enclosed by the inductive loop to the total flux in the cavity. A resonant cavity is formed around the electron gun in the IOT, with the g-k gap supporting the electric fields that modulate the electron beam. The electron beam passing through the grid is bunched at the frequency of the input signal. Electrons are accelerated towards a positively biased anode before their energy is extracted by the output circuit. For existing IOT applications, such as UHF television broadcast, loop coupling provides adequate bandwidth of a few percent. Practical limits on the loop size prevent substantially larger bandwidths from being achieved. Hence, if a wide-bandwidth IOT were possible, the compactness and linearity of this device would make it an attractive option for many other applications.
Accordingly, it is highly desirable to improve the instantaneous bandwidth of the input circuit of an IOT or other density-modulated device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instantaneous bandwidth achievable in an IOT or other density-modulated device is increased by employing an input circuit that directly couples the radio frequency signal carried by an input coaxial transmission line to the control grid. Such a directly coupled system comprises a coaxial transmission line with one conductor connected directly to the cathode and the other connected directly to the control grid, DC isolation being provided by an appropriately located DC block. Intermediate coupling methods, such as inductive loops or capacitive probes, are not used. Several methods exist for implementing the directly coupled system. One class of implementations utilizes a resonant cavity to generate a voltage between the cathode and the control grid. In its most basic topology, the center conductor of the transmission line is connected to the cathode, while the outer conductor of the transmission line is connected to the outside wall of the resonant cavity, the outside wall also serving to support the control grid and to provide an electrical connection between the outer conductor and the control grid. In another topology employing a resonant cavity, the cathode takes the form of an annular ring supported by an annular cathode support structure within the resonant cavity. The outer conductor of the coaxial transmission line is connected to the cathode support structure. The center conductor of the coaxial transmission line extends through the center of the resonant cavity and connects to the top of the cavity, which also serves as a grid support structure, holding an annular control grid in place in close proximity to the cathode and providing an electrical connection between the grid and the center conductor of the transmission line.
In both of these topologies, the impedance mismatch between the coaxial transmission line and the resonant cavity can be tuned by employing several techniques. First, an iris can be positioned at the location where the outer conductor of the coaxial transmission line joins the resonant cavity. The iris has an opening with a diameter that is smaller than that of the outer conductor of the transmission line but larger than the diameter of the center conductor, allowing the center conductor to pass through the iris. The effect of the iris is to change the magnitude of the capacitive discontinuity that appears at the transition from the coaxial transmission line to the resonant cavity. Second, various transmission line filters, well known to those skilled in the art, may be employed to change the impedance of the coaxial transmission line. For example, a slug tuner, or a parallel- or series-connected coaxial filter, such as a quarter-wave tuning stub, may be employed on the coaxial transmission line.
Another class of implementations support a voltage between the cathode and the control grid without the use of a resonant cavity. In this class of implementations, the electric field propagating in the coaxial transmission line directly generates a time-varying voltage across the grid-to-cathode gap. In one non-resonant topology, the cathode is connected to the center conductor of the coaxial transmission line while the grid is connected to the outer conductor in such a way that it is positioned in close proximity to the cathode. The center conductor may terminate in a right circular cylinder, or may be shaped to affect the impedance of the transmission line and the position of the cathode attached to it.
In another non-resonant topology, the cathode is connected to the outer conductor of the transmission line while the grid connects to the center conductor. To implement this, the coaxial transmission line transitions to a radial transmission line and the cathode takes the form of an annular ring connected to the bottom conductor of the radial transmission line. The control grid also takes on an annular form and is supported by the upper conductor of the radial transmission line, which also provides an electrical connection to the center conductor of the coaxial transmission line.
In both of these topologies, the impedance of the coaxial transmission line can be tuned by employing slug tuners or coaxial transmission line filters as described above. Furthermore, the transmission line can be terminated by the electron beam alone or in combination with a resistive termination disposed between the cathode and the control grid.
A more complete understanding of the directly coupled system providing increased operating bandwidth to IOTs and other density-modulated electron beam devices will be afforded to those skilled in the art, as well as a realization of additional advantages and objects thereof, by consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment. Reference will be made to the appended sheets of drawings which will first be described briefly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic drawing of a conventional IOT;
FIG. 2 is a parallel RLC circuit model, characterizing a conventional input transmission line coupled to a resonant cavity with beam impedance Z b ;
FIG. 3 is a schematic layout of a conventional loop coupling in an IOT input circuit;
FIG. 4( a ) is a perspective drawing of a direct coupling system in an IOT input circuit in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 4( b ) is a cross-sectional view of a directly coupled input circuit;
FIGS. 4( c ) and 4 ( d ) are drawings of alternative embodiments of a direct coupling system in an IOT output circuit in which the center conductor is tapered, and in which the center conductor is stepped, respectively;
FIG. 5 is a parallel RLC circuit model of an input transmission line coupled to a resonant cavity, including the discontinuity capacitance, C d , that accounts for the higher-order modes arising from the change in transmission line radius;
FIG. 6( a ) is a perspective drawing of an alternative embodiment of the direct coupling system, and FIG. 6( b ) is a cross-sectional view of this alternative embodiment;
FIGS. 6( c ) and 6 ( d ) are drawings of alternative embodiments of the embodiment of FIG. 6( a ) in which the center conductor is tapered, and in which the center conductor is stepped, respectively;
FIGS. 7( a )- 7 ( f ) are alternative embodiments of the non-resonant direct coupling system terminated in the beam impedance; and
FIGS. 8( a )- 8 ( f ) are alternative embodiments of the non-resonant direct coupling system terminated in a resistive load.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The invention provides improved instantaneous bandwidth of the input circuit of an IOT or other density-modulated device. In the detailed description that follows, like numbers are used to describe like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures.
FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of an exemplary IOT, typical of the prior art. The IOT includes three major sections, including an electron gun 150 , a tube body 160 , and a collector 170 . The electron gun 150 , shown in more detail in FIG. 3 , provides an axially directed electron beam that is density modulated by an RF signal. Now returning to FIG. 1 , the electron beam passes through a first drift tube 230 and a second drift tube 232 and then passes into an inner structure 234 inside the collector 170 that collects the spent electron beam. The electron gun further includes a cathode 206 with a closely spaced control grid 204 . The cathode is disposed at the end of a cathode support structure 208 that includes an internal heater coil 220 coupled to a heater voltage source 224 . The control grid 204 is positioned closely adjacent to the surface of the cathode 206 , and is coupled to a bias voltage source to maintain a DC bias voltage relative to the cathode. A resonant input cavity 202 receives an RF input signal via a coaxial transmission line 210 . The RF signal is coupled between the control grid 204 and cathode 206 to density modulate the electron beam emitted from the cathode 206 . The control grid is physically held in place by a grid support structure 226 . An example of an input cavity for an inductive output tube is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,786, the subject matter of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
FIG. 2 depicts a parallel RLC circuit model of a conventional input circuit of the prior art. The electron beam is modeled as a shunt impedance 112 of the beam impedance Z b , and the resonant cavity is modeled as a parallel combination of a resistor 106 , an inductor 108 , and a capacitor 110 . The input transmission line 102 , with a characteristic impedance of Z 0 , is coupled to the resonant cavity via an inductive loop, modeled as a transformer 104 , with an effective turns ratio of N. As discussed previously, this results in a load impedance presented to the input transmission line due to the cavity of
Z load = R 1 + 2 j Q Δω / ω 0 ,
where Δω represents a small offset from the cavity resonant frequency ω 0 . Using this expression to calculate the half power points, the fractional bandwidth of the system is obtained as 1/Q, where Q is the quality factor.
FIG. 3 represents an exemplary physical layout of the conventional prior-art input circuit modeled in FIG. 2 . The coupling transformer is implemented as an inductive loop 212 that couples energy from the input coaxial transmission line 210 into the resonant cavity 202 . The cathode 206 is situated atop a cathode support structure 208 to place it in close proximity to a control grid 204 that permits passage of the electron beam emitted by the cathode 206 . The cavity geometry places practical limitations on loop size, and as a consequence, limits the fraction of the magnetic flux that is intercepted, restricting this technique to applications requiring relatively narrow bandwidths.
The invention described herein discloses a method for coupling to the input circuit of an IOT or other emission-gated device that allows for a substantially lower Q ext that is able to achieve substantially greater bandwidths. This is achieved by providing a coaxial transmission line that directly couples to the cavity surrounding the grid-to-cathode interaction region. This direct coupling results in a relatively low external quality factor (Q ext ) that reduces the total Q, increasing the bandwidth of the input circuit.
Several implementations of the directly coupled input circuit are possible. The most basic embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 4( a ) and 4 ( b ). FIG. 4( a ) presents a three-dimensional view of the input circuit, and FIG. 4( b ) presents an axial cross-sectional view of the input circuit. Like numbers are used to refer to corresponding structures between the two figures. In this embodiment, the center conductor 316 of the coaxial input transmission line transitions to the cathode support structure 312 , and the outer conductor 318 is connected to the outside wall of the cavity 308 . A control grid 306 is connected to the wall of the cavity 308 and held in close proximity to the cathode 310 , which is situated at the top of the cathode support structure 312 . A DC block is located between the outer conductor 318 and the grid 306 to enable a DC bias to be maintained between the grid 306 and the cathode 310 while permitting direct coupling of the RF signal from the transmission line to the grid. An optional iris 314 , in the form of an annular ring, may be disposed at the location where the outer conductor 318 of the transmission line joins the cavity wall 308 . The diameter of the opening of the iris 314 is larger than the diameter of the cathode support structure 312 , but smaller than the diameter of the outer conductor 318 . In the discussion that follows, the radius of the iris opening having diameter 322 is represented by r a . The radius of the resonant cavity having diameter 320 is represented by r c . The inner radius of the outer conductor having diameter 324 and the radius of the center (inner) conductor having diameter 326 of the transmission line are represented by r o and r i , respectively. Though FIGS. 4( a ) and 4 ( b ) depict a center conductor that is a right circular cylinder in shape, the center conductor may be stepped or tapered, such as the center conductor depicted in FIG. 7( c ), in order to modify the impedance of the coaxial transmission line.
FIG. 4( c ) depicts an alternative embodiment having a center conductor 316 supporting a cathode 330 , wherein the center conductor 316 has a taper 332 . FIG. 4( d ) depicts an alternative embodiment having a center conductor 316 supporting a cathode 334 , wherein the center conductor 316 has a step 336 . In both FIGS. 4( c )and 4 ( d ), a control grid 306 is connected to the cavity wall 308 . Dimension arrows 324 indicate the inner diameter of the outer conductor 318 , and dimension arrows 326 indicate the diameter of the center conductor 316 prior to the taper 332 or the step 336 shown in FIGS. 4( c ) and 4 ( d ), respectively. An iris 314 may be disposed at the location where the outer conductor 318 joins the cavity wall 308 .
The geometry represented in FIGS. 4( a ) and 4 ( b ) can be modeled by the equivalent circuit shown in FIG. 5 . The beam impedance, Z b , is modeled as a shunt element 412 . The cavity is modeled as a parallel RLC circuit including a resistor 406 , an inductor 408 , and a capacitor 410 . The coupling of the coaxial transmission line 402 to the cavity is modeled as a transformer 404 as well as a shunt capacitance 414 , called the discontinuity capacitance, C d , to account for the higher order modes excited at the impedance step that results from the change in diameter as a signal leaves the coaxial transmission line and enters the resonant cavity. The turns ratio of the transformer, N, is approximately
N 2 ≈Z cp /Z tl .
The cavity port impedance, Z cp , and the transmission line impedance, Z tl , are given by
Z cp =[(μ/∈) 1/2 /2π]ln( r c /r i ), and
Z tl =[(μ/∈) 1/2 /2π]ln( r 0 /r i ),
where r 0 and r c are the radii of the outer conductor 318 of the coaxial transmission line and the resonant cavity 308 respectively, and r i is the radius of the center (inner) conductor 316 . The calculation of the discontinuity capacitance, C d , requires a full field solution. The Q ext of the cavity is defined as Q ext =ω 0 U/P i , where U is the energy stored in the cavity and P i is the power dissipated in the transmission line load.
This power, defined as P I =½I 2 R, requires calculation of the current, I, flowing out of the cavity into the transmission line. The shunt capacitance in parallel with this load acts as a current divider. The fraction of the current that flows through the transmission line load is 1/(α 2 +1), where α=N 2 Z tl ω 0 C d . Since Q is inversely proportional to I 2 , the reduction in current modifies the Q ext defined above, resulting in:
Q
ext
=
N
2
Z
tl
R
/
Q
(
α
2
+
1
)
2
For a typical design at L-band, the discontinuity capacitance is on the order of 0.1 picofarads, resulting in α≈0.1, and hence Q ext ≈Z cp I R/Q. Depending on the specific geometry, very low Q ext , approaching unity, can be achieved.
If an iris 314 is included, where r a <r 0 , the discontinuity capacitance is increased, shunting a larger portion of the current and increasing the Q ext without changing the cavity or transmission line geometry. A tapered or stepped transmission line or other impedance transformer may be used in place of, or in conjunction with, the iris to change the transmission line impedance presented to the cavity. Placement of a filter network in the transmission line offers further control of the bandwidth. An example of this, well known to those skilled in the art, is a coaxial impedance transformer, such as a slug tuner, on the center of the transmission line. FIG. 4( a ) depicts a dielectric slug tuner 328 used to tune the impedance of the input line. Another example of such a filter network is a transmission line resonant cavity, connected either in series or in parallel, such as the tuning stub 528 depicted in FIG. 6( b ).
FIGS. 6( a ) and 6 ( b ) illustrate a second embodiment of the direct coupling system. A three dimensional view is depicted in FIG. 6( a ), and a cross-sectional view is presented in FIG. 6( b ). Like numbers are used to refer to corresponding structures. A ring cathode 510 is mounted on an annular support structure 512 , and this support structure is connected to the outer conductor 518 of the transmission line. The center conductor 514 of the transmission line extends through the cavity and is connected to a grid support structure 520 that supports an annular control grid 506 and further provides an electrical connection between the center conductor 514 and the control grid 506 . A DC block is located between the outer conductor 518 and the grid 506 to enable a DC bias to be maintained between the grid 506 and the cathode 510 while permitting direct coupling of the RF signal from the transmission line to the grid. An optional iris 516 may be used to alter the magnitude of the discontinuity capacitance between the coaxial transmission line and the cavity 508 . An optional stub tuner 528 , shown in FIG. 6( b ), may likewise be used to tune the impedance of the coaxial transmission line to alter the magnitude of the discontinuity capacitance. Using a coaxial impedance transformer, a cold test model of this embodiment has been fabricated and tested, and has achieved an instantaneous bandwidth in excess of twenty percent.
FIG. 6( c ) depicts an alternative embodiment having a center conductor 530 that has a taper 532 . FIG. 6( d ) depicts an alternative embodiment having a center conductor 534 that has a step 536 . In both FIGS. 6( c ) and 6 ( d ), an annular control grid 506 is supported by grid support structure 520 . An iris 516 may be located where the outer conductor 518 joins the cavity 508 . An annular cathode support structure 512 supports the annular cathode 510 . A stub tuner 528 may be used to tune the impedance of the transmission line.
The voltage across the grid-to-cathode gap need not be provided by a resonant cavity. Instead, the electric field of the transmission line mode may be used to generate the voltage in a non-resonant directly coupled system. A portion of the power carried by the transmission line is coupled into the electron beam. Termination of the transmission line in its characteristic impedance results in maximum bandwidth. The termination can be provided by the beam as illustrated in FIGS. 7( a )- 7 ( f ), by a resistive load located after the beam as illustrated in FIGS. 8( a )- 8 ( f ), or by some combination of the two. A transmission line transformer, such as a slug tuner or resonant cavity filter, may be used to facilitate the match.
FIGS. 7( a )- 7 ( f ) show three possible embodiments of the non-resonant direct coupling system. FIG. 7( a ) represents a three-dimensional view and FIG. 7( b ) represents a cross-sectional view of a cylindrical non-resonant directly coupled system. The cathode 608 is disposed at the end of the center conductor 610 of the input coaxial transmission line. The outer conductor 612 of the transmission line is connected to the control grid 606 . The voltage across the grid-to-cathode gap, between the cathode 608 and grid 606 , is provided by the electric field of the electromagnetic wave traveling in the coaxial transmission line. The termination of the transmission line is provided by the electron beam itself.
FIGS. 7( c ) and 7 ( d ) show an alternative embodiment in which the center conductor 628 is tapered. The cathode 626 surrounds the tapered end of the center conductor 628 and is held in close proximity to the control grid 624 that is situated around the tapered center conductor. The outer conductor 630 is connected to the control grid 624 . Varying the geometry of the tapered center conductor will change the impedance of the transmission line, which is terminated by the electron beam itself.
FIGS. 7( e ) and 7 ( f ) depict an alternative embodiment of the non-resonant directly coupled system. In this embodiment, the coaxial transmission line comprising a center conductor 658 and an outer conductor 660 , transitions to a radial transmission line. The center conductor 658 attaches to the annular control grid 654 . The annular cathode 656 is attached to the lower wall of the radial transmission line and connected directly to the outer conductor 660 of the coaxial transmission line. In this embodiment, as well, the transmission line is terminated by the electron beam.
FIGS. 8( a )- 8 ( f ) present the same embodiments of the non-resonant direct coupling system shown in FIGS. 7( a )- 7 ( f ), except that here the termination is provided by a resistive load rather than solely by the electron beam. In FIGS. 8( a ) and 8 ( b ), the resistive load 714 is situated between the cathode 708 and the control grid 706 , which are in turn attached to the center conductor 710 and the outer conductor 712 , respectively. Similarly in FIGS. 8( c ) and 8 ( d ), the resistive load 732 is placed between the center conductor 728 , which supports the cathode 726 , and the control grid 724 that is connected to the outer conductor 730 . Finally, in FIGS. 8( e ) and 8 ( f ), the resistive load 762 is situated around the outside of the radial transmission line between the cathode 756 , visible in FIG. 8( f ), connected to the outer conductor 760 , and the grid 754 , connected to the center conductor 758 . It should be noted that the beam can be emitted from a cathode connected either to the center conductor, as shown in FIGS. 7( a )- 7 ( d ) and 8 ( a )- 8 ( d ), or to the outer conductor, as shown in FIGS. 7( e )- 7 ( f ) and 8 ( e )- 8 ( f ).
It should be appreciated that the above-described geometries are not meant to be comprehensive but are representative embodiments of the present invention that utilize direct coupling of a transmission line to achieve wideband coupling from the transmission line to the electron beam. By employing the direct coupling system, this invention enables inductive output devices to be adapted for service in wide-instantaneous-bandwidth applications. The method is also likely to spur the development of other novel emission-gated devices, employing thermionic and non-thermionic cathodes.
Having thus described a preferred embodiment of a novel input circuit that provides improved instantaneous bandwidth for an inductive output tube or other emission-gated device, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that certain advantages of such systems have been achieved. It should also be appreciated that various modifications, adaptations, and alternative embodiments thereof may be made within the scope and spirit of the present invention. The invention is further defined by the following claims.
|
An input circuit of a microwave amplification tube achieves improved instantaneous bandwidth. By directly coupling the transmission line carrying a modulating radio frequency signal to a control grid, a low-Q input circuit is created that increases the fractional bandwidth of the system. A resonant cavity may be used to generate a voltage across the gap between the cathode and the control grid. Alternative geometries are presented whereby the electron beam is emitted from a cathode connected either to the center conductor of the transmission line or to the outer conductor of the transmission line. Alternatively, the electric field of the radio-frequency signal propagating through the transmission line may be used to create a voltage across the gap between the cathode and the control grid without using a resonant cavity. Likewise, alternative geometries are presented by which the electron beam is emitted from a cathode connected either to the center conductor or to the outer conductor of the transmission line.
| 7
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to mechanical football hikers.
[0003] 2. Background Information
[0004] Football is a national passion, and where there are football games, there are football practices. Football practice seasons and football practice sessions are typically regulated by league rules in order to ensure consistency and fairness. These rules, for instance, may limit the amount of time a team can practice or limit the length of the practice season a team can require players to be present for practice.
[0005] Working within these constraints, consistency is difficult to maintain when propelling or hiking a football to the quarterback during practice sessions. This is true because the job of hiking the ball during practice typically falls to an “expendable” member of the team or training staff because the official ball hiker is most likely performing his own training. It would be inefficient to utilize a valuable member of the team to perform such a monotonous, repetitive function as hiking the ball to the practicing quarterback, when that team member could be furthering his own skills, especially when practice time is limited. Another variation of this problem is encountered during off season practice sessions when attendance is not required and therefore the presence of a hiker is optional. This has led to the development of mechanical ball hikers.
[0006] Currently, the mechanical ball hikers that are available merely “hand” the ball to the quarterback, and do not propel it in the manner required to simulate that required for the “shotgun” formation. Therefore, existing ball hikers may be adequate for teams using standard line-ups and plays, but are useless for those employing the “shotgun” offense, in which the quarterback typically stands back from the offensive line about five yards. This line-up is advantageous in certain situations because it gives the quarterback more time to throw the ball and is very hard to defend against. It is an advantageous offense to use with a light, quick front line and a quarterback who knows how to run as well as throw the ball. More and more high school and college teams are taking advantage of the unique plays that such a line-up favors.
[0007] The shotgun hiker of the present invention solves the problem of how to train a quarterback in the shotgun offense by creating the force needed to mechanically propel a football over a distance, consistently and in a predictable direction. This allows football team members to maximize their practice time and football coaches to most efficiently and effectively train quarterbacks and other team members in the shotgun offense.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanical means to propel or hike a football during football practice.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a more convenient method of practicing the shotgun offense by providing a mechanical means to propel or hike a football over a distance, rather than merely “hand the ball” to the quarterback during football practice.
[0010] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a consistent means of propelling or hiking the football over a distance into the hands of a quarterback during football practice without the use of an experienced team member.
[0011] In satisfaction of these and other related objectives, Applicant's present invention provides a convenient, consistent, mechanical means to propel a football over a distance into the hands of a practicing quarterback in order that the team may practice the shotgun offense without the use of an experienced team member to hike the ball.
[0012] Applicant's approach to the problem described above is certainly simple, but it is equally unobvious. Applicant's Shotgun Hiker makes possible, for the first time, a mechanical means of propelling or hiking a football over a distance, which allows a football team to practice the shotgun offense without the use of an experienced team member to hike the football.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Shotgun Hiker.
[0014] FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the ball-launching platform of the Shotgun Hiker.
[0015] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the release actuation means of the Shotgun Hiker.
[0016] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the attachment point of the distal end of the springs.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] With reference to FIG. 1 , the shotgun hiker of the present invention is identified generally by the reference number 10 .
[0018] Shotgun hiker 10 of the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , includes support frame 12 . Support frame 12 includes base 14 and an upright structure 16 (attached to base 14 through the use of bolts or screws in a conventional manner). Upright structure 16 includes, in the preferred embodiment, two wheels 28 and 30 and a handle structure 32 which afford the hiker 10 with dolly-like portability.
[0019] In the embodiment shown, upright structure 16 also includes ball holder 34 which is attached through conventional means to upright structure 16 to allow for the convenient storage and transfer of extra footballs. Many configurations of a support frame 12 could be developed by one skilled in the pertinent art and the invention is not limited by the embodiment described here.
[0020] Seen best in FIGS. 1 and 2 , ball launching platform 18 is pivotally connected to pivot blocks 20 and 23 near, but not at, its proximal end 22 (which includes left proximal terminus 24 and right proximal terminus 26 , respectively, on either side of proximal end 22 of ball launching platform 18 ).
[0021] Left and right proximal termini 24 and 26 are rotatably engaged with respective left and right pivot blocks 20 and 23 by the use of a conventional threaded axle and nut assemblies. Left and right springs 36 and 38 are attached to left and right proximal termini 24 and 26 further proximal to the pivot points of ball launching platform 18 vis a vis pivot blocks 20 and 23 . In the arrangement depicted, it is clear that springs 36 and 38 bias ball launching platform 18 from a pre-launch orientation (as shown in FIG. 1 ) wherein ball launch platform 18 is substantially parallel with base 14 and substantially perpendicular to upright structure 16 , toward an upright, post-launch orientation in which platform 18 is substantially parallel with upright structure 16 . This attachment can be accomplished by hooking the respective ends of springs 36 and 38 through holes 50 and 53 , not shown, in the respective proximal termini 24 and 26 .
[0022] Referring in combination to FIGS. 1 and 3 , ball launching platform 18 is held in its pre-launch orientation, against the forces of springs 36 and 38 , through interaction of catch arm 42 (at the distal end 40 of platform 18 ) with release actuator assembly 46 .
[0023] Release actuator assembly 46 is a trigger mechanism of generally conventional design, one generally instructive example of which may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,968, the disclosure of which is incorporated here by reference. Slight variations in the trigger design for trigger mechanism 46 will follow like variations in trigger designs in general. Additional patents with such variations, the general trigger mechanism design of which could readily be applied to shotgun hiker 10 , include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,469,610; 3,490,429; and 6,478,020, the disclosures of which are here incorporated by reference.
[0024] Release actuation assembly 46 includes a trigger arm 48 which is pivotally mounted relative to base member 14 . Sear arm 44 is configured and oriented for reversible engagement with catch arm 42 in conventional trigger fashion (see FIG. 3 ). When trigger arm 48 is activated, usually by stepping on it, trigger arm 48 moves pivotally downward, causing sear arm 44 to move pivotally upward, releasing catch arm 42 , allowing ball launching platform 18 to pivot from its pre-launch orientation to its post-launch orientation under force of springs 36 and 38 .
[0025] The preferred embodiment utilizes fourteen-inch springs from Century Spring Company, catalog number C-353, or its equivalent, to produce the force needed to propel a standard football five yards and at the proper height for a football quarterback in the shotgun offense. This result is achieved when launch platform 18 is approximately 20½ inches in length and pivots about a point 4½ inches from its proximal end. Springs 36 and 38 are attached substantially at their proximal ends as described above and, at their distal ends, are securely attached to base 14 at attachment points 37 and 39 .
[0026] The details of attachment point 39 are shown most clearly in FIG. 4 . Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4 , an L-shaped angle iron 56 is welded to base 14 in conventional manner ½ inch from the edge of base 14 closest to wheel 30 . A 4-inch “I” bolt 58 is then attached to the distal end of spring 38 and screwed in through hole 60 drilled in the angle iron. The proper tension is achieved when “I” bolt 58 is screwed approximately 2 inches through the angle iron. An identical process attaches spring 36 at attachment point 37 and is not shown.
[0027] By selecting springs of varying gauges and varying lengths, the tensile strength of the springs can be varied and, therefore, the power with which the football is propelled can be controlled. Further, by varying the angle of the support frame 12 , particularly base 14 , the distance and height that the football is propelled can be controlled.
[0028] In practice, a football (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2 ) is laid across ball rests 52 and 54 to await activation of release actuation assembly 46 . Upon actuation of release actuation assembly 46 , the football is propelled (in a direction away from the upright structure 16 ) to simulate the hiking of a football in the shotgun offense style (distant from the center).
[0029] In another embodiment, not shown in the drawings, a safety guard can be attached to the support frame 12 at the tubular handle structure 32 and the base 14 to shield users of the shotgun hiker from an errant football.
[0030] Most components of shotgun hiker 10 are expected to be assembled from steel, or other suitable hard material, with suitable plating or paint, to protect the material from the elements. The springs are those conventionally found and familiar to one skilled in the pertinent art.
[0031] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limited sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications that fall within the scope of the invention.
|
The invention is of a Shotgun hiker, a mechanical football hiker that propels the football five yards in a consistent direction and manner in order to allow football teams to practice the shotgun offense without the use of a trained team member to hike the football.
| 0
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an ozonizer for generating ozone (O 3 ) by causing a corona discharge to occur between electrodes oppositely arranged in air.
As ozonizers of this type there have been developed various ozonizers in which a pair of electrodes are oppositely arranged in air, to which a high voltage is applied to induce a corona discharge therebetween while continuously supplying air to the discharge field thereby to generate ozone continuously.
In such devices, however, it is necessary that ozone produced in the field of corona discharge should be continuously taken out of the discharge field, and at the same time fresh air (oxygen) should be supplied to the discharge field. Therefore, the conventional ozonizers are provided with a blower, a pump or the like at the front or rear side of the discharge field. Moreover, in the conventional ozonizers, especially in large ones, since the temperature of the electrodes rise due to the corona discharge, it is essential to provide a cooling device. This poses a problem that many accessories must be provided, so that it is difficult to make the whole device compact and simplify maintenance. An object of the invention is to solve such problems completely.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To attain the object this invention adopts the following arrangement.
The ozonizer of this invention is of the type that a corona discharge is caused to occur between electrodes oppositely arranged in air, and is characterized by that one of the electrodes comprises blades, the other electrode comprises a casing, and the blades and the casing form a blower.
In this construction, by applying a high voltage between the blades which form one electrode and the casing which forms the other electrode, it is possible to cause a corona discharge to take place between them. As the above-mentioned blades are driven by a motor in the same manner as in ordinary ventilators, air (oxygen) is drawn through an intake port and exhausted outside through a space formed between the blades and the casing. At that time, oxygen in the air taken in passes through the field of corona discharge, so that a part of the oxygen is changed to ozone in this discharge field. The ozone produced in this manner is continuously exhausted outside in the above-mentioned flow.
This arrangement makes it unnecessary to provide an apparatus for causing a corona discharge to occur and separately a blower for supplying oxygen to the discharge field and taking out the ozone generated. As a result, the number of parts is reduced and the whole device can be made compact.
Moreover, since the gas positively flows in contact with the blades and the casing which form the electrodes, thermal radiation from the electrodes can be enhanced without difficulty.
Since the device of the invention is constructed as described above, it is possible to generate ozone efficiently, to make the whole device simple and compact, and to provide an ozonizer having a large capacity without the necessity of providing a cooling device having a high ability.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a cross section of one embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front view showing a cross section of the same embodiment; and
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
One embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The ozonizer has a fundamental structure of a Silocco type blower provided with an impeller 1 and a casing 2.
The impeller 1 is provided with a boss 11, circular side plates 12 and blades 13 mounted on the outer peripheral portions of the side plates at predetermined intervals. The boss 11 is made of an insulating material such as ABS resin or vinyl chloride, and a motor 3 has a rotary shaft 31 connected to the boss 11. At least that side plate 12 which is positioned opposite the motor 3 and provided with a window for ventilation and the blades 13 are made of a material having a high electrical conductivity such as stainless steel. The blades 13 function as one of the electrodes. In other words, one of the electrodes is composed of the blades 13.
The casing 2 comprises an outer shell portion 21 and a circumferential wall portion 22 enclosed within the outer shell portion 21. The outer shell portion 21 is made of an insulating material such as ABS resin or vinyl chloride, and is provided with an intake port 23 near the center of its end wall 21a opposite the above-mentioned motor 3 and an outlet port 24 in the circumferential wall 21b thereof. The circumferential wall portion 22 is fixed to the inner surface of the above-mentioned circumferential wall 21b of the outer shell portion 21, and comprises a stainless steel conductor 25 forming the other electrode and a dielectric member 26 made of silicone rubber and attached to the inner circumferential wall of the conductor 25. In other words, in this device the other electrode forms a part of the casing 2.
A power supply 4 impresses a high voltage across the above-mentioned blades 13 and the above-mentioned conductor 25 which form the electrodes. The power supply 4 is provided with a transformer 41 for producing a potential difference, for example, 1000 V˜15000 V necessary to generate a corona discharge between output terminals 41a and 41b, a first connecting device 42 for electrically connecting the output terminal 41a of the transformer 41 to the above-mentioned blades 13, and a second connecting device 43 for electrically connecting the other output terminal 41b to the above-mentioned conductor 25. The input terminals 41c and 41d of the above-mentioned transformer 41 are connected to a suitable power supply 50. The first connecting device 42 comprises a carbon-rod brush 44 inserted in the inner end portion of an axial hole 21d formed in the central portion of the end wall 21c of the outer shell portion 21 of the casing 2 at the opposite side of the motor so that the brush 44 can project from and be retracted into the hole, a stainless steel screw 45 screwed to the outer end portion of the hole, and a compression spring 46 of an electrically conductive material interposed between the screw 45 and the above-mentioned brush 44 so as to resiliently urge the above-mentioned brush 44 against the side plate 12 of the above-mentioned impeller 1. The above-mentioned screw 45 is connected to the terminal 41a of the above-mentioned transformer 41 through an electrically conductive wire 47. The second connecting device 43 comprises a stainless steel screw 48 screwed to the outer shell portion 21, with the inner end of the screw 48 contacting the above-mentioned conductor 25, and the outer end thereof being connected to the other output terminal 41b of the above-mentioned transformer 41 through an electrically conductive wire 49.
With this arrangement, the blades 13 which form one of the electrodes are electrically connected to the output terminal 41a of the transformer 41 through the side plate 12, the brush 44, the compression spring 46, the screw 45 and the electrically conductive wire 47. The circumferential wall portion 22 of the casing 2 which forms the other electrode is connected to the other terminal 41b of the above-mentioned transformer 41 through the screw 48 and the electrically conductive wire 49. Therefore, when the transformer 41 is connected to a power supply (not shown), a high voltage is impressed across the above-mentioned blades 13 and the above-mentioned circumferential wall portion 22, so that a corona discharge is induced between the outer end surface 13a of each of the blades 13 which forms an electrode surface and the inner circumferential surface 26a of the above-mentioned dielectric member 26 which forms a dielectric surface.
When the above-mentioned impeller 1 is driven by the motor 3 in the same manner as in a conventional Silocco-type blower, fresh air (oxygen) is taken in through the intake port 23, and exhausted outside through the outlet port 24 passing through a space formed between the blades 13 of the impeller 1 and the circumferential wall portion 22 of the casing 2. At this time, oxygen in the air taken in passes through the field of corona discharge 5, so that a part thereof is changed to ozone. The ozone generated in this manner is taken out of the field of corona discharge 5 through the above-mentioned flow path, and continuously exhausted outside the casing 2 through the outlet port 24.
Thus, this arrangement eliminates the necessity of providing a device for causing corona discharges to be induced and a separate blower for supplying oxygen to the field of corona discharge to generate ozone. As a result, the number of parts is reduced, and an enhancement of efficiency and reliability in manufacture can be achieved, and the whole device can be made compact.
Moreover, since air flows while positively contacting the blades 13 and the casing 2 which form electrodes, radiation of heat from the electrodes can be easily effected, so that it is possible to reduce the cooling ability of the cooling device without difficulty.
With this arrangement, since the blades 13 which form one of the electrodes face at intervals the inner circumferential surface 26a of the dielectric member 26 which forms the dielectric surface of the other electrode, a higher corona discharge can be generated than if plane electrodes were oppositely positioned. Since the positions of the blades 13 relative to the inner circumferential surface 26a of the dielectric member 26 are periodically changed, the electric charge stored on the whole surface of the dielectric member 26 can be used. Therefore, it is possible to enhance the efficiency of ozone generation in comparison with ozonizers with fixed electrodes.
The blower to which the invention may be applicable is not limited to the Silocco type, but can be an axial flow type as shown in FIG. 3. In the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, one electrode is composed of blades 113 of an impeller 101 of an axial flow type, and the other electrode is composed of a circumferential wall portion 122 of a casing 102. The material of each part, means for supplying power to each electrode etc. may be selected as in the above-mentioned embodiment.
The ozonizer in accordance with the invention can be used as devices for deodorization, sterilization, bleaching, etc. in various fields of industry.
|
This invention relates to an ozonizer for generating ozone by causing a corona discharge to occur between electrodes oppositely arranged in air. An object of the ozonizer is to make the whole device compact and maintenance simple with reduction of the number of accessories. To this end, the ozonizer is characterized by that one of the electrodes comprises blades, the other electrode comprises a casing, and the blades and the casing form a blower. With this arrangement, it is not necessary to provide a particular blower for supplying fresh air continuously to the field of corona discharge and taking out ozone as it is produced.
| 8
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to Engine Intake Accessories and, more specifically, to a Vacuum Relief Assembly for I.C. Engine Intakes.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] After-market accessories for improving the performance of stock internal combustion engines has become a enormous industry. One particular focus of the performance accessory industry is that of intake systems. A performance-enhancing modification is to relocate the stock air intake duct from its normal location deep within the engine compartment. It has been determined that when the vehicle is operated in warm climates, the air within the engine compartment becomes very hot; this means that the stock engine is taking hot air into its intake system. As the intake air becomes hotter, the engine performance declines. One solution to this is to add a “cold air intake” assembly to the engine assembly. The cold air intake essentially relocates the intake inlet to a position low-down in the engine compartment, typically behind the front bumper-putting the air intake down and forward of its stock location provides the engine with cooler intake air (at least cooler than that available in the engine compartment).
[0005] One problem with relocating the air intake so low is that it can become clogged by water or debris thrown up from the road surface. As the intake inlet becomes clogged, the engine is starved for air, and begins to lose power and efficiency. FIG. 1 is an introduction to the conventional I.C. intake system.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of pertinent portions of a conventional internal combustion engine assembly 30 . The typical internal combustion engine 32 has an intake plenum 34 associated with it for delivering intake air to the engine 32 . The plenum 34 has a throttle body 38 that adjusts the intake airflow into the plenum 34 . Air is supplied to the throttle body 38 via the intake tube 40 , which obtains air from the environment through an intake air filter 42 . The filter 42 shown here is intended to simulate a cold-air intake previously discussed. Combustion gases exit the engine 32 via an exhaust manifold 36 .
[0007] As discussed above, if the intake air filter 38 is clogged (such as by dowsing or submerging in water), insufficient air will be provided through the intake tube 40 , throttle body 38 and plenum 34 for supporting combustion in the engine 32 ; poor engine performance will be the result. FIG. 2 depicts a prior art attempt at solving this problem.
[0008] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art pressure relief valve for internal combustion engines 10 . Specifically, the device is the “Intake Tract Negative Pressure Relief Valve for I.C. Engine” of Concialdi, U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,128. The Concialdi valve 10 consists of a pair of ring-shaped tubular elements 11 , which are bonded to one another when the device 10 is assembled. Within the chamber created by the bonded tubular elements 11 is a foam spring element 18 , having a resilient member 17 stretched over it. The resilient member 17 has several diaphragms 19 formed in it that are cooperatively designed to each cover an aperture 14 formed in the tubular elements 11 . There is further a filter element 20 placed over the outer surface of the assembled tubular elements 11 .
[0009] The Concialdi device is designed to be installed along the air intake tube (see FIG. 1 ) to relieve excess vacuum conditions within the air intake tube. In normal flow and pressure conditions, the diaphragms 19 seal the apertures 14 , thereby allowing air to enter the system via the intake air filter (see FIG. 1 ). When the internal pressure within the intake tube drops too low, the diaphragms 19 will be pushed inwardly away from the apertures 14 ; this will permit air to flow in through the filter element 20 and the apertures 14 , thereby providing additional combustion air to the I.C. engine. One problem with the Concialdi device is related to its installation; FIGS. 3A and 3B discuss this issue.
[0010] FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams of the device 10 of FIG. 2 being installed in the assembly 30 of FIG. 1 . In order to install the Concialdi device in an existing I.C. intake system (as is always the case), the intake tube 40 either must be replaced or modified by cutting to create a gap 41 in the tube 40 that is adequately sized to fit the valve 10 into it. Cutting this gap 41 into the tube 40 can be very challenging, and most times will require that the entire intake tube 40 be removed from the engine compartment.
[0011] A further defect in the Concialdi device is related to its long-term durability and reliability. Because the spring element 18 is made from foam material (“ foam rubber”), it is expected to decay and deteriorate over time, due to the constant flow of air past it. As the spring element 18 deteriorates, it will provide less and less biasing force against the diaphragms 19 , which ultimately results in the seals between the diaphragms and the apertures 14 to fail (allowing air to bypass the normal intake air filter).
[0012] What is needed, then, is a device that prevents an under-pressure condition in the intake tube of an internal combustion engine. Furthermore, this device must be easily installed in existing intake air tracts and must demonstrate superior durability and reliability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior devices and methods, it is an object of the present invention to provide a Vacuum Relief Assembly for I.C. Engine Intakes. The device should permit outside air into the intake tract of an internal combustion engine in the event of an excessively high vacuum condition within the intake tract. Furthermore, the device should be constructed from durable materials to resist the excessive temperatures found in the engine compartment of a vehicle. Still further, the device should be made from two half-cylindrical sections that mate to one another around the intake tract to form a cylindrical attachment. The method of installation should enable the device to be installable onto the intake tract in situ, and without the need to cut out a section of the tract.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] 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:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of pertinent portions of a conventional internal combustion engine assembly;
[0016] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art pressure relief valve for internal combustion engines;
[0017] FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams of the device of FIG. 2 being installed in the assembly of FIG. 1 ;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the vacuum relief assembly of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the first sleeve half of the assembly of FIG. 4 ;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the first sleeve half of FIG. 5 depicting the operation of the flap segments of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a cutaway end view of the first sleeve half of FIGS. 5 and 6 ; and
[0022] FIGS. 8A-8B depict the installation of the vacuum relief valve of FIGS. 4-7 being installed in the assembly of FIG. 1 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] 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 Vacuum Relief Assembly for I.C. Engine Intakes.
[0024] The present invention can best be understood by initial consideration of FIG. 4 . FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the vacuum relief assembly 50 of the present invention. The bulk of the assembly 50 is constructed of a heat resistant, flexible rubberized material that provides long-term durability in the high temperature environment found under the hood of a vehicle's engine compartment. Other non-rubberized components, where included, are also made from durable long-lasting materials.
[0025] The assembly 50 is made from two mating semi-circular half-sleeves, namely a first sleeve half 52 A and a second sleeve half 52 B. The halves 52 are cooperatively designed to mate to one another to form a full circular collar for attaching to the outer surface of an intake tube (see FIG. 1 ), such that the intake tube is captured within the inner bore 54 formed by the mated halves 52 , and the tube-engaging surfaces 62 seal against the outer surface of the intake tube. A first ring section 56 A and second ring section 56 B are created by the mated halves 52 , where clamp receiving surfaces 64 A and 64 B are provided for clamping the assembly 50 to the intake tube with suitable clamping devices, such as conventional pipe clamps. The first and second ring sections 56 A and 56 B, respectively, are interconnected with one another by a plurality of struts 60 ; here first strut 60 A, second strut 60 B and third strut 60 C are shown-other configurations are expected to be employed.
[0026] In between each strut 60 is a section of screen 58 that provides structural rigidity to the assembly 50 , while also allowing airflow therethrough to the inner bore 54 (when the soon-to-be-described flaps are open). Unlike the Concialdi device, the assembly 50 is not a solid ring at installation; breaking the assembly in two halves 52 enables the device to be installed on the intake tube without the need to cut a gap. Furthermore, there are no components made from foam rubber or other easily-deteriorating material; the two main materials are durable rubber and stainless steel screen materials. If we now turn to FIG. 5 , we can investigate the structure of this device in more detail.
[0027] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the first sleeve half 52 A of the assembly of FIG. 4 . It should be understood that the first and second sleeve halves 52 are essentially mirror images of one another in virtually all functional respects.
[0028] The inner surface of the inner bore (see FIG. 4 ) is defined at its ends by the first and second ring sections 56 A and 56 B, respectively. Interconnecting the ring sections is the annular wall 66 . The annular wall is preferably constructed/molded from the same rubberized material that was discussed above. Dispersed across the annular wall 66 are one or more slits 68 penetrating through the material of the wall 66 , such that one or more flap segments 70 are formed from the annular wall 66 . In this embodiment, there are two slits 68 in parallel spaced relation to form a single flap 70 .
[0029] The sleeve half 52 A is defined by a pair of pegs 72 A and 72 B extending outwardly from one of the surfaces that mate with the second sleeve half 52 B. On the opposite end of the sleeve half 52 A, there are a corresponding pair of receivers 74 A and 74 B that are sized to accept pegs 52 extending from the second sleeve half 52 B. The cooperation of the pegs 52 and receivers 74 act to assist in aligning the two sleeve halves 52 when the assembly 50 is being attached to an air intake tube.
[0030] The sleeve half 52 A is also defined by a pair of slots 76 A and 76 B cut through the mating surfaces of the halves. Additionally, there may be a tab 78 extending from the outer surface of the center portion (i.e. between the two ring sections). The tab 78 is provided to engage the outer surface of the second sleeve half 52 B, again, to assist in aligning the two halves when installing the assembly 50 on an air intake tube. We will now turn to FIG. 6 to examine the functioning of this new device.
[0031] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the first sleeve half 52 A of FIG. 5 depicting the operation of the flap segments 70 of the present invention. As discussed above, the annular wall 66 is provided with two slits cut through it to form a flap segment 70 . The flap segment 70 is attached only to the other portions of the annular wall 66 , and not to the struts 60 or screens 78 .
[0032] When the assembly is formed into a ring and attached to the outer surface of the air intake tube, it will react as shown when a pre-determined negative pressure is experienced in the inner bore 54 . In particular, when the pressure on the outer surface of the flap segment 70 becomes sufficient to overcome the force that keeps the flap segment 70 arched outwardly (see FIG. 5 ), the flap segment 70 will be pushed or pulled towards the center of the inner bore 54 . When the flap segment moves in, openings are created on either side of the flap segment 70 . The openings allow free flow between the inner bore 54 and the outer surface of the annular wall 66 .
[0033] The slots 76 actually connect to one another to form an annular cavity 82 between the screens 78 and struts 60 and the outer surface of the flap segment 70 . The slots 76 from the two attached halves 52 are located to match up when the first mating face 80 A and the second mating face 80 B are mated to the corresponding second and first mating faces, respectively, of the second sleeve half. The annular cavity 82 encircles the annular wall 66 and serves to distribute and equalize the pressure around the circumference of the assembly 50 (i.e. when the two halves 52 are assembled into an completed assembly 50 ). FIG. 7 provides another aspect of this unique structure.
[0034] FIG. 7 is a cutaway end view of the first sleeve half 52 A of FIGS. 5 and 6 along section line A-A. The struts 60 will typically protrude radially outward beyond the outer surface of the screen 58 . The screen 58 will typically be embedded in the rubberized material of the struts 60 . Furthermore, the tab 78 is an extension of the strut 60 that is adjacent to the second mating face 80 B (in this half). As shown, the annular cavity 82 is bounded on the inner side by the annular wall 66 , and on the outer side by the screen 58 and struts 60 . There is a radial distance between the inner surface of the tube-engaging surface 62 and the inner surface of the annular wall 66 ; this area forms a chamber around the air intake tube to provide for stabilization of pressures, and further allows the flap segments 70 adequate room to pull inward to create the relief valve openings. Finally turning to FIGS. 8A-8C , we can discuss the novel installation process for this invention.
[0035] FIGS. 8A-8B depict the installation of the vacuum relief assembly 50 of FIGS. 4-7 being installed in the intake tube 40 of the assembly 30 of FIG. 1 . To install the assembly 50 , one need simply to determine the desired location on the tube 40 for installation of the assembly. Next, one or two apertures 84 A are cut into the walls of the tube 40 . These apertures 84 can be cut in situ, or while the tube 40 remains installed in line with the engine. Next, the two halves 52 A and 52 B are placed over the aperture(s) 84 such that their pegs and receivers interlock to form the circular assembly 30 . Finally, a pair of clamps 86 A and 86 B, such as conventional pipe clamps, are tightened onto the ring sections 56 until the assembly 30 is firmly attached and sealed to the tube 40 .
[0036] 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.
|
A Vacuum Relief Assembly for I.C. Engine Intakes is disclosed. Also disclosed is a device that permits outside air into the intake tract of an internal combustion engine in the event of an excessively high vacuum condition within the intake tract. Furthermore, the device is constructed from durable materials and resists the excessive temperatures found in the engine compartment of a vehicle. Still further, the device is made from two half-cylindrical sections that mate to one another around the intake tract to form a cylindrical attachment. The method of installation enables the device to be installable onto the intake tract in situ, and without the need to cut out a section of the tract.
| 5
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/226,275, filed Aug. 23, 2002 in the name of Daniel Dean Atkins, entitled “Printing Process for Plush Fabric.” This earlier priority application is entirely incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to toys and collectibles. More specifically, the invention relates to a process for printing and transferring images to plush fabric and to manufacturing plush toys with images printed on their fabric.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Toys and collectibles such as stuffed animals covered with plush fabric are well known. Such toys and collectibles can be made of soft fabric resembling animal fur. These toys and collectibles are referred to as plush toys. Plush fabric can be colored, but the individual fabric components that form parts of plush toys, such as an arm or a leg of a stuffed animal, often cannot include more than one color because each piece of fabric used to make the plush toy (based on a preset sewing pattern) can only be a single color. For example, a stuffed animal made with plush fabric may have a white body and blue arms and legs, which are formed separately from the body of the stuffed animal. The separately colored appendages must be attached, such as by sewing, to the body.
[0004] Plush toys can also be colored with several different colors, such as through a process of hand dying or painting. Such techniques are limited, though, and provide only limited amounts of detail in the resulting color variation. For example, dyes, paints, and other forms of coloring the fabric might not penetrate the fibers of the fabric. Such paints and dyes that do not penetrate the fibers often rub off, or “bleed,” if the fabric is handled. The paints and dyes often also appear faded or washed out. In addition, the dye or coloring may affect the suppleness and drape of the plush fabric, hindering the aesthetic appearance or feel of the fabric.
[0005] The use of dyes or paints to color plush fabrics with multiple colors also might not achieve a sharp contrast between adjacent colors, limiting the detail level of images that can be displayed on the fabric, if at all. For example, a stuffed animal may be colored with rainbow colors, where no specific transition between colors is necessary. When the dye bleeds into the next color, the visual effect is not diminished. However, any bleeding of a black color into a white area would produce an unsightly gray transition, which would affect the aesthetic appearance of the plush toy. Similarly, such techniques cannot be used to color plush fabric with detailed images containing small features. Any bleeding of one color into the next may distort or destroy such an image, hindering the aesthetic appearance of the toy or collectible.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Many of the aforementioned problems are solved by providing a process for printing and transferring images to plush fabric, embedding a detailed image in the plush fabric. For example, an image is transferred to a piece of plush fabric through a dye sublimation process. After rendering onto a transfer sheet a mirror image of the desired image to be transferred to the plush fabric, the sheet can be placed atop the plush fabric for transferring of the dye sublimation agent (e.g., dye or toner). The agent can be heated to transfer the image to the plush fabric. For example, the dye sublimation agent vaporizes when it is heated to a temperature above its sublimation temperature. The vapor penetrates the fibers of the plush fabric, embedding the agent in the fabric and rendering a permanent or long-lasting color change. Images on plush fabric produced by such a process retain the details included in the rendering of the mirror image on the transfer sheet, and are detailed enough such that discernible images are visible on the resulting plush toy.
[0007] Various objects can be made from plush fabric, such as stuffed animals, soft toys for children or pets, clothing, plush collectibles, etc. Such objects can include several pieces of plush fabric attached together, e.g., by sewing. The images printed on the plush fabric can be altered or arranged in any combination to improve the overall appearance of the assembled object. For example, the images on the several pieces of plush fabric can be printed such that, when they are assembled together into an object, a single image appears to extend across the entire object, across any appendages. Alternatively, identical or similar images can be printed on each piece of plush fabric. Similarly, some pieces of plush fabric can have a mirror image of an image printed on other pieces of plush fabric used to form the object.
[0008] These as well as other advantages and aspects of the invention are apparent and understood from the following detailed description of the invention, the attached claims, and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.
[0010] A more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description in consideration of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a plush toy bearing an image embedded in its plush fabric, wherein several of the pieces that make up the plush toy bear the same image.
[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates a plush toy bearing an image embedded in its plush fabric, wherein a single image extends across the entire plush toy.
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates a plush toy bearing an image embedded in its plush fabric, wherein pieces that make up the plush toy bear a mirror image of the image on other pieces that make up the plush toy.
[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates a method for creating a plush toy, such as those depicted in FIGS. 1 , 2 , and 3 , including an image or images embedded in the plush fabric of the plush toy.
[0015] FIG. 5 illustrates a portion of a pattern template that can be used to manufacture a plush toy.
[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates a portion of an image-filled pattern.
[0017] FIG. 7 illustrates a product produced using an illustrative embodiment of the inventive process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The invention described herein may be used to create plush toys with detailed images, such as representations of photographs, artwork, multicolored drawings, and the like, printed thereon. The invention is described using as an illustration a plush toy, such as a stuffed animal. However, the invention can be embodied in various forms, and it can be implemented in various ways to make other objects formed from plush fabric, such as toys, clothing, collectibles, etc. The invention, therefore, is not limited to the general context of toy figures, such as bears, made of plush fabric.
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a plush toy 100 . The plush toy 100 is formed from several different components made of plush fabric. For example, the plush toy 100 can include one or more of the following components: a body 105 , a right arm 110 , a left arm 115 , a right leg 120 , a left leg 125 , a right foot 130 , a left foot 135 , a head 140 , a right ear 145 , a left ear 150 , and a snout 155 . Each of these components can be joined together, such as by sewing, and stuffed to form a single toy 100 . The plush toy may also include non-plush features such as eyes 160 and nose 165
[0020] The plush toy 100 can include printed images transferred onto the surface of its plush fabric. In this first embodiment, many of the components may have the same image printed on them, creating a unique aesthetic appearance. For example, the body 105 , the arms 110 and 115 , the legs 120 and 125 , and the ears 145 and 150 may have an image of Santa Claus printed on them. The plush toy 100 may also have a back portion (not shown) or other components (not shown), which can include the same or a different image as the body 105 or other components of the plush toy 100 .
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of plush toy 100 . In this embodiment, the plush toy 100 contains a single image, extending across the plush toy 100 . For example, the image imprinted on the right arm 110 is different than the images imprinted on the body 105 and the left arm 115 of the plush toy 100 . Similarly, the images imprinted on the legs 120 and 125 are different than the images imprinted on the body 105 and the right and left arms 110 and 115 . When the components are combined to form the plush toy 100 , the separate images come together to create the visual impression of a single, uniform image extending across the entire body of the plush toy 100 , creating a unique aesthetic appearance.
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates a third embodiment of plush toy 100 with an image embedded in its plush fabric. In this embodiment, like in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , many of the components are imprinted with the same image. However, unlike the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , some of the components have mirror images of the images imprinted on other components. For example, a mirror image of the image imprinted on the body 105 is imprinted on the left leg 125 , creating a unique aesthetic appearance.
[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates a method according to an illustrative embodiment of the invention for making a plush toy with an image embedded into its plush fabric, for example, plush toy 100 as illustrated in any of FIGS. 1-3 . The desired image is first rendered in a digital file (step 400 ), referred to as a digital image. The digital image can be captured using a digital camera, drawn or manipulated with computerized image or drawing software (e.g., ADOBE® PHOTOSHOP®, CORELDRAW®, MICROSOFT® PICTURE IT!®, or obtained from some other source. The digital image may be stored in a file of type JPEG, TIFF, bitmap, or the like. Hi-resolution files are preferably used, however, lower-resolution files (e.g., GIF) may alternatively be used. Similarly, the digital image can be obtained from a photograph, a drawing, a painting, or other image by scanning it into a computer as a digital image file using an image scanner. Image scanners are well known in the art.
[0024] In step 405 the desired image can be altered to suit the particular plush toy 100 on which it is to be printed. For example, using the image editing software on a computer, the image can be cropped or sized to fit the particular plush toy 100 , or its shape can be adjusted (e.g., stretched, skewed, etc.) to fit the contours of the plush toy 100 or component pieces of the plush toy 100 , such that the image looks unskewed and/or unstretched when applied to the contours of the plush toy and viewed from a predetermined viewpoint, e.g., straight on from the front.
[0025] Once the image is prepared for the plush toy 100 , in step 410 the image is applied to pieces of a pattern template 500 ( FIG. 5 ) that is used to manufacture the plush toy in a desired shape (e.g., a bear). That is, the image can be divided and/or duplicated into one or more portions corresponding to each piece of the pattern. In one illustrative example, the plush toy 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes several components: a body 105 (which may be made from separate front and back portions), arms 110 and 115 , legs 120 and 125 , feet 130 and 135 , a head 140 , ears 145 and 150 , and a snout 155 . In such a plush toy 100 , each component may be a separate piece, or pieces, of the pattern template, and each component may have a different image or portion of the overall image to be printed on the plush toy 100 . FIG. 5 illustrates a portion of a pattern template 500 that may be used to manufacture a plush toy as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 . The portion of the pattern template 500 includes a front torso piece 501 , a back torso piece 503 , a front left arm piece 505 , a back left arm piece 507 , a front right arm piece 509 , and a back right arm piece 511 . Other pieces for the head, ears, legs, and feet (not shown) may also be used.
[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates a page 600 of the pattern template with portions of an image selected for each piece of the pattern shown. As illustrated in FIG. 6 , the back pieces may be solid colors. However, the same or a different image may alternatively be placed on the back of the plush toy. The page 600 may be a piece of special paper (described below) used to print dye-sublimation agents, or may alternatively be some other material, such as canvas or other film as applicable. The pattern pieces with corresponding images is referred to as an image-filled pattern.
[0027] After determining which portion of the image is to be applied to each piece in the pattern, the pattern pieces can be prepared for printing (step 415 ). The image-filled pattern may be grouped together to minimize printing resources. That is, the pieces of the image-filled pattern can be moved close together without overlapping to minimize paper and agent (e.g., dye or toner) resources. Once the pieces are grouped onto pages as desired, each page is reversed to produce a mirror image of the original page (each image is again reversed to produce the intended final image when each image is transferred from the printed sheets to the plush fabric).
[0028] After the image has been prepared for printing, the mirror image(s) are printed onto dye sublimation transfer paper (step 420 ), also referred to as donor paper, such as Jetcol HTR 4000 paper (manufactured by Coldenhove Papier of Eerbeek, Holland, and commercially available at least from FotoWear, Inc. of Carpentersville, Ill.). Any dye-sublimation agent, such as dye sublimation ink or toner, may be used to print on the transfer paper. Similarly, various printers can be used, depending upon the image quality sought or the agent used. For example, an electrostatic dye-sublimation printer, such as the 3M Scotchprint 2000 electrostatic printer (manufactured by 3M of St. Paul, Minn.) or a kV Color system (available from Specialty Toner Corporation of Fairfield, N.J.), is used to print with dye sublimation toners onto the transfer paper. Similarly, specially adapted inkjet printers, such as the NUR FabriGraph (manufactured by NUR Macroprinters Ltd. of Lod, Israel and commercially available at least from NUR America, Inc. of San Antonio, Tex.) or the Mimaki JV4 inkjet printer (available from by Mimaki USA, Inc. of Duluth, Ga.), can be used to print with dye sublimation inks.
[0029] The printed transfer paper may be placed adjacent to the plush fabric onto which the image is to be transferred (step 425 ). The side of the transfer paper onto which the image has been printed should be placed adjacent to the nap side of the plush fabric. For example, the transfer paper may be placed image down atop nap-side-up plush fabric, such that the agent can transfer to the plush fabric when treated. The paper and plush fabric are then treated, e.g., by heating, to transfer the agent from the transfer paper to the plush fabric (step 430 ). The transfer paper and plush fabric are heated to the sublimation point of the agent, causing the agent to vaporize and penetrate the fibers of the plush fabric. In one embodiment, the transfer paper and plush fabric are heated using a rotary heat transfer printer, or heat press, such as an Astex 7500 printer (commercially available from Astechnologies, Inc. of Roswell, Ga.). Other treatments, e.g., pressure, application of a chemical, etc., may alternatively be used or in combination with heat to provide various effects on the resulting image. Preferred embodiments of the invention use dye sublimation agents that permanently change the color of the fibers in the plush fabric, while not affecting the natural drape and feel of the fibers. Dye sublimation agents are commonly available from the providers of dye sublimation printers, listed above.
[0030] After the image has been transferred to the plush fabric, the plush fabric can be formed into the final product, such as a plush FIG. 100 (step 435 ). The plush fabric can be trimmed to the shapes required for each of the components as indicated by the pattern pieces printed on the plush fabric. The components are attached together, such as by sewing them together, as is known in the art. Stuffing can be added to fill vacant cavities in the plush fabric once the components are attached together, and the various components can be assembled into the final product. FIG. 7 illustrates a plush toy manufactured using the process illustrated in FIG. 4 .
[0031] Because colors may be altered during the manufacturing process, raster image processor software can be used to ensure that the colors on the final product plush toy 100 match those of the desired image. For example, the colors of certain dye sublimation agents can change when the agents are heated during dye sublimation. The raster image processor software can determine which color should be printed on the transfer paper in order to obtain the desired color after the agent is treated.
[0032] Alternately, the printing process can be tested and the colors in the image can be altered based on the results of the tests. For example, if the process produces a blue color on the plush fabric that appears too dark, the color in the image can be lightened. This process can be repeated until the printing process produces the desired color on the plush fabric.
[0033] While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art can appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
|
Images printed and transferred to plush fabric and a method for printing and transferring images to plush fabric are described. Through a dye-sublimation process, dye sublimation agents can be permanently embedded into the fibers of plush fabric. The dye-sublimation process allows for precise images, including images of photo quality or near-photo quality, to be transferred to the plush fabric. Pieces of the plush fabric can be combined and arranged to create, for example, a stuffed animal with an image that extends across the body and appendages of the animal.
| 1
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to fitments for bulk containers and, more particularly, to a push/turn tap and drain spout fitment assembly for gravity discharge of bag-in-box bulk containers, wherein a fitment is connected to a plastic bag or liner supported within a multi-wall fibreboard sleeve of a bulk container intended for use as a heavy-duty shipping container for liquids or dry flowable products, particularly those that require evacuation of the contained product by gravity flow, and whose structure, size, or weight do not readily allow for tipping on their side to allow for initiation of product flow.
The term "bulk container" as used herein denotes a multi-wall fibreboard shipping container for flowable substances and, more particularly, a heavy-duty shipping container for the bulk transport of flowable bulk materials, including liquids, dry powders or granular substances, semi-solid materials such as grease, pastes or adhesives and, as well, highly viscous fluids, generally contained within a plastic bag or liner supported within the container, in volumes of at least fifty-five gallons (approximately two hundred ten liters) and in quantities of weight greater than four hundred-fifty pounds (approximately two hundred kilograms).
Bag-in-box packaging has been widely accepted as containers for flowables. Such packaging combines the advantages of the retention capabilities of plastic bags or liners with the strength of an outer fibreboard box or sleeve. Requirements for bulk containers having an inner plastic bag or liner are more stringent with respect to drain devices because of the high load and stresses to which the devices, and the joints between the drain devices and the fibreboard container or plastic, or both, will be subjected, as well as the potential for leakage in the event of failure of such components.
Gravity flow spout devices located at the bottom of fibreboard bulk containers for flowables have traditionally been shipped with a discharge valve attached thereto, or provided with a sealing membrane covering the fitment opening that is designed to be pierced or torn by a puncturing device, or, as commonly seen in use with cooling radiators, provided with a threaded drain sealing plug which, when screwed inwardly, expose slots within an outer housing to allow escape of the contained coolant.
Several disadvantages are associated with use of each of the aforementioned gravity drain devices. A shipping container having a valve attached thereto, for example, is costly and also exposes the valve to transit damage and, as well, to tampering. Membrane style fitments, on the other hand, are subject to leakage, particularly when used in connection with shipping containers which carry heavy bulk loads and wherein the membrane will be subject to significant, cyclic forces during transit and static wall stresses as where such containers are stacked. Additionally, there is a chance that pieces or fragments of the membrane material will be forced into the outlet, as the liquid begins to drain, causing either a partial blockage of the outlet or dislodging, and thus contaminating the product being emptied. Radiator style plugs and spouts also disadvantageously protrude well beyond the plane of the outer surface of the container and are thus subject to transit damage. In addition, radiator style plugs and spouts are subject to tampering, and are cumbersome to use with certain types of containers, particularly containers used in conjunction with flexible liner bags, in which case the drain spout fitment must be attached and sealed to the liner bag prior to filling. Additionally, radiator type plugs tend to allow for a limited cross-sectional flow area, thus restricting the flow, and this is particularly disadvantageous with respect to withdrawal of viscous products from a container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An improved push/turn tap and drain spout fitment assembly is provided for gravity discharge of a bulk container in which the fitment is connected to a plastic bag supported within a rigid, multi-wall fibreboard container. The fitment includes a drain spout assembly an annular flange which is sealingly engaged about an aperture formed in the plastic bag, an integral polygonal shoulder flange seated within a polygonal opening extending through the fibreboard wall of the container and a spout extending from the container. The spout includes a threaded outer portion held in place by a nut engaged to the outer threads and which is torqued against the outer wall of the container. However, part of the threaded portion extends outwardly of the container beyond the nut.
The outer end of the spout portion is closed by a conventional bung prior to use. In operation, the outer bung is removed and the extended threaded portion is engaged by a coupler. The coupler is a cylindrical member and includes an O-ring seal. A tube, referred to as a valve tube, is inserted into the coupler and the O-ring seal and then partially pushed into the spout.
The end of the valve tube which is designed to extend inwardly of the container is provided with longitudinal prongs at circumferentially-spaced intervals. An inner bung is mounted to the inner side of the spout and has complementary recesses designed to receive the prongs. Thus, the valve tube is pushed into the spout so that the prongs axially extend into the recesses of the inner bung. Rotation of the valve tube forces the inner bung to unseat and be pushed into the container. The spaces between the prongs allow fluid pressure on each side of the inner bung to quickly equalize. A valve is mounted to the outer end of the valve tube so that fluid discharge can be control- led.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which reference numerals shown in the drawings designate like or corresponding parts throughout the same,
FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a plugged drain spout assembly mounted to a fibreboard container, shown in part, prior to final assembly of the fitment;
FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partially-exploded, sectional view of a drain fitment according to the invention;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a partially-assembled drain fitment according to the invention;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an assembled drain fitment according to the invention with the valve tube rotated by ninety-degrees relative to the illustration of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along view line 6--6 of FIG. 4; and
FIG. 7 is an exploded view illustrating the parts of a fitment of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the location of the parts relative to the fibreboard container and bag.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 illustrates a drain spout assembly, in a closed condition, mounted to a fibreboard container 20. The drain spout assembly includes a tubular spout 22, projecting outwardly of the container 20, and connected to a hexagonal flange 24, seated within a shell or wall opening 25 (see FIG. 7) extending through the wall of the container 20, and which, in turn, is connected to an annular flange 26 located within the container surrounding the opening 25. The annular flange 26 is abutted against the inner wall surface 47 of the container 20. The tubular spout 22, the hexagonal flange 24 and the annular flange 26 are preferably plastic and comprise a unitary assembly.
Threads 21, 23 are formed on both external and internal surfaces of the tubular spout 22 and on the internal surface of at least part of the hexagonal flange 24. A nut 28 is threadably engaged to the outer threads 21 of the spout 22 in torqued engagement and abutment against the outer wall surface 41 of the container 20 and the hexagonal flange 24. The tubular spout 22 projects outwardly of the container 20 beyond nut 28.
The drain spout assembly is provided with a bore 30 extending therethrough. The opposite ends of the bore 30, as illustrated in FIG. 1, are closed by bungs 32, 34 which are threadably engaged to the inner threads 23 of the spout 22 and the hexagonal flange 24, respectively. An elastomeric seal 36, such as a rubber O-ring, is provided to further seal the threaded interface between bung the 34 and the hexagonal flange 24. A similar seal 31 is provided between the threaded interface of the bung 32 and spout 22.
A plastic bag 38 is sealingly secured to the annular flange 26 preferably on the side of the bag adjacent to the inner wall surface 47 of the container 20. The annular flange 26 extends about the periphery of a drain opening 39 (see FIG. 7) that passes through the bag 38. The drain opening 39 and the shell opening 25 are aligned in registry with each other to allow passage of the tubular spout 22 therethrough during assembly of the drain spout assembly to the container 20.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the container 20 preferably has a side wall made of triple-wall corrugated fibreboard. The triple-wall corrugated fibreboard comprises three corrugated sheets 42, 44, 46 and four spaced liner sheets 41, 43, 45, 47 of containerboard, one each of the corrugated sheets being interposed between a different pair of liner sheets and adhesively engaged thereto in a well known manner. A single-wall corrugated fibreboard bottom flap (see FIG. 1) is employed in some preferred embodiments of a container including the drain spout fitment assembly. The outermost liner sheets function as the outer and inner wall surface 41, 47, respectively, of the side wall of the container 20. The length of the hexagonal flange 24 is preferably not greater than the wall thickness of the container 20 and the hexagonal flange does not extend beyond the respective outer and inner surfaces 41, 47 of the container. The shell opening 25 formed through the multi-wall fibreboard side wall of the container 20 has a hexagonal cross-section, as shown in FIG. 6, complementary to the cross-section of the hexagonal flange 24. Hexagonal flange 24 is closely received and tightly fitted against the fibreboard edges of the side wall which defines the periphery of the shell opening 25. The close fit between the hexagonal flange 24 and the wall surrounding the opening 25 prevents damaging rotation of the drain spout assembly relative to the bag 38 which could otherwise occur as the nut 28 and coupler 52 are connected to tubular spout 22, or when on assembly of the drain spout fitment, as described hereafter.
The plastic bag 38 may be filled with a fluid or solid or semi-solid flowables with the bungs 32, 34, in place, as shown in FIG. 1. In order to withdraw the flowables from the container 20, it is necessary to complete the assembly of the drain spout fitment.
Outer bung 32 is first unscrewed from the tubular spout 22 and discarded or saved for subsequent use.
A valve tube 40 is then aligned with the bore 30 of the drain fitment assembly as shown in FIG. 3.
The valve tube 40 is provided with at least two peripherally spaced prongs 48 at the end of the valve tube adjacent the container 20. The prongs 48 are designed to be closely received within recesses 50 formed within the bung 34.
The outer surface of the valve tube 40 is stepped so that the tube has a smaller diametrical outer surface 51 located adjacent the container 20 and a larger diametrical surface 53 as shown in FIG. 3 . A coupler 52 is moveably mounted on the diametrical outer surface 51. The coupler 52 has an internally threaded portion 55 designed to be threadably engaged with the outer threads 21 of the tubular spout 22. An O-ring 54, or other suitable seal, is provided between the coupler 52 and the outer surface 51 to further seal the threaded interface between the coupler 52 and the tubular spout 22.
The valve tube 40 is longitudinally inserted into the bore 30 so that the prongs 48 project into and are closely received within the recesses 50. The coupler 52 is then screwed to the tubular spout 22 until it abuts against the nut 28 as shown in FIG. 4. The resulting compression of the O-ring 54 between the coupler 52 and tubular spout 22 also tends to radially expand the O-ring 54, relative to the longitudinal axis of the valve tube 40, and thereby frictionally engage the coupler 52 and tubular spout 22 with the valve tube 40 so as to prevent leakage and, as well, to impede axial movement of the valve tube 40.
A conventional structure for closing the valve tube such as a closed valve (not shown), for example, a ball valve, may be engaged to the free end of the larger diametrical outer surface 53 by threaded connection or alternative, known engagement means.
The prongs 48 extending from valve tube 40 are separated from each other at circumferentially spaced intervals separated by spaces 49.
In order to allow the contents of the container to be withdrawn, the inner bung 34 must be removed. In accordance with the invention, the valve tube 40 is rotated, as shown in FIG. 5, to unscrew the bung 34 from the inner thread 23 of the tubular spout 22 or hexagonal flange 24, or both. The bung 34 is pushed to the right in FIG. 5 into the container 20 and thereby positively unseated from the drain spout assembly.
As the interior bung 34 is loosened, flowables seep into the valve tube thereby equalizing the pressure on each side of the bung 34 in order to facilitate the turning and pushing movements of the bung 34 into the container 20 and away from the drain spout fitment. Even if the bung fails to fall away from the drain spout, the spaces 49 cut into the end of the valve tube, adjacent to the prongs 48, nevertheless allow outflow of the contained fluid.
The bung 34 may have various shapes and, as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 6, and 7 the bung 34 is provided with a central tubular portion threaded on its outer surface for engagement with the internal threads 23 of the tubular spout and hexagonal flange.
Outer threads 37, can be provided on the outer diametrical surface 51 of valve tube 40, as shown in FIG. 7, which engage the inner threads 23 of the tubular spout 22 after or coincidental with the insertion of the prongs 48 into the recesses 50 to allow for a positive threaded interconnection of the valve tube 40 and the drain spout assembly. Alternatively, the outer threads 37 can be positioned on the smaller diametrical surface 51 adjacent to the transition to the larger diametrical surface. In such case, a shoulder (not shown) having a female thread would be formed on the aft section of the coupler 52 for engagement with the outer threads 37.
The fitment, as disclosed herein, is preferably constructed from injection molded plastic parts.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a plastic liner may be used within the fibreboard container as the plastic retainer member for retaining the bulk flowables in lieu of a plastic bag 38. The annular flange 26 is preferably located between the plastic retainer member and the fibreboard wall to preclude abrasion of the liner due to rubbing against the wall which could occur during transport of a loaded container. Though less preferable, the annular flange 26 could be sealed to the side of the plastic liner member which is remote from the inner wall surface 47 of the fibreboard container 20. The bag or liner may alternatively comprise two or more plies, in which case, one or more of the plies can be fixed to opposite sides of the annular flange 26. To facilitate construction of the valve tube 40, the tubular portion thereof and prongs 48 may be fabricated from separate plastic parts adhesively joined together. The drain spout fitment assembly of the invention is useable with double-wall and quadruple-wall corrugated fibreboard side walls of containers. In addition, for heavier gross weights, the fitment assembly may be utilized in connection with bag-in-box containers provided with a full-depth multi-wall corrugated liner between the outer multi-wall fibreboard sleeve and the inner plastic member (bag or liner) which retains the flowables contained in the container. In addition, it will be apparent that the tubular spout 22 could extend through the shell opening 25 and be attached directly to the annular flange with the hexagonal flange 24 circumscribing the tubular spout within the opening 25.
|
An improved push/turn tap and drain spout fitment for a multi-wall fiberboard container with a plastic retainer for retaining bulk flowable materials including a polygonal flange mounted within a similarly shaped opening in the fiberboard. A valve tube extendable through a spout assembly. The valve tube includes prongs for engaging a bung which is threadably connected to the spout assembly to seal an opening in the plastic retainer. The valve tube, though sealingly coupled to the spout assembly, can be moveably manipulated from the outside of the container to cause the bung to become disengaged from the spout assembly.
| 1
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Construction of detention structures has been subject of intensive research due to the need for large quantities of jail space. The requirements of resistance to penetration of the enclosure as well as its need to be fire resistant have generated pre-cast concrete systems as the primary alternative to the standard techniques of formed cast in place concrete, all steel construction or reinforced unit masonry. Reinforced unit masonry is the least resistant to penetration, is subject to joint damage by abrading and is a slow and labor intensive method. Cast in place reinforced concrete can be made acceptably resistant to penetration if heavily reinforced, but is slow due to forming, stripping and curing time requirements, and it is labor intensive, space consuming and very heavy. Pre-cast systems can be built with greater speed than the cast in place concrete but otherwise have the same type of deficiencies, plus they require many special connectors as well as heavy equipment for erection. All steel systems are the most resistant to penetration or damage but are not fire resistant enough for most multi-story structures and are very expensive. The system of this invention overcomes these difficulties by being highly resistant to penetration, lighter weight, fire resistant, easy and fast to erect and highly efficient in use of materials and labor. This invention also provides a joint free cell interior.
Recent tests run on the herein described cementiciously filled light gauge steel structure invention have shown it to be more resistant to penetration than reinforced concrete or reinforced unit masonry. The standard impact test simulates an average man swinging a sixteen pound sledge hammer at one point of the assembly. A six inch thick reinforced concrete wall was penetrated with 1300 blows and an eight inch reinforced unit masonry wall with 800 blows. The light gauge metal sheathed and cementiciously filled wall described in this invention withstood an average of 1982 blows with only minor and easily repairable damage.
Light gauge steel framing used in this invention has been produced by many manufacturers since the late 1940's and is used in both load bearing and non-load bearing construction. It is normally used with finishes on both sides and a hollow or insulated cavity. Diagonal tension strap bracing for horizontal loads is usually screwed or welded to rigid connection points. The straps often are loose or bent during installation and allow damaging movement to occur in the building frame during lateral loading. The bearing wall structures normally built do not provide for continuity of the concrete diaphragm topping unless it is poured separately at each floor level and cured before the next level is erected. When the steel frame is erected with the concrete topping placed after erection in the present art, the continuity of the topping is interrupted at each wall and no continuous diaphragm is possible.
Filled cavity use of light gauge steel framing has been limited to a few systems wherein metal lath is placed on an open truss steel stud frame and the cavity is filled with cement plaster in a multiple pass pneumatic placement operation. Although there is a small composite effect with these methods, the strength of the pneumatically placed cement plaster and metal lath and the composite action are insufficient to appreciably aid in penetration resistance or load capacity of the assembly. The method is very slow, it is not used for multiple story construction, does not adequately provide for lateral forces and is very labor intensive. Several such systems using pneumatic placement of cement have been unsuccessfully marketed for security construction.
A light gauge framing method with reinforced cement finishes was described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,919, which relates principally to a method of allowing independent movement of the steel frame and the reinforced cement finish. The method described is not appropriate for penetration resistance in security construction and does not envision any composite action.
Modular building techniques described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,864 claim a concrete column and beam type structure created with modular boxes with corrugated steel walls and floor used as permanent forms. This patent limits the modules to one story at a time with structural loads carried by conventionally reinforced columns and beams. Concrete is poured at each story and must cure before the next story of modules is placed. This creates many of the same problems associated with concrete construction in that the concrete placement is subject to weather considerations and all concrete must cure on each floor before the next floor modules can be set. There is no great increase in speed of construction over normal methods and the steel is not acting in a composite way.
A structure of modular units is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,638 that describes a column and beam structure of concrete formed by the module walls. The steel framing of the modules is not intended to carry any permanent loads and the structure must be erected one story at a time and requires many special parts. Due to the one floor at a time pouring and curing of concrete it will not improve construction speed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of constructing lightweight non-combustible detention structures and multi-level structures of all types. It utilizes a light gauge steel structure that may have cementicious fill placed after enclosure of several levels of the building. Means are provided for safe, enclosed working areas and for the convenient placing of cementicious fill in each level from above or, through pressure pumping, from other points in the structure. During adverse weather conditions, construction may proceed without interruption due to pre-enclosure of working areas. This invention provides means of increasing resistance to penetration, forming of monolithically placed concrete with permanent structural parts, safely improving the speed of construction, tensioning bracing straps, facilitating continuous diaphragm slabs, supporting wall finishes at the wall base and fireproofing steel parts heretofore unknown in the art.
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of this invention to provide an improved method of constructing monolithically poured reinforced concrete buildings utilizing permanent lightweight metal forming members that also serve as the building structure either independently or in combination with subsequently placed concrete.
Another object of the present invention is to maximize the properties of metal and cementicious materials in a structural arrangement for high resistance to penetration and impact damage for primary use in detention structures and to allow rapid enclosure of space while providing safe working surfaces composed of permanent parts of the structure and giving easy accessibility within a controlled environment for installation of piping, ducting and wiring concurrently, without interfering with each other or with other trades.
A further object of the present invention is to permit direct visual inspection of the concrete for the full height of the pour while it is being placed into permanent forms that are a part of the structural load resisting elements and to allow tensioning of lateral load resisting diagonal tension straps in a manner that simultaneously distributes some lateral loads into both understressed vertical load resisting members and moment resisting members.
A still further object is to allow placement of concrete floor topping after erection of a light gauge metal framed floor structure in a manner allowing a continuous diaphragm design and also providing backing at the base of wall finishes and to provide a lightweight wall bearing structure that distributes loads onto the foundations in a linear pattern, thereby allowing construction on low bearing capacity soils with simple slab type foundations.
Another object is to provide a light gauge, steel reinforced concrete structure that temporarily supports up to 6 levels of construction loads prior to the curing of the cementicious materials of the composite structure, the completed composite structure produced thereby providing greater load capacity and thus higher and more fire resistant structures than the light steel acting alone with surface finishes only and to provide a thermal storage mass on the conditioned air side of the enclosure to aid in the economical heating and cooling of the enclosed space.
An additional purpose is to provide a means of creating a sheathed cavity with materials that provide a stressed skin effect for the composite structure as well as a base for interior and exterior finishes and durable enclosure during construction, to provide a monolithic acoustic barrier from one side of the structural wall to the other side, and to permit cementicious fire proofing to be simultaneously placed with the wall or floor cavity cementicious fill.
A structure of light gauge metal beam or channel members is either stick built or panelized and erected upon a foundation. Sheathing material is applied to the exterior surfaces and roof framing and sub-flooring may be applied to the floor framing. Windows, doors, louvers, exterior insulations, etc., may then be installed along with a roof waterproofing, thereby providing an enclosed working environment. After erection of the first level steel structure, safe interior working areas with walking surfaces are created which allows convenient placement of wiring, piping and ducting installations within the wall and ceiling cavities. As each further level is erected, the enclosed areas formed create similar safe working areas for immediate installation of all other trade work such as wiring, piping, ducting and other work within the cavities of the walls and ceilings. Interior sheathing is applied and the wall cavity may be filled with cementicious material. Sub-flooring may be topped with cementicious material at any convenient time during the construction process after the wall cavity therebelow has been filled with cementicious materials and, where moisture sensitive finishes are used, waterproofing has been installed thereabove. The cementicious cavity fill material is placed from above at each level through special holes in the top and bottom tracks of the light gauge steel framing as each level is ready. The fill may be alternatively pumped into the wall and/or floor cavities at any convenient points using high pressure pumps. Insulation may be applied to the exterior surface of the sheathing either before panel erection or after panel erection at any convenient time, and exterior finish may then be applied over the insulation. In the construction of multi-level structures, the steel framing may be erected many levels above the previously filled and cured cementicious wall fill.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric sectional view showing the components of the cementiciously filled wall and floor for a detention structure;
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a light metal framed, multi-level construction showing floor, wall and diagonal tension strap framing;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional detail showing the short beam tension strap connection through a floor system;
FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the diagonal strap tensioning beam connection;
FIG. 5 is an isometric view showing the continuous diaphragm slab at a panel wall;
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view, shown partially in cross-section through a light metal framed multi-story structure showing the simultaneous phases of construction;
FIG. 7 is an isometric view of Z shaped and C shaped edge and corner furring members, respectively showing one possible perforation pattern for the web portions thereof; and
FIG. 8 is a sectional view through the floor/wall connection where pre-cast concrete slabs are used for floor construction.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, and to FIG. 1 in particular, numeral 10 designates generally an isometric sectional drawing of an exterior wall panel 12 supporting and being supported upon a floor panel 14 in a typical configuration that may be used for a detention structure. Walls 12 are built of multiple, light gauge, metal stud members or channels 16 with a central web formed for retaining cementicious fill 18. The stud members are normally 12 to 20 gauge steel or other suitable material, as are the floor joists and floor/ceiling tracks which are described hereinbelow. The stud members or channels used for the outer wall construction and the interior wall construction are generally similar. While slight variations may be used, one of the objects of the present invention is to use basically interchangeable materials. Thus, the invention utilizes generally U-shaped channels, generally C-shaped channels, and a form of corrugated channel, shown in FIG. 1 as numeral 16, which provides a central web with an offset configuration to increase the surface area thereof.
The stud members are inserted into top and bottom U-shaped tracks 20, through apertures 22 formed therein. The stud members are secured therein by welding, self-tapping screw fasteners, or other conventional means, as are the hereinbelow described metal to metal contacts at wall, ceiling and floor intersections, except as specifically noted. Horizontal reinforcing rods 24, normally of steel, are inserted through holes made therefor in the studs 16 at spacings required for security penetration and structural strength such as six to eight inches on center. Vertical reinforcing rods 26 are attached to the horizontal rods as required for structural strength and penetration resistance with similar spacings. Z-shaped furring members 28 are attached to the exterior faces of studs 16 and expanded metal lath sheathing 30 is attached to the free end flange 40 of the Z-shaped furring member. Insulation foam 42 is applied over the sheathing 30 and an outer layer of expanded metal lath sheathing 44 is fastened through the foam into the end flange 40. The above described assembly may be pre-fabricated and placed upon a load bearing surface. A cement plaster or other finish 46 is applied over the sheathing 44 on the assembly prior to or after erection. Doors and windows (shown hereinafter) may be framed and installed prior to erection as needed.
Floor/ceiling 14 is built of light gauge metal joists 48 inserted into generally u-shaped tracks 50 and fastened thereto by welding or other suitable operation. Expanded metal lath sheathing 52 is attached to the bottom of the joists 48 except where the joist will be in contact with a wall-receiving track 20 after erection. Such sheathing 52 may also be secured to the top of the joists 48 where desired. Reinforcing rods 54, perpendicular to the joists 48 may be inserted through holes in the joists or over the top of the joists and additional reinforcing rods 56 are attached to the said inserted rods 54, running parallel to the joist, as required for penetration resistance and/or structural requirements, the spacing being as described hereinabove. The above described floor/ceiling assembly may be prefabricated and placed upon the wall panel 12 and fastened thereto as described, for example, by welding or other means. The floor/ceiling assembly thus provides an upper surface which serves as a floor or deck for one level of the present building invention and a lower surface that serves as a ceiling for the level therebelow. A roof panel with roofing attached as shown in FIG. 6 may be similarly pre-fabricated and erected upon the uppermost wall track.
The above described method of panelizing floors, walls and roof and placing them in sequence can continue until the entire building frame is erected. At that point, an enclosed enviroment has been provided that allows plumbers, electricians and other mechanical tradesmen to install piping, wiring and ductwork within the spaces between joists 48 and/or studs 16 or through holes cut through the webs or the outer flange portions thereof. Upon completion of work that is installed within the walls or floor structures, additional Z-shaped furring members 28 may be installed over studs 16 and a screed angle 58 installed over the furring members at the finished height of the cementicious floor fill 60. Metal lath sheathing 80 is then attached to the interior free end flange 82 of the Z-shaped furring members 28 and angle 58. Cementicious fill 60 is then pumped into the lowest floor or wall panel through holes in the tracks 20. Placement of said fill is observed through the metal lath sheathing 80 to assure solid filling of all spaces. Cementicious floor fill 60 is then placed between joists 48 and screeded off level against screed angle 58. The above sequence is continued upon initial set of the cementicious fill on each level until the entire building has been completed. After initial set of the cementicious fill on any level a cement plaster or other finish 84 is normally applied over the cementicious fill that has extruded out through the openings in the metal lath 80. The preferred cementicious fill mix is a low slump, portland cement, pea gravel concrete that can be pumped through a small diameter fill hose that is inserted through the holes 22 in tracks 20. With a low slump concrete mixture, this preferred fill extrudes through the lath 80 sufficiently to form a superior bonding surface for subsequently applied cement plaster 84. The preferred mix for the cement plaster contains acrylic and glass or polypropylene fibers to allow a 5000 psi compressive strength for resistance to damage. A similar mix is preferred for the ceiling plaster 86 which is installed over cementicious fill that has extruded slightly through metal lath sheathing 52 below the floor joists.
Interior metal lath sheathing 80 is usually a relatively rigid rib-type lath to allow it to retain the cementicious fill without bowing due to the fluid pressure exerted on the lath during placement of the fill material. The lath 80 is a very important element in detention structures because it allows visual inspection of the fill during placement. Gaps and voids in concrete fill placed between reinforced masonry block walls, where visual inspection is not possible, have allowed prisoners to escape by finding the hollow parts. The prisoner is able to break through the masonry quickly when the core fill is defective. This invention eliminates any voids or gaps in the concrete fill.
A hard surface finish 88 is optionally applied over the cement plaster interior 84 and/or exterior finish 46 and/or ceiling plaster 86 to prevent staining. A polyurethane enamel is suitable for this purpose on the interior and an acrylic is typically used for the exterior.
The wall panels 12 may be constructed without the Z-shaped members 28 if a fire rating of one hour is all that is required. In this instance, the bearing or non-bearing studs 16 would be fire protected by the thickness of the cement plaster 84 only. Where fire ratings of up to 4 hours are desired, the depth of the perforated Z-shaped members 28 is increased to allow cementicious fill 18 to encase the studs 16 with the required thickness of fireproofing. For example, a one inch plaster covering over the studs generally provides a one hour fire rating, one and one-half inches of plaster provides a two hour rating and a two inch covering provides a four hour rating. Thus, the inherent safety of the present structure, due to the materials used in construction, can easily be enhanced.
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the light gauge framing members in a multiple story structure at an interior, horizontal, load-resisting bearing wall showing foundation and first floor wall framing, portions of two floor spans, part of the second floor wall framing and the unique, horizontal load-resisting diagonal tension strap system which is a characteristic of the present invention. A slab-type foundation 90 is formed and cured to receive bearing wall panels. Other types of conventional foundations, such as concrete block, may also be used. A light gauge metal wall panel 92 is constructed of multiple light gauge bearing studs, including C-shaped studs 94 and U-shaped studs 96. The studs are inserted into and fastened to top and bottom U-shaped tracks 98 by welding or other conventional fastening means. Horizontal bridging rods 100 are fastened to each stud, again, by welding or other suitable means.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the wall panel sections have diagonal tension straps 120 fastened generally between the upper and lower diagonally opposed corners thereof. As noted earlier, either the C-shaped, or corrugated studs or channels may be used as structural members. Thus, these wall panels are shown with C-shaped members running vertically. At the panel edges, however, the last two uprights on each side consist of a C-shaped stud and a U-shaped stud normally secured back-to-back at 122 with the U-shaped studs facing inwardly for accepting horizontal beam members 124 and 127, respectively, above and below the floor/ceiling frame panels, secured by welding as at 125. Floor framing panels of light gauge C-shaped joist members 126 are inserted into and fastened to U-shaped joist-receiving track members 128 at each end with appropriate bridging (not shown) between the joists, at intervals sufficient to prevent rotative movement. A space is left between the top and bottom short beams 124 and 127 and between the U-shaped joist tracks 128 over the bearing wall for receiving bolts 130. Additional wall panel and floor panel members or sections are similarly placed until the structure is to the desired height.
When the second level wall panel has been placed, the diagonal tension straps 120 on the first floor are tensioned by drawing up bolts 130 which are inserted between the horizontal beams 124 at the bottom of the second floor or upper level wall panel, through the lower and upper tracks 98, between the space left between the joist-receiving tracks 128, and then between the short beams 127 at the upper level of the first or lower level, depending on the level being erected. The bolts have washers 132 at the top and bottom ends thereof, and are secured with nuts 134. The first level diagonal wall panel straps 120 are permanently attached to U-shaped structural steel channel connector beams 136 which are secured through a U-shaped floor track 138 with bolts 140 into foundation 90.
As each additional wall panel is installed, the tension straps 120 are similarly tensioned in the panel below so that the structure is capable of resisting lateral loads as it is erected. Upon completion of the described structure, horizontal loads applied to any floor above the second causes a distribution of the horizontal load into each tension strap below, which is then transmitted into bending forces in the short horizontal beams 124 and 127. The resultant horizontal loads are thus distributed to many additional load resisting members, thereby reducing load concentrations encountered in the present art and allowing selection of lighter framing members while concomitantly reducing foundation costs. The bending moments induced into the said short beams 124 and 127 by the tension straps 120 helps to dissipate lateral load energy with reduced potential damage to the structure from seismic or wind forces.
FIG. 3 is a section through the short horizontal beams 124 and 127 at the top and bottom of a wall panel, respectively and the ends of two floor panels showing the through bolts 130 used to tension the diagonal tension strapping 120. Short beam members 124 and 127 are inserted between the end flanges 160 of the U-shaped wall vertical members 96 and fastened thereto at all interfaces with a space 162 left between the short beams 124 and 127 and the wall tracks 98. Bolts 130 are inserted between short beams 124 and 127 and floor joist-receiving tracks 128 and through tracks 98 near the ends of floor joist members 126, over which is shown a corrugated decking 164. Large washers 132 are placed between bolts 130 and nuts 134 and the upper or lower ends of the short beams 124 and 127 to distribute the loads.
This invention allows the diagonal tension straps 120 to be stressed sufficiently to allow them to immediately pick up any lateral loads applied to the building. In the present state of the art, diagonal tension straps cannot be tensioned and often are bent or bowed between framing points which causes a delayed response to lateral loads with attendant undesirable movement in the building frame. Sometimes the diagonal straps in the present art are so loose that shock loads can occur in the building frame when the straps become tensioned by lateral loading. These shock loads are very damaging to fasteners and can eventually cause major structural movement to occur. The invention described herein eliminates these problems.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial isometric view of the diagonal strap/short beam connection at a typical floor construction. The short beams 124 and 127 span between two vertical, U-shaped framing members 96 and are fastened between flanges 160 at each end. The beam 127 at the upper end of the wall panel is temporarily attached as with bolts (not shown) through holes 166 in flanges 160, leaving a gap 162 between the beam and the wall track 98, thereby allowing the beam to bend. Diagonal tension straps 120 are temporarily fastened through holes 166 to the upper and lower short beams 124 and 127 with a through bolt (not shown) that allows the strap 120 to pivot as the beams 124 and 127 change position upon tightening of bolts 130.
In sequence, the U-shaped structural steel channels 136 are permanently fastened before the bolts 130 are tightened. The nuts 134 are then tightened on bolts 130 until the straps 120 are tight. The temporarily fastened short beams 127 (at the upper end of the wall panel) are then permanently attached to the receiving track 96 and the strap 120 is then permanently attached to beam 127. When tension from lateral loads occurs in strap 120 above the floor, beam 124 above the floor bends upwardly and in so doing, through bolts 130, induces bending in beam 127 below the floor. This induces tension in strap 120 below the floor which is attached to the channel 136 at the base or to another beam 124 therebelow which also bends and tensions the next level's strap 120. In this manner, the majority of the lateral load is dissipated in the bending of short beams 124 and 127 throughout the structure. The balance of the lateral load is converted to tension or compression loads in vertical members 94 and 96 and retainer flanges 160 at each end of each short beam.
FIG. 5 is a partial isometric view of a continuous floor topping slab 168 at a bearing wall and floor intersection in the middle portion of a wall panel. Light metal angles 170 are fastened to vertical structural members 96 at the finished elevation of floor topping 168. The cementicious slab or topping 168 is placed upon metal sheathing/decking 164 which is fastened to the light metal floor joists 126. The ends of the joists may be braced with bearing clips 172 or angles to carry loads from studs 96. The cementicious slab 168 is poured and screeded using angle 170 as a screed. The poured fill 168 is also placed between studs 96 over the top of the track 98 to the bottom of or higher than the bottom of angle 170. This allows the cementicious fill 168 to be continuous across the base of the wall and thus forms a continuous diaphragm slab that is poured after the light gauge framing construction is completed.
A distinct advantage of this invention is that the concrete fill can be placed in environmentally controlled conditions after the entire building frame is completed and all mechanical work is roughed in. The cementicious topping thus not only is a continuous diaphragm but also seals all piping and duct work that may project between floors. The topping also forms an excellent acoustic and fire stop within the wall cavity. There are no delays in construction while topping is curing because the next floor topping can be placed while the lower floors are still setting, due to the structural integrity of the metal framing. The time savings, cost savings and improvement in structural quality of the completed building are very important improvements over the prior art. Also, the screed angles 170 provide backing for wall finishes, such as gypsum or wall board to be applied later and, when concrete fill is placed higher than the floor surface of slab 168 between the angles 170, an excellent acoustic seal is provided at the base of the wall, as opposed to the high sound transmission between floors and opposed walls in conventional structures.
FIG. 6 is a side elevational and partial cross-sectional view of a light metal frame, multiple story structure showing the simultaneous phases of construction. Wall panels are erected upon foundation slab 90 and fastened thereto as shown in FIG. 2. Wall panels consist of studs 16, 94, or 96, diagonal straps 120, insulation 42 and finished exterior cement plaster 46 on metal lath 44. Floor panels 14 are installed and fastened on top of wall panels 12. Floor panels 14 consist of joist members 126 and decking 164. Second story wall panels 12 are then erected upon the first floor panel 14 and fastened thereto. The third story floor panel 14 then is placed upon second story wall panel 12 and fastened. The third story wall panel 12 next is fastened on top of the third story floor and the fourth story floor is fastened on top of the third story wall. The fourth story wall is then erected over the fourth story floor and a roof truss 174 is placed upon the uppermost wall. Roofing 176 is then installed after erection of truss 174 and an enclosed environment has been created in a very short time with insulated walls, walkable deck surfaces and waterproof roof.
Where the wall panels 12 are to be left hollow, as in a non-security structure, windows 178 and/or doors, (not shown) can be framed and installed prior to the wall panel erection. Where all wall and floor panels are to be filled with cementicious fill after erection, as in a detention structure, temporary closures may be provided over the window openings until the cementicious fill has been completed. After the metal frames of the first story floor, walls, and ceiling have been erected, electrical and plumbing conduits 180 may be installed while the upper levels are being erected. Upon completion of electical and similar work on each level, metal lath/sheathing 44 is attached and the wall cavities filled with cementicious fill 18 through a fill hose 182 inserted from above through holes 22 in the stud tracks. Upon initial set of fill 18, windows 178 are installed and interior finish 84 is placed.
After the interior finish is completed, base trims, window trims and finish electrical and mechanical work may be done. Using the simultaneous activities possible with this invention, a 4 level building as illustrated in FIG. 6 may be completed in 5 weeks or less after the foundation has cured and any number of levels are possible within similar short schedules. The safe, dry and convenient work areas, simple consistent materials, and short erection time allows construction of high quality, low cost buildings.
FIG. 7A shows an isometric view of a typical Z-shaped furring member 28 made of light gauge metal. This member is used to separate the metal lath or sheathing from the light gauge metal structural members so that cementicious wall or floor/ceiling fill can encase the said structural member during filling operations as previously described. An inside flange 184 is formed to receive fasteners that attach the sheathing to the vertical studs or horizontal floor joists in the wall or floor system. Flange 184 may be any convenient dimension required by the type of fasteners used. For screw type fasteners, flange 184 is usually 3/4" to 2" wide. The web 186 or central portion of the Z member is perforated, punched or formed with openings 188 and with a short section of non-perforated metal 190 at the web/flange transition. The perforations 188 may be any shape desired that allows the cementicious fill to penetrate the opening but not freely run through it and that keeps direct metal conduction paths from flange to flange as long as possible. The non-perforated web section 190 is usually 1/4" wide, but may be from 1/8" to 1/2" as required, to provide stiffness to the flanges. Outer flange 40 may be any convenient dimension required by the type of fasteners used to attach the metal lath thereto. For screw type fasteners, flange 40 is usually 3/4" to 2" wide. The entire Z-shaped member is formed from the lightest gauge metal, usually 20 to 30 gauge, that will support the liquid pressure (normally 200-300 pounds per square foot) of the cementicious fill and not deform during placement of lath/sheathing and the cementitious fill.
FIG. 7B shows an isometric view of a typical C-shaped furring member 192 made of light gauge metal. This member is used at the ends or corners of panels and functions the same as the Z-shaped member shown in FIG. 7A. Perforations 194 and solid sections 196 of the web 198 are as described for FIG. 7A. The outer flange 200 is formed shorter than the inner flange 202 to allow fasteners to be placed through flange 202 directly from the front. Flange 200 is usually from 1/2" to 11/2" wide and flange 202 from 1" to 2" wide although narrower or wider dimensions may be used for either. Other features are as described for the Z member in FIG. 7A.
FIG. 8 shows an alternate method of constructing the floor panel using a pre-cast, reinforced concrete slab 204, reinforced with rods 206, with holes 208 cast into it directly over the holes 22 in the wall tracks 20. In this embodiment, the wall panels are constructed as described at FIG. 1 with studs 16, tracks 20 and reinforcing 24 and 26, except that the screed angle may be eliminated where floor topping is not required. The cementicious wall fill 18 is placed thru the holes 208 in the slab and tracks 20 into the wall panel below and up to the top of the pre-cast slab floor 204. Dowel rods 210, normally of steel, are then inserted into the cementicious fill while it is in the plastic condition and allowed to project up to the next level wall panel. These dowel rods 210 are designed to hold the panels together as a monolitic structure. When the pre-cast floor slab alternative is used, a groove 212 is cast into the top and bottom of the slab within the area of contact of the cement plaster finish 46. The cement plaster 46 penetrates the grooves during placement and thus still provides the important feature of a jointless cell interior. Joints in normal pre-cast concrete construction allow prisoners a place to hide contraband and said joints are also subject to vandalism requiring frequent repair. With this embodiment, all joints in the cell interiors are eliminated.
This invention provides a more economical and quick way to build improved detention structures that have high resistance to escape penetration while maintaining the non-combustible ratings required for fire safety. This invention also provides a means of easily constructing all types of multi-level buildings with efficient multiple function use of materials. It allows simultaneous construction operations with safe construction occupancy of lower levels while structure erection is still underway above. For most wall bearing structures, this invention allows many levels of construction to be built much quicker at a cost savings of at least 25% over standard construction.
The above description shall not be construed as limiting the ways in which this invention may be practiced but shall be inclusive of many other variations that do not depart from the broad interest and intent of the invention.
|
A method of constructing multiple story buildings and particularly detention structures as disclosed in which the framing members are lightweight steel channel members which are generally similar and in certain applications, interchangeable. The walls and floors of the building are framed with the channel members and lath sheathing is applied thereto for receiving cementitious fill therebetween. A unique diagonal tension strap system is used whereby diagonal straps are permanently attached at their lower end and tensioned at their upper end with adjustable fasteners before being permanently fastended at the upper end. The system provides for a more rapid and inexpensive construction schedule over conventional construction and affords high resistance to fire and to penetration of the filled walls.
| 4
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to vent dampers and more specifically is directed to a vent damper having a temperature responsive element for reducing vent heat loss.
Conventional domestic heating systems include a flue, or exhaust stack, which may incorporate a damper for the reduction of heat loss. These dampers may be manually or automatically operated. During periods in which the furnace is off, the damper closes the flue to prevent heat loss up the flue through convection. In addition, the damper is intended to trap the heat of the furnace after furnace shut-off so that this residual heat is available for delivery to the space being heated rather than lost up the flue. However, damper operation must be delayed until the noxious combustion products are purged from the fire box. If this delay is electrically or mechanically actuated, the damper closing may vary with ambient and/or operating conditions. If the closing is temperature-responsive and does not occur until the flue temperature falls to room ambient temperature, too much heat is sacrificed because the combustion products will long since have been purged.
According to a recent government study, damper flue closure when the furnace is off accounts for approximately 20% of energy saved by the damper. A more substantial contribution to heat loss reduction by the damper, the remaining 80%, occurs immediately after furnace turn-off due to damper closure. Thus, substantially more heat is lost over a relatively short period of time following furnace turn-off than over the longer periods between furnace operation because of the high furnace operating temperatures.
Conventional dampers are generally either motor driven or temperature responsive. The former damper employs an electric motor which is controlled by a temperature sensor for mechanically closing the flue following furnace shut-off. This damper approach is expensive in the original cost of components, cost of installation and cost of repair and maintenance.
While the temperature responsive element type of damper generally offers the advantages of lower cost and reduced complexity, this approach too suffers from performance limitations. The typical vent damper employing a bimetallic actuator as the temperature responsive element acts to close the flue only when the temperature of the actuator reaches ambient. This permits the escape of substantial amounts of residual heat between furnace operating cycles, considering a system operating at a normal six cycles per hour. This loss is due to the inability of the bimetallic actuator to completely close even though the firebox is purged of combustion products because the presence of residual heat between cycles maintains the bimetallic actuator open just enough to permit the loss of residual heat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,605 to Diermayer et al. discloses an automatic flue damper having a temperature responsive element consisting of a slotted bimetallic damper plate normally extending across the flue duct. The plate is divided by the slots into longitudinal strips with one end of each strip fixedly attached to the duct with the strips located in a common plane at normal temperature. With an increase in temperature, the free end of each strip moves arcuately away from a fixed duct element and gradually opens a passage for the hot flue gases. In this configuration, the bimetallic strips will not assume a completely closed position across the duct until ambient temperature is reached following burner shut-off resulting in the loss of residual heat via the flue.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,059 to Diermayer et al. discloses a flue damper arrangement intended primarily to provide for rapid vent opening following burner ignition. In this approach, the circular flue conduit is divided into four 90° sectors formed by partitions extending across the conduit perpendicular to the direction of gas flow. To each partition is connected a damper section in the form of a one-quarter circle which includes elongated, transversely juxtaposed strips of laminated, bimetallic material extending substantially in a common plane transverse to the conduit axis when cold and defining longitudinal slots between each such quarter circle sector. One of the narrow edges of each strip is fixedly fastened to one wall of the corresponding passage section and the other narrow edge is free to move about the fixed portion in response to temperature change. When the damper section is deflected by rising temperature, a flow passage opens between the aforementioned longitudinal edge and the closely juxtaposed partition at a rate approximately proportional to the increase in the angle of deflection. This configuration allegedly allows for the rapid opening of the flue passage in response to increasing exhaust gas temperatures, but fails to address the problem of reducing heat loss following burner shut down.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes a temperature responsive element, such as a bimetallic plate, positioned in the vent of a heating system so as to assume a continuum of positions between a full closed position (when the plate is at the ambient temperature) to a full open position (at normal heating cycle temperatures). The plate is fixed along one edge while another edge is free to move in defining an arc according to the shape of the plate, or blade (which is not critical). A continuous structural member, or shroud, is mounted to the damper housing and cooperates with the free edge of the temperature responsive element to close the vent at a predetermined temperature above ambient. As vent temperature decreases from a normal heating cycle operating temperature following heating system shut-off, the plate moves about its fixed edge from the full open position toward the full closed position. When a predetermined temperature is reached indicative of complete purging of combustion gases from the firebox, e.g., 225° F., the free edge of the temperature responsive element is positioned adjacent the shroud to seal the vent. The shape of the shroud conforms to the path of the free edge of the blade which is free to move as the temperature continues to decrease toward ambient while maintaining the vent in a substantially closed state until ambient temperature is reached. With the heating system's burner in operation, the temperature responsive element is displaced from the shroud thus opening the vent for required combustion ventilation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The appended claims set forth those novel features believed characteristic of the invention. However, the invention itself as well as further objects and advantages thereof will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where like reference characters identify like elements in the several figures, in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of a temperature responsive vent damper in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partially cut away top view of the temperature responsive vent damper of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a temperature responsive vent damper in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a partially cut away bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the temperature responsive vent damper of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a cross sectional view of one embodiment of a temperature responsive vent damper 10 in accordance with the present invention. Damper 10 includes a housing comprised of a first pair of facing sidewalls 16 and 17 coupled to a second pair of facing sidewalls 18 and 19, which are shown in FIG. 2. First and second pairs of facing sidewalls 16 and 17 and 18 and 19 define an aperture which is continuous with the apertures defined by lower and upper vent sections 12 and 14 to which the lower and upper portions of damper 10 are respectively coupled in a conventional manner. As shown in FIG. 1, damper 10 is supported by upper vent section 14 while lower vent section 12 is supported by damper 10 housing.
Positioned adjacent the lower portion of the interior surface of each of the first pair of facing sidewalls 16 and 17 of damper 10 are tip shroud 24 and mounting base 32. Tip shroud 24 and mounting base 32 are connected to facing sidewalls 16 and 17, respectively, in a conventional manner, such as by spot welding. The lower horizontal portions of the tip shroud 24 and mounting base 32 contact lower vent section 12 and are joined thereto by means of a lower vent section crimped coupling edge 38. In a similar manner, an upper vent section crimped coupling edge 36 is formed from the lower edge of upper vent section 14 so as to engage horizontal portions of first and second pairs of facing sidewalls 16, 17 and 18, 19. Damper base elements 28 and 29 are inserted adjacent the lower portions of tip shroud 24 and mounting base 32, respectively, and are secured thereto in a conventional manner, such as by spot welding. Damper base elements 28 and 29 thus hold tip shroud 24 and mounting base 32, and thus the base 40 of damper 10 housing, in fixed relation to the crimped edge 38 of lower vent section 12 in maintaining structural rigidity for support and vent continuity purposes.
In accordance with the present invention, temperature responsive element 22 is coupled to mounting base 32 so as to project out into the aperture defined by first and second pairs of facing sidewalls 16, 17 and 18, 19. Element 22, which is generally in the shape of a flat plate, responds to changes in temperature by changing its radius of curvature. FIG. 1 shows temperature responsive element 22 in various configurations labeled A, B, C, D, and E. Each of the curvilinear shapes of temperature responsive elements 22 shown in FIG. 1 represent a particular temperature in damper 10. Variably configured materials such as temperature responsive element 22 are well-known in the art and generally are comprised of a bimetallic, spring-like material. The characteristics of temperature responsive element 22 are determined by the metallic strips used in its fabrication and may be selected to ensure that its shape at each of the five various locations shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to one of five distinct temperatures. In the present invention, temperature responsive element 22 preferably assumes position A at a temperature of 520° F., position B at 460° F., position C at 200° F., position D at 80° F., and position E at 0° F. Temperature responsive element 22 is affixed to mounting base 32 in a conventional manner such as by spot welding.
Tip shroud 24 is positioned in facing relation to mounting base 32 and temperature responsive element 22 on the opposite facing sidewall of damper 10 therefrom. As previously described, the lower portion of tip shroud 24 is securely coupled to one of the pair of facing sidewalls 16 while its upper portion extends away from sidewall 16 into the aperture defined by the sidewalls 16, 17 and 18, 19 of damper 10. Tip shroud 24 is comprised of a solid, continuous sheet of material, preferably of metal, which extends between the second pair of facing sidewalls 18 and 19. The upper portion of tip shroud 24 extending into the aperture of damper 10 is located therein such that at a first predetermined temperature it is in close proximity to the free end of temperature responsive element 22 (at position C). Tip shroud 24 is shaped such that as the temperature is reduced the free end of temperature responsive element 22 closely tracks the concave surface of tip shroud 24 which faces the aperture of damper 10. This is shown as position D of temperature responsive element 22 in FIG. 1. Although the free end of temperature responsive element 22 is in close proximity to the inner, concave surface of tip shroud 24, temperature responsive element 22 does not contact tip shroud 24 in compliance with damper freedom of movement safety criteria. Temperature responsive element 22 is further provided with slots 30 which permit the venting of noxious gases during periods of burner shutoff such as when only the heater's pilot flame is ignited.
At still lower temperatures the curvature of temperature responsive element 22 increases causing the free end of temperature responsive element 22 to be in contact with damper base element 28. When this occurs the heating system's vent is completely obstructed by temperature responsive element 22 thus preventing heat loss therethrough. Positions A and B of temperature responsive element 22 represent high temperature situations when the heating system's burner is in operation and maximum venting is required. The present invention takes advantage of the fact that in a conventional domestic furnace at burner cut-off the necessarily thin, blade-like structure of temperature responsive element 22 undergoes an immediate, large displacement in a counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 1 because the flue gas temperature drops from 350° F. during firing to 175° F. in less than ten seconds. The present invention, by positioning tip shroud 24 in close proximity to the moving edge of temperature responsive element 22 throughout most of the temperature reduction period, substantially reduces vent heat loss during this critical period of potentially great heat loss.
Tip shroud 24 is connected to shroud lateral sections 26 and 27 which are positioned adjacent to opposing edges of temperatures responsive element 22 and immediately adjacent to the second pair of facing sidewalls 18 and 19. A small gap is provided between temperature responsive element 22 and shroud lateral sections 26 and 27 to permit the free movement of temperature responsive element 22 therebetween. Shroud brackets 34 and 35 are rigidly coupled to shroud lateral sections 27 and 26, respectively, and to tip shroud 24 for further reinforcing of the shroud assembly.
Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of a temperature responsive vent damper 10 in accordance with the present invention. A first pair of facing sidewalls 50, 51 are respectively coupled to and provide support to tip shroud 48 and U-shaped mounting bracket 54 to which temperature responsive element 46 is securely connected by means of a plurality of rivets 58. Tip shroud 48 is secured to sidewall 50 by means of rivets 62, 64 and U-shaped mounting bracket 54 is affixed to sidewall 51 by means of rivets 56. The first pair of facing sidewalls 50, 51 in combination with a second pair of facing sidewalls 52, 53, as shown in FIG. 4, define an aperture which is continuous with the apertures defined by lower and upper vent sections 12, 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the sidewalls of temperature responsive vent damper 10 are connected directly to lower vent section 12 in a conventional manner. The sidewalls of temperature responsive vent damper 10 are coupled to upper vent section 14 by means of L-shaped mounting bracket 60 and U-shaped mounting bracket 54. Tip shroud 48, L-shaped mounting bracket 60, temperature responsive element 46, and U-shaped mounting bracket 54 extend the entire length of facing sidewalls 50, 51 and are securely mounted over the entire length thereof. Slots 68 are incorporated in temperature responsive element 46 for stress relief and for providing at least a certain minimum updraft through the vent at all times.
As in the earlier description of another embodiment of the invention, the free end of temperature responsive element 46 moves in close proximity to the curved portion of the shroud 48 in maintaining the substantial closure of the vent over a temperature range extending above ambient temperature, and preferaby up to approximately 200° F. With the free end of temperature responsive element 46 in close proximity to the innermost portion of tip shroud 48 at this elevated temperature, an increase in temperature will cause the further bending of temperature responsive element 46 resulting in the opening of the vent for permitting the escape of the unwanted by-products of combustion. A reduction in internal vent temperature causes the free end of temperature responsive element 46 to once again assume a position in close proximity to the curved portion of tip shroud 48. A further reduction in vent temperature causes the free end of temperature responsive element 46 to approach L-shaped mounting bracket 60 with firm contact established between the free end of temperature responsive element 46 and closure point 66 at a predetermined reduced temperature. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, this reduced temperature is approximately 0° F. Thus, the various positions A-E that temperature responsive element 46 assumes over a predetermined temperature range as shown in FIG. 1, also apply, with the free end movement in the opposite direction, to FIG. 3 to show similar temperature-dependent positions of temperature responsive element 46.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This embodiment has several advantages over the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 including the use of fewer parts and the downward vent opening direction of movement of temperature responsive element 46. Thus, in the event foreign matter is introduced into and passes down through upper vent section 14, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 will permit it to pass through the damper section of the vent without forcing temperature responsive element 46 into the full closed position and thereby completely blocking the vent. Finally, while in its preferred embodiment as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 rivets are used for securing various members together, any of the more conventional coupling means, such as spot welding, could be utilized in practicing the present invention.
There has thus been described a heat conserving vent damper for use in a conventional heating system. By taking advantage of the increased sensitivity of a temperature responsive element at high temperatures, the damper is configured to substantially close the vent at an elevated temperature following heater cut-off followed by complete vent closure at a lower temperature to minimize vent heat loss.
Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the present invention is described in terms of damper 10 housing being rectangular in shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration since any of the more conventional damper cross sectional shapes could be used in the present invention. The only requirement here is that the geometry of temperature responsive element 22 match that of damper 10 housing with a complementary shape provided to tip shroud 24 and shroud lateral sections 26 and 27. Also, while the present invention has been explained in terms of tip shroud 24 having one end securely fastened to damper 10 housing with the other end projecting into the aperture defined by the sides of vent 10, it again is not limited to this configuration. Tip shroud 24 may take on any shape which extends into the aperture defined by the sides of vent 10 housing and which includes a continuous surface of solid material closely positioned near the free end of temperature responsive element 22 at a first predetermined temperature and which remains in close proximity to that free edge over a considerable temperature range until complete vent closure occurs.
The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.
|
A heater vent having a temperature responsive damper such as a bimetallic element is disclosed. A shroud-like structure is positioned to cooperate with the temperature responsive element to close the vent at an elevated temperature and thereby reduce loss of residual heat while permitting the combustion gases to be completely purged from the firebox. For safety, movement of the temperature responsive element is uninhibited in all positions with complete vent closure occurring at ambient temperature and with the damper open during heater burner operation.
| 5
|
BACKGROUND
[0001] Many portable devices are battery powered. A user may carry several devices and sometimes the battery charge of one of the devices may drain. Some portable devices may be capable of receiving and transferring power through a bi-directional power transfer interface. One embodiment of such an interface is the USB Type-C. Bi-directional power transfer allows one device to donate battery charge to another device. Users having access to multiple portable devices thereby reduce the risk of a portable device running completely out of charge.
SUMMARY
[0002] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0003] A user of a portable device may define a charging direction when two devices with bi-directional power transfer interfaces are interconnected. The device detects a gesture of the user and starts the power transfer to the defined direction. The user may also define the amount of charge to be transferred by the same gesture. The portable device may stay operational for a longer period as long as there is another device sharing the battery charge. Embodiments of portable devices include smartphones, speakers, tablets, watches or other wearable devices.
[0004] Many of the attendant features will be more readily appreciated as they become better understood by reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below are not limited to implementations which solve any or all of the disadvantages of bi-directional charging in hand-held devices.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The present description will be better understood from the following detailed description read in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0006] FIG. 1 illustrates a portable device according to an embodiment, wherein the portable device is a smartphone;
[0007] FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a configuration with two portable devices;
[0008] FIG. 3 a illustrates one embodiment of a user gesture on a display;
[0009] FIG. 3 b illustrates one embodiment of a user gesture on a display;
[0010] FIG. 4 a illustrates one embodiment of a user gesture on a portable device;
[0011] FIG. 4 b illustrates one embodiment of a user gesture on a portable device;
[0012] FIG. 5 a illustrates one embodiment of a user gesture with two portable devices; and
[0013] FIG. 5 b illustrates one embodiment of a user gesture with two portable devices.
[0014] Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the accompanying drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The detailed description provided below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the present embodiments and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present embodiments may be constructed or utilized. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments.
[0016] Although the present embodiments are described and illustrated herein as being implemented in a smartphone, the device described is provided as an embodiment and not a limitation. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the present embodiments are suitable for application in a variety of different types of portable, mobile and/or hand-held apparatuses, e.g. in tablets, laptops, smart watches, wearable devices, or gaming consoles having suitable sensors for detecting a user's gesture. A gesture is herein defined as a motion of an object or body part of the user, wherein the motion has a starting position and a final position. The gesture is not a simple action of pushing a button, touching a software/touch button or operating a switch that has two positions, on/off.
[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a portable device according to an embodiment, wherein the portable device is a smartphone. The portable device comprises a body 100 comprising a display 110 , a speaker 120 , a microphone 130 and keys 140 . The display 110 is usually on the front side of the portable device. The portable device comprises a camera 150 . The portable device may comprise multiple input sensors 160 to detect the environment and to enable interaction with the user interface. Embodiments of input sensors 160 that may be implemented in the portable device are a gyroscope 161 , an accelerometer 162 , a magnetometer 163 , a camera 150 , a microphone 130 , an ambient light sensor 164 , a force sensor 165 , a proximity sensor 166 and a touch sensor 167 . A power source 170 is configured inside the body 100 . The power source 170 stores electrical energy for the portable device. One embodiment of the power source 170 may be a battery suitable for a smartphone or a mobile phone. A gesture detecting element 180 is configured to receive or detect a user gesture through the input sensor 160 . In an embodiment multiple and/or different types of input sensors 160 are used either simultaneously or in a predefined sequence to improve the accuracy, reliability or to enlarge the detection area. The gesture detecting element 180 may be implemented partially by the operating system of the portable device; it may be implemented by hardware or by partially hardware and partially embedded software. In an embodiment the software or a part of the software is configured in a cloud computing environment and at least a portion of the software is executed in the cloud computing environment. At least one sensor 160 may be included in the gesture detecting element 180 or the gesture detecting element 180 may be directly connected to the input sensor 160 . The portable device comprises at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the functionality described herein. The system described hereinafter may comprise portion of the portable device, its components and/or peripherals connected to the portable device. For example, in an embodiment the portable device is a wearable device such as a watch that may be operable without physical keys. In another embodiment the battery may be detachable from the device or it may be an external, visible component.
[0018] FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a configuration with two portable devices. A portable device 201 comprises a bi-directional power transfer interface 211 . A second portable device 202 also comprises a bi-directional power transfer interface 212 . A connecting cable 230 connects the portable device 201 and the second portable device 202 via the bi-directional power transfer interfaces 211 , 212 . According to an embodiment, the bi-directional power transfer interfaces 211 , 212 and the connecting cable 230 may conform to USB Type-C specifications. The portable device 201 and the second portable device 202 each comprise a battery that is connected to the bi-directional power transfer interfaces 211 , 212 . The portable devices 201 , 202 may be configured to donate and/or receive battery charge through their respective bi-directional power transfer interfaces 211 , 212 . The battery charge may be transferred from the first portable device 201 to the second portable device 202 or from the second portable device 202 to the first portable device 201 .
[0019] The gesture detecting element 180 of the portable device is configured to receive information when the connecting cable 230 is connected between the portable devices 201 , 202 to the bi-directional power transfer interfaces 211 , 212 . A negotiation protocol may inform the portable device 201 of the power transfer capabilities of the second portable device 202 . In one embodiment the operating system of the portable device 201 detects the connection of the connecting cable 230 between the portable device 201 and the second portable device 202 . The operating system transmits the information of the connection to the gesture detecting element 180 . After receiving the information the gesture detecting element may be set to the state, wherein the following user gesture may relate to the power transfer direction. In one embodiment, the negotiation protocol follows the USB Type-C specification. In one embodiment, as the power transfer interface 211 detects that the power source of the second portable device 212 is a battery, the gesture detecting element 180 is initiated to detect user gestures indicating the power transfer direction between devices 201 , 202 . In one embodiment, the gesture detecting element 180 may be configured to detect the initial position and/or the final position of the gesture relating to the power transfer direction. According to an embodiment, when the portable device 201 is connected to a second device 202 having mains current as a power source, the portable device 201 may start charging its battery without waiting for the user gesture indicating the power transfer direction. The negotiation protocol may inform the portable device 201 about the characteristics of the second device 202 .
[0020] One embodiment of a user gesture is illustrated in FIG. 3 a . The display 110 of the portable device comprises a touch sensor 167 . The user interface displays an image of a large battery 301 after detecting the connection of a connecting cable 230 . In this embodiment the portable device has 71% battery charge 302 as an illustrative example. By swiping away from the power transfer interface 211 located, for example, at the bottom of the portable device along the arrow 303 the gesture detecting element 180 receives information through the touch sensor that the user desires that the battery of the portable device 201 be charged. By swiping towards the power transfer interface 211 along the arrow 304 the gesture detecting element 180 receives information that the user desires that the portable device donate power through the connecting cable 230 . A swipe includes a movement along the surface of the display 110 , wherein the swipe comprises an initial position and a final position on the display area 110 . In one embodiment the swipe may comprise a unidirectional motion. The display 110 may visualize the swipe with a visual cue along which the user may drag the swipe. The visual cue may appear after detecting the initial position or it may be visible for a predetermined time after connecting the cable 230 to enable the user to identify the initial position. The visual cue may also indicate, in the battery image, the amount of power to be donated and/or the charge level that will remain in the portable device 201 .
[0021] FIG. 3 b illustrates another embodiment of a user gesture, wherein one gesture indicates both the direction and the amount of charge to be transferred. The swipe 305 has a magnitude indicating the amount of charge to be transferred from the second portable device 202 . The swipe 306 directed towards the power transfer interface 211 indicates that the user desires that the portable device 201 donate power to the second device 202 , wherein the length of the swipe indicates the amount of charge. In an embodiment the end position of the swipe in the longitudinal direction of the portable device 201 defines the amount of charge to be transferred. Definition of the transferrable charge ensures that the portable device 201 retains an amount of charge after donating a portion of it to the second portable device, thus eliminating the chance of battery of the portable device 201 draining too much when donating the charge. According to an embodiment, the functionality according to embodiments illustrated in FIG. 3 a or FIG. 3 b . may be executed with the display 110 fully or partially turned off. Detecting the touch sensor and the swipe gesture after connecting the cable 230 to the power transfer interface 211 may start the power transfer. According to an embodiment, the selective regions of the display may turn on to show visual cues to the user or it may not turn on at all. The visual cue may indicate the level of remaining charge during the swipe, thus providing feedback to the user about the battery charge (e.g. 41%) after the portable device 201 has donated power to the second portable device 202 . This may ensure, in cases where battery charge is low, that the battery charge is not consumed for powering the display 110 . One example of a gesture which may be executed on the display 110 when it is off towards the power transfer interface and the connecting cable 230 .
[0022] In an embodiment the amount of charge to be transferred is defined by the force detected from the user pressing the display 110 . The display 110 comprises a force sensor configured to detect the pressure applied to the display 110 . The amount of charge to be transferred may be proportional to the force, for example a stronger press results a larger amount of charge to be transferred. This embodiment may be combined with other embodiments, such as the display-oriented charge direction definition methods illustrated in FIG. 3 a or FIG. 3 b.
[0023] FIG. 4 a illustrates one embodiment of a user gesture for indicating the power transfer direction after detecting that cable 230 has been connected. The user holds the body 100 of the portable device 201 and tilts it towards the power transfer interface 211 and the connecting cable 230 . An input sensor, for example an accelerometer 162 or/and a gyroscope 161 or/and a camera detects the tilt and sends the information to the gesture detecting element 180 . If the gesture detecting element 180 detects the tilt to have occurred after connecting the cable 230 , it informs the operating system to start transferring power to the second device 202 . In an embodiment, the tilting gesture may resemble pouring the battery charge from the portable device. In an embodiment, the tilting and/or subsequent charging may be visualized on the display 110 as pouring the battery charge from the device 201 . In one embodiment the tilting angle of the portable device 201 is measured with the accelerometer 162 or/and the gyroscope 161 . The tilting angle corresponds to the amount of power donated to the second portable device 202 . The display may show a visual cue to the user to indicate the relation between the tilting angle and the power to be donated to the second portable device 202 , for example more tilt causes the visual cue to indicate more power to be donated to the second portable device 202 . In an embodiment the second portable device 202 is configured to display an indication of the power sharing, for example starting the charging or indication of the charge to be received during the connection to the portable device 201 . In an embodiment the amount of charge to be transferred is defined by the amount of shaking detected from the user shaking the portable device 201 . The accelerometer detects the shaking and increases the indication of charge to be transferred when detecting more shaking.
[0024] FIG. 4 b illustrates one embodiment of a user gesture for indicating the power transfer direction. The user holds the body 100 of the portable device in an upright position and shakes the portable device. The accelerometer 162 or/and the gyroscope 161 detects the shaking action and sends the information to the gesture detecting element 180 . If the gesture detecting element 180 detects the shaking action to have occurred after connecting the cable 230 , it informs the operating system to start transferring power to the second device 202 . In an embodiment, the shaking gesture may resemble shaking the “power particles” out of the portable device to the connecting cable 230 . In an embodiment, the shaking and/or subsequent charging may be visualized on the display 110 as shaking the “power particles” out from the device 201 to the connecting cable 230 .
[0025] FIG. 5 a illustrates one embodiment of a user gesture for indicating the power transfer direction, wherein the portable device 201 is taken near the second portable device 202 until it touches the second portable device 202 or the portable device 201 detects that the second portable device 202 is within a predetermined distance from the portable device 201 . The two portable devices 201 , 202 may be moved to touch or tap each other's displays when they are connected by the connecting cable 230 . The power transfer direction may be set by the sequence of taps, for example power transfer is set from the device that is tapped first to the device that is tapped after. In an embodiment the portable device 201 touches the second portable device 202 , wherein the accelerometers 162 in the portable device 201 and in the second portable device 202 are used to decide the charging direction. For example, when the portable device 201 actively touches the second portable device 202 , the charge is transferred from the portable device 201 to the second portable device 202 . The data received from the accelerometer 162 is different in both devices, because the portable device 201 accelerates slowly and decelerates fast during the touch and the second portable device 202 accelerates fast during the touch and then decelerates slower.
[0026] FIG. 5 b illustrates one embodiment of a user gesture for indicating the power transfer direction, wherein the vertical distance between the portable devices 201 , 202 , may define the direction of power transfer. If the portable device 201 is positioned higher than the second portable 202 device and it is shook or tilted after connecting the cable, the power is transferred from the portable device 201 to the second portable device 202 . The suggested user experience is that the battery charge pours from above to the lower device; it may be visualized on the display 110 as well. Additionally, either device or both devices may acknowledge starting the power transfer to the user by visual signal, a sound or by vibrating the device. In an embodiment the portable device 201 and the second portable device 202 comprise a barometer configured to detect the difference in elevation between devices when held by a person. The barometer may detect the absolute air pressure or changes in the air pressure. Detecting changes in the air pressure allows the device to detect if it is moving upwards or downwards. In an embodiment the change in elevation may be detected using an accelerometer, a camera or a gyroscope.
[0027] In one embodiment the camera 150 acts as the sensor detecting the user gesture. The camera detects the direction of eyes of the user, wherein the eye movement indicates the power transfer direction. For example, the user may stare at the cable and shift the view to another device.
[0028] In one embodiment the charging direction is set by a voice command, wherein the portable device comprises a microphone 130 to capture the voice command. Examples of a voice command are “charge Device A using Device B” or “charge C's phone using D's tablet computer”.
[0029] In one embodiment the charging direction is set by gestures detected near the body 100 of the device, for example above the display 110 . The user-related gesture is detected with a camera 150 , a proximity sensor 166 or a system comprising a sound-wave emitter, such as an ultrasound emitter and a microphone receiver. In one embodiment the user-related gesture is a unidirectional movement of an object such as a hand, a finger, multiple fingers, eyes or a stylus. The movement may be along a surface or a path in the vicinity of the portable device. The portable device may detect gestures on the air. In one embodiment the input sensor is configured to detect the starting position of the object in the unidirectional movement and the final position of the unidirectional movement. The portable device may be initiated to detect the starting position when the connecting cable is connected between two portable devices and the portable device has completed the negotiation with the second portable device about the possibility to bi-directional power transfer. Negotiation may be needed due to ambiguity in charging capability of each device. As an example, the portable device 201 may be resting on a docking station that has no connection to the mains current. The power transfer direction is not obvious as the portable device may be connected to another portable device, such as a speaker or a smartwatch.
[0030] In one embodiment the portable device 201 is wirelessly connected to a docking station or a device configured for wireless charging, for example conforming to Qi standard. The docking station or the device configured for wireless charging may participate in the power transfer negotiation between the portable device 201 and the second portable device 202 , wherein the second portable device 202 may be connected to the docking station with a connecting cable 230 . In this embodiment the docking station may receive charge from the second portable device through the connecting cable 230 and transfer it to the portable device wirelessly. In one embodiment the system comprises a docking station.
[0031] The bi-directional power transfer interface 211 , such as the USB Type-C may be configured to transmit data and power. After connecting the devices 201 , the user may be prompted to choose the desired action, whether the device 201 should transfer data, synchronize the data or transfer power in the desired direction. The user gesture for enabling the power transfer to the desired direction may simplify the connection procedure.
[0032] One aspect discloses a portable device comprising: a first power source; at least one bi-directional power transfer interface configured to connect the device to a second device having a second power source; a gesture detecting element comprising an input sensor; wherein the gesture detecting element is configured to receive through the input sensor a user gesture; and the gesture detecting element is configured to define a power transfer direction through the bi-directional power transfer interface as a response to the user gesture. In an embodiment the gesture detecting element is configured to receive information of insertion of a power transfer cable connected between the bi-directional power transfer interface of the device and the second bi-directional power transfer interface of the second device. In an embodiment the input sensor is selected from the group of: gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer, camera, microphone, ambient light sensor, thermometer, force sensor and proximity sensor. In an embodiment the user-related gesture is a unidirectional movement of an object along a surface and the input sensor is configured to detect the starting position of the object in the unidirectional movement and the final position of the unidirectional movement. In an embodiment the device comprises a display configured to display a visual cue indicating the power transfer direction as a response to the detected starting position of the object. In an embodiment the gesture detecting element is configured to receive information of the amount of the charge to be transferred with the user-related gesture indicating the direction of power transfer. In an embodiment the device comprises a display configured to be turned off when detecting the user-related gesture on the surface of the display.
[0033] One aspect discloses a system comprising: a portable device; a first power source configured to provide power to the portable device; at least one bi-directional power transfer interface configured to connect the portable device to a second device having a second power source; a gesture detecting element comprising an input sensor; wherein the gesture detecting element is configured to receive through the input sensor a user-related gesture; and the gesture detecting element is configured to define a power transfer direction through the bi-directional power transfer interface as a response to the user-related gesture. In an embodiment the gesture detecting element is configured to receive information of insertion of a power transfer cable connected between the bi-directional power transfer interface of the device and the second bi-directional power transfer interface of the second device. In an embodiment the input sensor is selected from the group of: gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer, camera, microphone, ambient light sensor, thermometer, force sensor and proximity sensor. In an embodiment the user-related gesture is a unidirectional movement of an object along a surface and the input sensor is configured to detect the starting position of the object in the unidirectional movement and the final position of the unidirectional movement. In an embodiment the system comprises a display configured to display a visual cue indicating the power transfer direction as a response to the detected starting position of the object. In an embodiment the gesture detecting element is configured to receive information of the amount of the charge to be transferred with the user gesture indicating the direction of power transfer. In an embodiment the system comprises a display configured to be/remain turned off when detecting the user gesture on the surface of the display.
[0034] One aspect discloses a method, comprising: a portable device comprising a first power source and at least one bi-directional power transfer interface configured to connect the device to a second device having a second power source; a gesture detecting element detecting a user-related gesture; and the gesture detecting element defining a power transfer direction through the bi-directional power transfer interface as a response to the user-related gesture. In an embodiment the method comprises the gesture detecting element receiving information of insertion of a power transfer cable connected between the bi-directional power transfer interface of the device and the second bi-directional power transfer interface of the second device. In an embodiment the user-related gesture is a unidirectional movement of an object along a surface and the input sensor detecting the starting position of the object in the unidirectional movement and the final position of the unidirectional movement. In an embodiment the method comprises a display displaying a visual cue on the power transfer direction as a response to detecting the starting position of the object. In an embodiment, the method further comprises receiving information of the amount of the charge to be transferred with the user-related gesture indicating the direction of power transfer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises comprising detecting the user-related gesture on the surface of a display when the display is turned off.
[0035] An embodiment of the apparatus or a system described hereinbefore is a computing-based device comprising one or more processors which may be microprocessors, controllers or any other suitable type of processors for processing computer executable instructions to control the operation of the device in order to control one or more sensors, receive sensor data and use the sensor data. Platform software comprising an operating system or any other suitable platform software may be provided at the computing-based device to enable application software to be executed on the device.
[0036] The computer executable instructions may be provided using any computer-readable media that is accessible by a computing based device. Computer-readable media may include, for example, computer storage media such as memory and communications media. Computer storage media, such as memory, includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transmission medium that can be used to store information for access by a computing device. In contrast, communication media may embody computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave, or other transport mechanism. As defined herein, computer storage media do not include communication media. Therefore, a computer storage medium should not be interpreted to be a propagating signal per se. Propagated signals may be present in computer storage media, but propagated signals per se are not embodiments of computer storage media. Although the computer storage media are shown within the computing-based device it will be appreciated that the storage may be distributed or located remotely and accessed via a network or other communication link, for embodiment by using communication interface.
[0037] The computing-based device may comprise an input/output controller arranged to output display information to a display device which may be separate from or integral to the computing-based device. The display information may provide a graphical user interface, for embodiment, to display hand gestures tracked by the device using the sensor input or for other display purposes. The input/output controller may also be arranged to receive and process input from one or more devices, such as a user input device (e.g. a mouse, keyboard, camera, microphone or other sensor). In some embodiments the user input device may detect voice input, user gestures or other user actions and may provide a natural user interface (NUI). This user input may be used to configure the device for a particular user such as by receiving information about bone lengths of the user. In an embodiment the display device may also act as the user input device if it is a touch sensitive display device. The input/output controller may also output data to devices other than the display device, e.g. a locally connected printing device.
[0038] The term ‘computer’ or ‘computing-based device’ is used herein to refer to any device with processing capability such that it can execute instructions. Those skilled in the art will realize that such processing capabilities are incorporated into many different devices and therefore the terms ‘computer’ and ‘computing-based device’ each include PCs, servers, mobile telephones (including smart phones), tablet computers, set-top boxes, media players, games consoles, personal digital assistants and many other devices.
[0039] The methods described herein may be performed by software in machine readable form on a tangible storage medium e.g. in the form of a computer program comprising computer program code means adapted to perform all the steps of any of the methods described herein when the program is run on a computer and where the computer program may be embodied on a computer readable medium. Embodiments of tangible storage media include computer storage devices comprising computer-readable media such as disks, thumb drives, memory etc. and do not only include propagated signals. Propagated signals may be present in tangible storage media, but propagated signals per se are not embodiments of tangible storage media. The software can be suitable for execution on a parallel processor or a serial processor such that the method steps may be carried out in any suitable order, or simultaneously.
[0040] This acknowledges that software can be a valuable, separately tradable commodity. It is intended to encompass software, which runs on or controls “dumb” or standard hardware, to carry out the desired functions. It is also intended to encompass software which “describes” or defines the configuration of hardware, such as HDL (hardware description language) software, as is used for designing silicon chips, or for configuring universal programmable chips, to carry out desired functions.
[0041] Those skilled in the art will realize that storage devices utilized to store program instructions can be distributed across a network. For example, a remote computer may store an embodiment of the process described as software. A local or terminal computer may access the remote computer and download a part or all of the software to run the program. Alternatively, the local computer may download pieces of the software as needed, or execute some software instructions at the local terminal and some at the remote computer (or computer network). Alternatively, or in addition, the functionally described herein can be performed, at least in part, by one or more hardware logic components. For embodiment, and without limitation, illustrative types of hardware logic components that can be used include Field-programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Application-specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Application-specific Standard Products (ASSPs), System-on-a-chip systems (SOCs), Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs), etc.
[0042] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as embodiments of implementing the claims and other equivalent features and acts are intended to be within the scope of the claims.
[0043] It will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages. It will further be understood that reference to ‘an’ item refers to one or more of those items.
[0044] The steps of the methods described herein may be carried out in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. Additionally, individual blocks may be deleted from any of the methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any of the embodiments described above may be combined with aspects of any of the other embodiments described to form further embodiments without losing the effect sought.
[0045] The term ‘comprising’ is used herein to mean including the method blocks or elements identified, but that such blocks or elements do not comprise an exclusive list and a method or apparatus may contain additional blocks or elements.
[0046] It will be understood that the above description is given by way of example only and that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. The above specification, embodiments and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments. Although various embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this specification.
|
The user of a portable device defines the charging direction when two devices with bi-directional power transfers interfaces are interconnected. The device detects a gesture of the user and starts the power transfer to the defined direction. The user may also define the amount of charge to be transferred by the same gesture. The portable device may be operational for a longer period as long as there is another device sharing the battery charge. Embodiments of portable devices include smartphones, speakers, tablets, watches or other wearable devices.
| 6
|
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to trajectory planning and apparatus for the planning of trajectories for vehicles.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Trajectory planning methodologies, for example using Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP), are used to determine globally optimal trajectories for vehicles. Many trajectory planning methodologies constrain vehicle trajectories with a linear approximation of the vehicle's dynamics.
[0003] Typically, a linear approximation of the vehicle's dynamics does not contain a notion of vehicle heading. This is typically because the introduction a heading angle introduces non-linearities. As a result, a determined trajectory may feature motion that cannot be achieved by conventional wheeled or tracked vehicles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for determining a trajectory for a vehicle, the method comprising: identifying a starting position for the vehicle; identifying a desired terminal position for the vehicle; linearly approximating dynamics of the vehicle; and using the starting position, the desired terminal position, and the linear approximation, determining the trajectory for the vehicle; wherein the linear approximation is constrained by requirements that: an acceleration of the vehicle during the trajectory is less than a threshold value for the acceleration; and the threshold value for the acceleration is dependent on an infinity norm of a velocity of the vehicle.
[0005] The constraint that the acceleration of the vehicle during the trajectory is less than the threshold value for the acceleration, and the threshold value for the acceleration is dependent on an infinity norm of a velocity of the vehicle may be implemented using the following:
[0000]
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
,
∀
m
∈
[
1
,
…
,
N
cir
]
a
x
(
k
)
sin
(
2
π
m
N
cir
)
+
a
y
(
k
)
cos
(
2
π
m
N
cir
)
≤
a
max
(
k
)
(
i
)
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
,
∀
p
∈
[
1
,
…
,
N
pol
]
m
(
p
)
v
x
(
k
)
+
c
(
p
)
≥
a
max
(
p
)
-
C
L
b
1
(
k
,
p
)
m
(
p
)
v
y
(
k
)
+
c
(
p
)
≥
a
max
(
p
)
-
C
L
b
2
(
k
,
p
)
(
ii
)
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
∑
p
=
1
N
pol
(
b
1
(
k
,
p
)
+
b
2
(
k
,
p
)
)
≤
2
N
pol
-
1
(
iii
)
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
a
max
(
k
)
≥
0
(
iv
)
[0000] where:
a max maximum acceleration of the vehicle; a x is an acceleration of the vehicle in an x-direction; a y is an acceleration of the vehicle in a y-direction; v x is a velocity of the vehicle in an x-direction; v y is a velocity of the vehicle in a y-direction; N steps is a number of time-steps for the trajectory; N cir is a number of corners of a polygon; N pol is a number of linear functions, each linear function relating the maximum acceleration of the vehicle to an infinity norm of the velocity of the vehicle; m(p) is a value of a gradient of a pth linear function; c(p) is a value of pth linear function if the value of the velocity of the vehicle is zero; b1(k, p) and b2(k, p) are constants; and C L is a constant.
[0018] The linear approximation may be further constrained by a requirement that a magnitude of a velocity of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a threshold value for the velocity. This constraint may be implemented using the following:
[0000]
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
,
∀
m
∈
[
1
,
…
,
N
circ
]
v
x
(
k
)
sin
(
2
π
m
N
circ
)
+
v
y
(
k
)
cos
(
2
π
m
N
circ
)
≥
V
min
-
p
(
k
,
m
)
·
C
1
and
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
∑
m
=
1
N
circ
p
(
k
,
m
)
=
N
circ
-
1
[0000] where:
v x (k) is the velocity of the vehicle in an x-direction; v y (k) is the velocity of the vehicle in a y-direction; V min is the threshold velocity value; N steps is a number of time-steps for the trajectory; N circ is a number of corners of a polygon; p (k, m) is a binary decision variable; and C 1 is a constant.
[0026] C 1 may be relatively large compared to V min .
[0027] The linear approximation may be further constrained by requirements that: an acceleration applied to the vehicle at a point on the trajectory is relatively large when the acceleration acts in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the velocity of the vehicle; and an acceleration applied to the vehicle at a point on the trajectory is relatively small when the acceleration acts in a direction that is substantially parallel to the velocity of the vehicle.
[0028] This constraint may be implemented using the following:
[0000]
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
,
∀
m
∈
[
1
,
…
,
N
circs
]
(
a
x
(
k
)
R
min
V
max
-
λ
v
x
(
k
)
V
max
)
cos
(
2
π
m
N
circs
)
+
(
a
y
(
k
)
R
min
V
max
-
λ
v
y
(
k
)
V
max
)
sin
(
2
π
m
N
circs
)
≤
1
+
λ
2
[0000] where:
v x (k) is the velocity of the vehicle in an x-direction; v y (k) is the velocity of the vehicle in a y-direction; V max is a maximum velocity of the vehicle; N steps is a number of time-steps for the trajectory; N circs is a number of corners of a polygon; R min is a minimum turn radius of the vehicle; and λ is a constant.
[0036] The linear approximation may be further constrained by a requirement that the vehicle may not travel in a given region; a centre point of the region is at a distance from a predetermined point on the vehicle substantially equal to a minimum turn radius of the vehicle, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a velocity of the vehicle; and a distance from the centre point of the region to a point on a perimeter of the region is greater than or substantially equal to the minimum turn radius of the vehicle.
[0037] The constraint that the vehicle may not travel in a given region may be implemented using the following:
[0000]
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
,
∀
m
∈
[
1
,
…
,
N
regions
]
(
r
x
(
k
)
-
r
0
x
-
R
min
v
nx
)
sin
(
2
π
m
N
regions
)
+
(
r
y
(
k
)
-
r
0
y
R
min
v
ny
)
sin
(
2
π
m
N
regions
)
≥
R
min
-
C
2
p
(
k
,
m
)
with
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
∑
m
=
1
n
circ
p
(
k
,
m
)
=
N
regions
-
1
[0000] where:
v nx is the normalised velocity of the vehicle in an x-direction; v ny is the normalised velocity of the vehicle in a y-direction; r x (k) is a position of the vehicle from an origin in the x-direction; r y (k) is a position of the vehicle from an origin in the y-direction; r 0x is an initial position of the vehicle from an origin in the x-direction; r 0y is an initial position of the vehicle from an origin in the y-direction; N steps is a number of time-steps for the trajectory; N regions is a number of corners of a polygon; R min is a minimum turn radius of the vehicle; p(k,m) is a binary decision variable; and C 2 is a constant.
[0049] C 2 may be relatively large compared to R min .
[0050] The method may further comprise: determining one or more further linear approximations of the dynamics of the vehicle; and using the one or more further linear approximations, determining one or more further trajectories for the vehicle; wherein the trajectory and the one or more further trajectories are for implementation by the vehicle in series; each of the one or more further linear approximations is constrained by one or more of the following: (i) a requirement that a magnitude of a velocity of the vehicle is greater than or equal to a threshold value for the velocity; (ii) requirements that: an acceleration applied to the vehicle at a point on the trajectory is relatively large when the acceleration acts in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the velocity of the vehicle; and an acceleration applied to the vehicle at a point on the trajectory is relatively small when the acceleration acts in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the velocity of the vehicle; (iii) a requirement that the vehicle may not travel in a given region; a centre point of the region is at a distance from a predetermined point on the vehicle substantially equal to a minimum turn radius of the vehicle, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a velocity of the vehicle; and a distance from the centre point of the region to a point on a perimeter of the region is greater than or substantially equal to the minimum turn radius of the vehicle; and (iv) requirements that an acceleration of the vehicle during the trajectory is less than a threshold value for the acceleration, and the threshold value for the acceleration is dependent on an infinity norm of a velocity of the vehicle.
[0051] The vehicle may have a curvature limit for its trajectory.
[0052] In a further aspect the present invention provides apparatus for determining a trajectory for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising one or more processors arranged to: linearly approximate dynamics of the vehicle; and using an identified starting position for the vehicle, an identified desired terminal position for the vehicle, and the linear approximation, determine a trajectory for the vehicle; wherein the linear approximation is constrained by requirements that: an acceleration of the vehicle during the trajectory is less than a threshold value for the acceleration; and the threshold value for the acceleration is dependent on an infinity norm of a velocity of the vehicle.
[0053] In a further aspect the present invention provides a program or plurality of programs arranged such that when executed by a computer system or one or more processors it/they cause the computer system or the one or more processors to operate in accordance with the method of any of the above aspects of the invention.
[0054] In a further aspect the present invention provides a machine readable storage medium storing a program or at least one of the programs according to the above aspect of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0055] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of a land based vehicle for which an embodiment of a method of performing path planning is to be implemented;
[0056] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of a scenario in which the vehicle travels along a trajectory;
[0057] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) representing a velocity space of the vehicle;
[0058] FIG. 4 is a process flow chart showing certain steps of a process of determining a constrained acceleration vector for the vehicle;
[0059] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) that is useful in the understanding of the process of FIG. 4 ;
[0060] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) showing the vehicle and two regions into which the vehicle may not directly move; and
[0061] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of a graph showing the non-linear relationship between a maximum acceleration of the vehicle and an ∞-norm of the velocity of the vehicle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0062] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of a land based vehicle, hereinafter referred to as “the vehicle 2 ”, for which an embodiment of a trajectory planner (not shown) plans a trajectory. The terminology “trajectory” is used herein to refer to a route of the vehicle from a first position to a second position.
[0063] The following information about a state and operation of the vehicle 2 , described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , will be useful in understanding the embodiment described later below.
[0064] The vehicle 2 has the following state vector x:
[0000]
x
=
(
r
x
r
y
θ
)
[0000] where:
r x is a distance of the vehicle 2 from an origin O in the x-direction, as indicated in FIG. 1 ; r y is a distance of the vehicle 2 from the origin O in the y-direction, as indicated in FIG. 1 ; and θ is an angle between the x-axis and a heading of the vehicle, hereinafter referred to as “the heading” and indicated in FIG. 1 by a solid arrow and the reference numeral 4 .
[0068] Also,
[0000]
x
.
=
(
v
sin
θ
v
cos
θ
ω
)
[0000] where:
[0069] {dot over (x)} is the time derivative of the state vector x;
[0070] v is a value of the speed of the vehicle that the vehicle travels with (in the direction of the vehicle's heading 4 ); and
[0071] ω is the curvature of the vehicle's path.
[0072] In this embodiment, the vehicle 2 has the following input vector u:
[0000]
u
=
(
v
ω
)
[0073] The input vector u is constrained as follows:
[0000] ∥ v∥V≦V max
[0000] ∥ω∥≦ω max
[0000] where V max and ω max are maxima of the vehicle's speed and angular velocity respectively.
[0074] In this embodiment, the state vector x of the vehicle 2 is linearised by replacing the heading 4 with components of the speed v in the x- and y-directions, i.e.:
[0000]
x
=
(
r
x
r
y
v
sin
θ
v
cos
θ
)
[0075] The dynamics of the system are given by a linear time-invariant system of the form:
[0000]
{dot over (x)}=Ax+Bu
[0076] Because the vehicle's speed v is part of the state vector x, the linearised form of the input vector U comprises acceleration components in the x- and y-directions, i.e.
[0000]
u
=
(
a
x
a
y
)
[0077] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of a scenario in which the vehicle 2 travels along a trajectory 6 (indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 2 ).
[0078] The trajectory 6 is divided into a series of points p 0 , p 1 , p 2 , . . . , p N . The ith point on the trajectory 6 , i.e. p i is a position occupied by the vehicle at an ith time-step.
[0079] State vectors of the vehicle 2 at each of the points p 0 , . . . , p N of the trajectory 6 are x(0), . . . , x(N) respectively. In other words, x(i) denotes the state of the vehicle 2 at the ith time-step. Also, an initial state of the vehicle 2 , i.e. a state of the vehicle 2 at the start of the trajectory 6 , is x 0 .
[0080] A desired terminal position of the vehicle 2 is indicated in FIG. 2 by the point P.
[0081] In this embodiment, the starting position p 0 and the desired terminal position P are identified for the vehicle 2 , for example by a user/operator of the vehicle 2 , by any appropriate manner. As used herein, the terminology “identified” includes any appropriate form of identifying, selecting, choosing, establishing, acquiring etc.
[0082] A state of the vehicle 2 at the desired terminal position P is X p .
[0083] Thus, it is desirable for the vehicle 2 to follow a trajectory 6 such that the distance d between the desired terminal position P, and the terminal position of the vehicle 2 after following the trajectory 6 , i.e. the point p N , is minimised. In other embodiments, a ‘stage cost’ is also minimised.
[0084] In this embodiment, such an optimal trajectory (a trajectory that minimises the distance between P and p N ) is determined by a trajectory planner (not shown in the Figures).
[0085] In this embodiment, the determination of the optimal trajectory is implemented using the following equation:
[0000]
min
u
,
x
g
(
x
,
u
)
[0000] where the value function is given by
[0000] g ( x,u )=∥[ I 0]( x ( N )− x p )∥
[0000] In other embodiments this may also include cost term associated with traversing the trajectory, such as time or distance.
[0086] In this embodiment the optimisation problem is subject to the following constraints:
[0000] x (0)= x 0
[0000] x ( k+ 1)= Ax ( k )+ Bu ( k )
[0000] ([0 I]x ( k ), u ( k ))ε L
[0000] where:
[0087] g(x,u) is a value function that defines optimality;
[0088] I is a (2×2) identity matrix; and
[0089] L is a net of acceptable states (v x ,v y ) and controls (a x , a y ). Here, v x is the speed of the vehicle 2 in the x-direction, v y is the speed of the vehicle 2 in the y-direction, a x is the acceleration of the vehicle 2 in the x-direction, and a y is the acceleration of the vehicle 2 in the y-direction.
[0090] In this embodiment, L is used to constrain the magnitude of the speed and the acceleration of the vehicle 2 .
[0091] Thus, the above equation provides that the Euclidean distance between x(N) and xp is minimised (the velocity components of the state vector, x, are multiplied by 0 to remove them).
[0092] In this embodiment, the above described constraint equations are used. However, in other embodiments different constraint equations may be used instead of, or in addition to, some or all of the above constraint equations. For example, in other embodiments, constraint equations may be used that provide that a control effort for the vehicle 2 , or a number of time-steps to reach the destination, is minimised.
[0093] The above equation for determining the optimal trajectory does not take into account the heading 4 of the vehicle 2 . Thus, a trajectory determined using this equation alone may, at a certain point, include motion that cannot be performed by the vehicle 2 used in this embodiment. For example, the trajectory 6 determined as described above may require that, at a certain point, the vehicle 2 travels in a direction that is perpendicular to the vehicle's heading 4 at that point. Such a trajectory cannot be followed by the vehicle 2 of this embodiment (i.e. a land-based vehicle) because it would require an infinitely large turn-rate.
[0094] Conventionally, this constraint on the vehicle's turn rate is treated as an acceleration constraint. “ Receding Horizon Control In Unknown Environments: Experimental results” , Markus Deittert, Arthur Richards, and George Mathews, ICRA, Achorage, Ak., USA, May 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference, shows an implementation in which the magnitude of the vehicle's input vector u (i.e. an acceleration) is limited in relation to the vehicles maximum velocity, V max , such that a minimum turn radius, R min , is enforced, i.e.:
[0000]
a
max
=
V
max
2
R
min
[0095] Thus, conventionally, trajectories that include a turn having a turn radius of less than R min tend to be avoided by the vehicle travelling at velocities close to its maximum, V max .
[0096] In this embodiment, linear approximation the maximum acceleration of the vehicle 2 is implemented.
[0097] The magnitude of the velocity of the vehicle |v|, and maximum acceleration of the vehicle a max , are related by a nonlinear function. Conventionally, this non-linear function cannot be used directly in the optimisation of the trajectory 6 . However, in this embodiment the nonlinear function is approximated by a collection of linear functions.
[0098] In this embodiment, the vehicle's velocity vector at the kth time step is:
[0000] v ( k )=( v x ,v y ) T
[0000] where:
v x is the speed of the vehicle 2 in the x-direction at the kth time-step; and v y is the speed of the vehicle 2 in the y-direction at the kth time-step.
[0101] In this embodiment, the ∞-norm of the velocity of the vehicle v(k)=(v x ,v y ) T is used. This advantageously relates the amount of acceleration available to the trajectory planner to the largest component within the speed vector, v.
[0102] FIGS. 3 to 6 are schematic illustrations that are useful for understanding optional additional techniques that may be implemented with is embodiment, and will be described in more detail later below.
[0103] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration (not to scale) of a graph showing the non-linear relationship between maximum acceleration of the vehicle a max , the ∞-norm of the velocity of the vehicle 14 and the minimum turn radius R min . In FIG. 7 this non-linear function is indicated by the reference numeral 24 , and each of the collection of linear functions that are used to approximate the nonlinear function 24 are indicated by the reference numeral 26 .
[0104] In this embodiment, the following constraints on the acceleration vector of the vehicle a(k)=(a x ,a y ) T and the velocity vector of the vehicle v(k)=(v x ,v y ) T are implemented:
[0000]
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
,
∀
m
∈
[
1
,
…
,
N
cir
]
a
x
(
k
)
sin
(
2
π
m
N
cir
)
+
a
y
(
k
)
cos
(
2
π
m
N
cir
)
≤
a
max
(
k
)
(
i
)
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
,
∀
p
∈
[
1
,
…
,
N
pol
]
m
(
p
)
v
x
(
k
)
+
c
(
p
)
≥
a
max
(
p
)
-
C
L
b
1
(
k
,
p
)
m
(
p
)
v
y
(
k
)
+
c
(
p
)
≥
a
max
(
p
)
-
C
L
b
2
(
k
,
p
)
(
ii
)
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
∑
p
=
1
N
pol
(
b
1
(
k
,
p
)
+
b
2
(
k
,
p
)
)
≤
2
N
pol
-
1
(
iii
)
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
a
max
(
k
)
≥
0
(
iv
)
[0000] where:
N steps is a number of time-steps; N cir is a number of corners of a polygon (a convex polynomial approximation of a circle). This polygon approximates a circle having a radius equal to a max ; N pol is the number of linear functions 26 that are used to approximate the nonlinear function 24 ; m(p) is the value of the gradient of the pth linear function 26 c(p) is the value of the ‘a max -intercept’ of the pth linear function 26 , i.e. the value of the pth linear function 26 if the value of the velocity was zero; b1(k,p) and b2(k,p) are constants the values of which provide that at least one of the equations of the second constraint (i.e. constraint (ii)) are fulfilled by a value of a max ; and C L is a constant.
[0112] The first of the above constraints, i.e. constraint (i), provides that the magnitude of the acceleration vector a(k)=(a x ,a y ) T is limited, i.e. that the magnitude of the acceleration vector is less than or equal to a max for a particular time-step.
[0113] The second of the above constraints, i.e. constraint (ii), provides that the maximum acceleration of the vehicle a max is less than or equal to the approximated non-linear function 24 ;
[0114] The third of the above constraints, i.e. constraint (iii), provides that a trajectory planner implementing the above constraints (i)-(iv) bases a value of a max on the x-component or y-component of the velocity vector v. The ∞-norm of the velocity vector v is thereby implemented.
[0115] The fourth of the above constraints, i.e. constraint (iv), provides that the maximum acceleration a max is always positive.
[0116] Thus, a technique by which a vehicle trajectory may be determined using a trajectory planner is provided. The above described constraints applied to the trajectory planner, i.e. that the magnitude of acceleration of the vehicle (not the direction) is constrained, advantageously tend to provide that the determined trajectory is able to be followed by a vehicle (e.g. a wheeled land vehicle) that has a limited turn-rate.
[0117] The above described embodiment, in which the trajectory is constrained in such a way that inter alia the maximum value of the acceleration of the vehicle a max is a function of either the x-component or y-component of the velocity vector v, advantageously tends to provide that the trajectory planner tends not to be able to produce trajectories which require, at a particular point in time, the vehicle 2 to travel perpendicular to its heading 4 .
[0118] A further advantage provided by the above described trajectory planner constraint is that the performance of the trajectory planner and/or the vehicle, in particular when the vehicle travels at relatively low speeds, tends to be improved over conventional approaches.
[0119] A further advantage provided by the above described embodiment is that a linear approximation of the vehicle's dynamics is advantageously constrained. In particular, in the above embodiment the magnitude of the vehicle acceleration in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle's heading is constrained. This is achieved by linear approximation of the acceleration limit of the vehicle (i.e. the maximum acceleration). In other words, constraints on the trajectory of the vehicle are implemented in the acceleration space of the vehicle. In particular, the magnitude of the maximum acceleration is constrained depending on the velocity vector v.
[0120] In other embodiments, the above described approach may be combined with one or more of the following additional optional techniques.
[0121] The conventional approach of transforming the vehicle's turn rate limit into an acceleration constraint tends to fail at low speeds. In particular, if the vehicle slows down, the enforcement of
[0000]
a
max
=
V
max
2
R
min
[0000] tends to result in trajectories comprising turns with a turn radius less than R min .
[0122] In a first additional optional technique, a minimum constraint to the vehicle's velocity is used. This constraint provides that the minimum speed of the vehicle 2 , denoted hereinafter as “V min ”, is close to the maximum speed of the vehicle 2 .
[0123] In this embodiment, this minimum speed constraint is enforced as follows.
[0124] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration representing a space of the vehicle's velocity, hereinafter referred to as the “velocity plane 8 ”.
[0125] A convex polynomial approximation of a circle is indicated by the reference numeral 10 and is hereinafter referred to as the “polygon”. The polygon 10 approximates a circle having a radius equal to V min , indicated in FIG. 3 by an arrow and the reference numeral 12 . Also, the polygon 10 is centred at the origin O′ of the velocity plane 8 .
[0126] The vehicle's velocity vector v(k) is constrained to remain outside the polygon 10 , i.e.
[0000]
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
,
∀
m
∈
[
1
,
…
,
N
circ
]
v
x
(
k
)
sin
(
2
π
m
N
circ
)
+
v
y
(
k
)
cos
(
2
π
m
N
circ
)
≥
V
min
-
p
(
k
,
m
)
·
C
L
with
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
∑
m
=
1
N
circ
p
(
k
,
m
)
=
N
circ
-
1
Where:
[0000]
N steps is the number of time-steps;
N circ is the number of corners of the polygon 10 ;
p(k,m) is a binary decision variable. In this embodiment p(k,m) is a matrix of size N steps ×N circ with an entry (equal to zero or one) for each time-step k and polygon corner m. In this embodiment, p(k,m) is used to deactivate constraints; and
C L is an arbitrary constant. In this embodiment C L is relatively large compared to V min .
[0131] The above velocity constraint is satisfied either by v(k) being outside the polygon 10 , or by each value in the matrix p(k,m) being equal to one. The constraint
[0000]
∑
m
=
1
N
circ
p
(
k
,
m
)
=
N
circ
-
1
[0000] provides that only N circ −1 entries of p(k,m) are equal to one. Thus, v(k) must be outside of the polygon 10 .
[0132] Thus, a first additional technique by which a vehicle trajectory may be determined using a trajectory planner is provided. The above described constraints applied to the trajectory planner, i.e. the constraints on the vector v, advantageously tend to provide that the determined trajectory is able to be followed by a vehicle (e.g. a wheeled land vehicle) that has a curvature limit.
[0133] The above described embodiment, in which a constraint on the velocity vector v of the vehicle 2 is applied, advantageously tends to provide that the trajectory planner tends not to be able to produce trajectories which require, at a particular point in time, the vehicle 2 to travel perpendicular to its heading 4 .
[0134] A further advantage provided by the above described trajectory planner constraint is that the performance of the trajectory planner and/or the vehicle, in particular when the vehicle travels at relatively low speeds, tends to be improved compared to the conventional approach. Performance may, for example, be measured as the error between the turn radii of the optimal linear trajectory and the turn radius limit of the non-linear vehicle dynamics.
[0135] A further advantage provided by the above described embodiment is that a linear approximation of the vehicle's dynamics is advantageously constrained. In particular, in the above embodiment the magnitude of the vehicle acceleration in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle's heading is constrained. This is achieved by constraining the velocity vector of the vehicle as described above. In other words, constraints on the trajectory of the vehicle are implemented in the velocity space of the vehicle.
[0136] A second additional technique involves permitting an acceleration of the vehicle 2 that changes the direction of the vehicle 2 , but that does not significantly change the norm of the vehicle's velocity.
[0137] This is achieved by requiring that the acceleration primarily acts in directions that are normal (i.e. perpendicular) to the velocity vector v.
[0138] FIG. 4 is a process flow chart showing certain steps of a process of determining a constrained acceleration vector for the vehicle 2 according to the second additional technique.
[0139] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration that is useful in the understanding of the process of FIG. 4 .
[0140] At step s 2 , the velocity vector v of the vehicle 2 is normalised.
[0141] At step s 4 , the normalised velocity vector {circumflex over (v)} is multiplied by a scalar quantity λ.
[0142] At step s 6 , two convex polynomial approximations of a circle, hereinafter referred to as “the first polygon” and the “second polygon” and indicated in FIG. 5 by the reference numerals 14 and 16 respectively, are determined.
[0143] The first polygon 14 is centred at a point λ{circumflex over (v)}.
[0144] The second polygon 16 is centred at a point −λ{circumflex over (v)}.
[0145] The radii of the first and second polygons 14 , 16 are indicated in FIG. 5 by dotted arrows. These radii are larger than the length of the vector λ{circumflex over (v)}. This provides that the first and second polygons 14 , 16 overlap to some extent.
[0146] At step s 8 , an acceleration vector a is determined such that it lies within an overlap 18 of the first polygon 14 with the second polygon. This provides that the acceleration applied to the vehicle 2 may be relatively large when acting in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the velocity vector v of the vehicle 2 , but is relatively small when acting in a direction that is substantially parallel to the velocity vector v of the vehicle 2 .
[0147] If λ is selected to be a relatively large value, e.g. λ=10, the resulting overlap 18 is relatively small in a direction that is substantially parallel to the velocity of the vehicle v, but is relatively large in a direction that is substantially normal to the velocity vector v. The value of λ may advantageously be selected depending on the application.
[0148] Due to the first and second polygons 14 , 16 being centred around points, the position of which depends on the normalised velocity vector {circumflex over (v)}, if the vehicle 2 slows down, the overlap 18 increases relative to the velocity vector v. This advantageously tends to provide that, at low speeds, a relatively large acceleration may be applied to the vehicle in a direction that is substantially parallel to the velocity vector v, thereby allowing the magnitude of the velocity vector v to be increased.
[0149] The process of determining an acceleration vector for the vehicle 2 described above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 is equivalent to determining an acceleration vector
[0000]
a
(
k
)
=
(
a
x
a
y
)
[0000] for the vehicle 2 that is constrained as follows:
[0000]
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
,
∀
m
∈
[
1
,
…
,
N
circs
]
(
a
x
(
k
)
R
min
V
max
-
λ
v
x
(
k
)
V
max
)
cos
(
2
π
m
N
circs
)
+
(
a
y
(
k
)
R
min
V
max
-
λ
v
y
(
k
)
V
max
)
sin
(
2
π
m
N
circs
)
≤
1
+
λ
2
[0000] where
[0000] v ( k )=( v x ,v y ) T ; and
[0000] where:
[0150] N circs is the number of corners of the first and second polygons 14 , 16 . In other embodiments, the first polygon 14 may have a different number of corners to the second polygon 16 (and the above equation is modified accordingly).
[0151] Thus, a second additional, optional technique by which a vehicle trajectory may be determined using a trajectory planner is provided. The above described constraints applied to the trajectory planner, i.e. the constraints on the vector v, advantageously tend to provide that the determined trajectory is able to be followed by a vehicle (e.g. a wheeled land vehicle) that has a limited turn-rate.
[0152] The above described embodiment, in which a constraint on the acceleration vector a of the vehicle 2 is applied, advantageously tends to provide that the trajectory planner tends not to be able to produce trajectories which require, at a particular point in time, the vehicle 2 to travel perpendicular to its heading 4 .
[0153] A further advantage provided by the above described trajectory planner constraint is that the performance of the trajectory planner and/or the vehicle, in particular when the vehicle travels at relatively low speeds, tends to be improved.
[0154] A further advantage provided by the above described embodiment is that a linear approximation of the vehicle's dynamics is advantageously constrained. In particular, in the above embodiment the magnitude of the vehicle acceleration in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle's heading is constrained. This is achieved by scaling the components of the acceleration vector (i.e. the components a x and a y ) depending of the respective components of the velocity vector (i.e. the components v x and v y respectively). In other words, constraints on the trajectory of the vehicle are implemented in the acceleration space of the vehicle. In particular, the magnitude and the direction of the vehicle's acceleration is constrained.
[0155] A third additional technique involves constraining a trajectory planner such that it may not plan trajectories that require the vehicle 2 to travel in regions that limitations on the vehicle's turning circle prevent it from travelling in.
[0156] In particular, for curvature limited vehicles, which cannot turn on the spot, there exists a circular area to each side of the vehicle that cannot be reached by turning directly into it, for example without repeatedly reversing and advancing. The radius of these circles is substantially equal to the vehicle's minimum turn radius, R min .
[0157] FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration showing the vehicle 2 and two regions, hereinafter referred to as the “first region 20 ” and the “second region 22 ”, into which the vehicle 2 may not directly move, i.e. turn directly into.
[0158] The vehicle 2 may not move into the first or second region due to the vehicle's curvature limitations. The first and second region 20 , 22 are avoided by the trajectory planner when planning a trajectory. The first and second regions 20 , 22 may be considered to be ‘obstacles’ that are to be avoided when planning a trajectory of the vehicle 2 .
[0159] In embodiments in which the third additional technique is implemented, the first and second regions 20 , 22 are approximated by polygons, and the constraint on the trajectory of the vehicle 2 is implemented as follows.
[0160] A unit vector normal to the initial speed vector of the vehicle v(0) is:
[0000]
v
^
n
=
(
v
nx
,
v
ny
)
T
=
(
v
y
(
0
)
,
-
v
x
(
0
)
)
v
x
2
(
0
)
+
v
y
2
(
0
)
[0000] where:
v nx is the component of the vector {circumflex over (v)} n in the x-direction; and v ny is the component of the vector {circumflex over (v)} n in the y-direction.
[0163] An initial position of the vehicle 2 is given by: r 0 =(r 0x ,r 0y ) T .
[0164] In embodiments in which the third additional technique is implemented, the constraint on the trajectory of the vehicle 2 supplied by one of the region 20 , 22 is implemented as follows:
[0000]
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
,
∀
m
∈
[
1
,
…
,
N
regions
]
(
r
x
(
k
)
-
r
0
x
-
R
min
v
nx
)
cos
(
2
π
m
N
regions
)
+
(
r
y
(
k
)
-
r
0
y
-
R
min
v
ny
)
sin
(
2
π
m
N
regions
)
≥
R
min
-
C
L
p
(
k
,
m
)
with
∀
k
∈
[
0
,
…
,
N
steps
]
∑
m
=
1
N
circ
p
(
k
,
m
)
=
N
regions
-
1
[0000] where:
N steps is the number of time-steps; N regions is the number of corners of the polygons used to approximate the first or second regions 20 , 22 . In this embodiment, the polygons used to approximate the first and second regions 20 , 22 comprise the same number of points. However, in other embodiments these polygons may comprise a different number of points. In such cases the above equations may be modified accordingly; p(k,m) is a binary decision variable. In this embodiment p(k,m) is a matrix of size N steps ×N regions with an entry (equal to zero or one) for each time-step k and polygon corner m. In this embodiment, p(k,m) is used to deactivate constraints; and
[0168] C L is an arbitrary constant greater than R min . In this embodiment C L is equal to 2×R min .
[0169] The constant C L may be advantageously selected depending on the application.
[0170] Constraining the trajectory in this way advantageously tends to provide that vehicle 2 may follow the trajectory, even at relatively low speeds. This tends to be particularly useful when planning a trajectory from a resting position or in a cluttered surrounding.
[0171] Thus, a third additional, optional technique by which a vehicle trajectory may be determined using a trajectory planner is provided. The above described constraints applied to the trajectory planner, i.e. the constraints on a position vector r(k)=(r x ,r y ) of the vehicle, advantageously tend to provide that the determined trajectory is able to be followed by a vehicle (e.g. a wheeled land vehicle) that has a curvature limit.
[0172] The above described embodiment, in which the trajectory is required to provide that the vehicle 2 avoids regions close to, and either side of, the vehicle (as described above with reference to FIG. 6 ), advantageously tends to provide that the trajectory planner tends not to be able to produce trajectories which require, at a particular point in time, the vehicle 2 to travel perpendicular to its heading 4 .
[0173] A further advantage provided by the above described trajectory planner constraint is that the performance of the trajectory planner and/or the vehicle, in particular when the vehicle travels at relatively low speeds, tends to be improved.
[0174] A further advantage provided by the above described embodiment is that a linear approximation of the vehicle's dynamics is advantageously constrained. In particular, in the above embodiment the magnitude of the vehicle acceleration in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle's heading is constrained. This is achieved by determining the components of the position vector (i.e. the components r x and r y ), which define a point that the vehicle will be moved to at a particular point in time (in effect the heading of the vehicle at a point in time) depending of the respective components of the velocity vector (i.e. the components v x and v y respectively). In other words, constraints on the trajectory of the vehicle are implemented in the positional space (i.e. x-y space) of the vehicle.
[0175] One or more of the above described optional additional techniques for constraining a trajectory determined by a trajectory planner may advantageously be implemented in conjunction with, or instead of, the constraints described above with reference to FIG. 7 . It may be desirable to use different sets of constraints in different situations. For example, in a case in which the vehicle starts with zero velocity, the acceleration limit constraint of the second additional technique tends to be inappropriate (the vehicle is prevented from moving). However, when the vehicle is operating at high speed, this set of constraints tends to more desirable over the positional constraints of the third additional technique.
[0176] Different sets of constraints (i.e. the velocity constraints described above with respect to FIG. 7 , or the constraints relating to any of the above described additional technique) may be implemented by a trajectory planner contemporaneously or in series. How the constraints are implemented, i.e. in what order and for what proportion of the vehicle's trajectory, may advantageously be selected depending on the application. For example, in another embodiment two sets of constraints may be applied at different times: the positional constraints of the third additional technique may be implemented for a first half of a vehicle's trajectory, and the acceleration constraint of the second additional technique may be implemented for the later half. In another embodiment, a point in time at which a constraint set being implemented by a trajectory planner is changed may be decided using a binary decision variable. In such a way, the change over from one set of constraints to another can advantageously be tied to the vehicle's state.
[0177] Apparatus, including the trajectory planner (not shown in the Figures), for implementing the above arrangement, and performing any of the above described method steps, may be provided by configuring or adapting any suitable apparatus, for example one or more computers or other processing apparatus or processors, and/or providing additional modules. The apparatus may comprise a computer, a network of computers, or one or more processors, for implementing instructions and using data, including instructions and data in the form of a computer program or plurality of computer programs stored in or on a machine readable storage medium such as computer memory, a computer disk, ROM, PROM etc., or any combination of these or other storage media.
[0178] It should be noted that certain of the process steps depicted in the flowchart of FIG. 4 and described above may be omitted or such process steps may be performed in differing order to that presented above and shown in FIG. 4 . Furthermore, although all the process steps have, for convenience and ease of understanding, been depicted as discrete temporally-sequential steps, nevertheless some of the process steps may in fact be performed simultaneously or at least overlapping to some extent temporally.
[0179] In the above embodiments, the vehicle is a land-based vehicle, e.g. a vehicle comprises wheels and/or tracks. However, in other embodiments the vehicle may be any appropriate vehicle that has a curvature limit, e.g. a boat, submarine, or amphibious vehicle. Also, the vehicle may be manned or unmanned.
[0180] In the above embodiments, the constraints that are implemented by the trajectory planner are expressed by the relevant above described equations. In other embodiments, one or more of the constraints may be implemented using a different appropriate equation so as to provide an equivalent constraining effect on the trajectory planner, and/or provide the equivalent functionality to that described above.
[0181] In the above embodiments, the polygons used in the linear approximations may comprise any appropriate number of corners. Generally, the greater the number of corners used for the polygon(s), the greater the accuracy of the approximation to the circles it/they represent tend to be. However, the greater the number of corners of the polygon(s), the more processing power is required. Thus, a trade-off exists between accuracy and processing power. The number of corners for each of the polygons used may be selected. A trade-off exists between the accuracy of the approximation and the processing power required to perform the approximation in a certain amount of time. The number of corners for each polygon may be advantageously selected to achieve a desired balance between accuracy and processing power.
|
A method and apparatus for determining a trajectory for a vehicle are disclosed, wherein the method can include identifying a starting position (p 0 ) for the vehicle; identifying a desired terminal position (P) for the vehicle; linearly approximating dynamics of the vehicle; and using the starting position (p 0 ), the desired terminal position (P), and the linear approximation, determining the trajectory for the vehicle. The linear approximation can be constrained by requirements that: an acceleration of the vehicle during the trajectory is less than a threshold value for the acceleration; and the threshold value for the acceleration is dependent on an infinity norm of a velocity of the vehicle. The vehicle may have a curvature limit.
| 6
|
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to provisional application Serial No. 60/415,702 filed Oct. 2, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to information retrieval systems, and more particularly to wireless information retrieval systems employing flexible display screens.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] The Internet provides a rich repository of information, and search tools are available for finding information quickly. However, such information can generally be accessed only by a computing element such as a desktop, laptop, personal digital assistant, PDA, or cell phone. The desktop and laptop typically have medium size display screens that make viewing comfortable and convenient, but they take several minutes to set up in an operating condition. Sometimes they occupy too much desk space in a home or office environment. PDAs and cell phones typically have smaller screens that severely limit the amount of information that can be displayed, but they are easier to carry and quicker to deploy.
[0006] Tuners for receiving radio and television signals have been available for many decades. Both visual and aural broadcast information can be digitized and accessed through a computer by methods known in the art. Modems for receiving information from the Internet are also readily available as computer peripherals. Recently, the infrastructure for wireless communications has developed to the point where cellular base stations and cell phones are commonplace, and wireless transceivers are appearing in many commercial products such as computer peripherals and consumer devices.
[0007] In the workplace and in the home, space is not always available to set up a computer with a large display screen. It is desirable to provide a large display screen capability that is easy to deploy, and does not carry the cost burden of a full-scale computer with each display. Thus a display station in the form of a “thin client” would be advantageous, providing a large high-resolution display screen without the bulk and expense of the accompanying computer.
[0008] The art of building a spring mechanism into a sunshade to create a retractable shade is well established. The shade can be manually lowered, and then retracted by providing a small additional pull. The additional pull releases a hook mechanism, as will be further described, and allows the internal spring to roll it up. Such shade devices appear in many homes and businesses.
[0009] The art of building flexible interconnection circuits is also well known. Methods for assembling packaged parts, IC chips, and surface mount components onto flexible printed circuit boards are known, including the method of flip chip assembly for bare die.
[0010] Speech recognition circuits are effective and available for processing a relatively small vocabulary, such as a set of voice commands to an information retrieval system.
[0011] A developing art exists for light emitting displays that emit light directly, rather than modulating light from a source such as a backlight. The display back plane includes an array of switching elements provided for controlling light emission at each pixel of the light emitting display. The switching elements can be thin film transistors, TFTs, similar to those employed in liquid crystal display, LCD, panels. Organic light emitting diode, OLED, displays are currently in a rapid state of development. Light emitting polymer, LEP is another name for such displays. Flexible OLEDs or FOLEDs have also been described. Small displays have been integrated into commercial products, and some as large as having 17-inch diagonal screens have been introduced. Most of these displays are bottom-emitting; this means that they are designed to emit light through the substrate, using transparent indium tin oxide as the anode conductor. Top-emitting displays (TOLEDs) have also been described; their light does not pass through the display substrate. These are also referred to as transparent cathode displays. For good color rendition, the substrate for a bottom-emitting display must be transparent and clear. Clear flexible plastic films have been described as substrates for bottom-emitting displays including poly ethylene terepthalate (PET, also known as polyester), and poly ether sulfone (PES). These substrates can be subjected to temperatures as high as 200° C. for brief periods. Accordingly, methods of fabricating TFTs using polysilicon as the semiconductor material have been developed, wherein the substrate temperature does not exceed 200° C. Another approach uses amorphous silicon to fabricate the TFTs. In addition, ink-jet printers have been adapted to precisely dispense tiny spots of organic light-emitting material at each pixel site of an OLED display.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention combines a number of existing capabilities into an innovative information retrieval system. A base station is wirelessly connected to one or more display stations. The base station has programmable features for customizing the type and content of information that can be accessed, and for registering authenticated users. Typically data is captured and stored at the base station covering topics of interest to the users of the information system. However, the base station may also relay information that is available from broadcast or Internet sources to the display stations.
[0013] Once the information system is set up, a user typically interacts with one of the display stations rather than with the base station. The display stations hang on the walls of a building and may be retractable. In the first preferred embodiment of the display screen, a bottom-emitting display is built on a clear flexible substrate material. In the second preferred embodiment, a top-emitting display is built on a flexible substrate material, preferably a polyimide such as Kapton or a liquid crystal polymer (LCP); these are typically not transparent and clear. Electronic components are mounted on a narrow strip of the flexible substrate; the preferred arrangement is to use bare die assembled by the flip chip method, although packaged parts may be used. The preferred human interface consists of voice command and visual response. The user provides a voice command to a display station; the requested information is retrieved from the base station and displayed in real time. Aural responses may also be employed. In each display station, IC chips provide memory, display drivers, a central processing unit (CPU) in the form of a micro-controller, and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for communicating with the base station. Together with batteries or other stored energy devices, the IC chips are contained in a long thin electronic box that extends below the screen. When the screen is extended for viewing, the weight of the box causes the flexible screen to hang straight.
[0014] A user typically operates the information retrieval system as follows. If a display station is retracted, the user first extends the screen for use, and then provides a voice command corresponding to the desired information. The set of usable voice commands has been previously programmed into the base station. The information accessed preferably includes visual and aural information, and is sourced from information stored at the base station, or received and relayed by the base station from broadcast or networked sources. The base station includes a full-fledged computer including a user interface with keyboard, display, memory, speech recognition (voice processing) capabilities, plus file storage and wireless communication capabilities. Preferably it also includes software for customizing the user interface and for uniquely identifying authorized users by their voice signatures.
[0015] Each voice command is received by a selected display station, converted to electronic form, and communicated to the base station. The base station responds by wirelessly transmitting the requested information back to the selected display station whereupon it is presented, all in real time. In the following example, the invention is used to assist a cook in a restaurant, who may need assistance with a particular recipe. He pulls down the screen and gives the voice command “entree”. The screen responds with a list of all the entrees available on the menu, and he makes a selection by voice. The screen responds with the full set of ingredients, and waits for a command such as “Next”, or “Done”. If the cook says “Next”, instructions for the first step in the entree preparation process are displayed, perhaps including a picture of the desired result. At any point the cook may say “Next” to see the next step in the process, “Previous” to back up a step, or “Done” to quit. In this manner the user steps through the process at a pace convenient to him or her. In this case, it is helpful that the cook enjoys hands free operation during the command and response sequence; only a glance over his or her shoulder is required to retrieve the information at each step. Another deployment example would be for an office worker to pull down the screen and say “CNN” to get the latest news on his or her preferred channel. For this application, additional IC chips would provide audio output capability, and sound would come from floor or wall-mounted speakers, or from headphones connected to a jack in the electronic box.
[0016] Before displaying sensitive information, it may be useful to authenticate a user, by testing his or her unique voice patterns. For example, a voice signature may be created for all valid users, typically at the base station computer. The base station will then authenticate users by testing their voice signature before sending any requested display information. The authentication of users may be invoked only if the requested information is categorized as sensitive. Sensitive information may also be displayed for only a brief predetermined interval.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] [0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a building with a base station communicating wirelessly with multiple display stations, the World Wide Web, and broadcast sources;
[0018] [0018]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the information retrieval system of the current invention showing major functional blocks and data flows;
[0019] [0019]FIG. 3A is a front view of a display station, rolled up in its stored position;
[0020] [0020]FIG. 3B is a front view of a display station that has been extended for viewing;
[0021] [0021]FIG. 4A is a cut-away view of the internals of a cylindrical core of the flexible display;
[0022] [0022]FIG. 4B is an end view of the shade mechanism showing the relative orientation of the parts while the shade is being pulled down and the spring is being wound up;
[0023] [0023]FIG. 4C is an end view of the shade mechanism showing the relative orientation of the parts when the shade has been extended and locked in position;
[0024] [0024]FIG. 5A is an end view of a display station in its stored position;
[0025] [0025]FIG. 5B is an end view of a display station that has been extended for viewing;
[0026] [0026]FIG. 6 shows a narrow strip of electronic devices in support of the display station;
[0027] [0027]FIG. 7 is a plan view of the total extent of the flexible circuit supporting the display station; and
[0028] [0028]FIG. 8 is a schematic of repeating pixel circuits for an OLED display.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] [0029]FIG. 1 shows an information retrieval system 10 of the current invention installed in a building 11 that may be a portion of a home or a workplace, including several rooms or one large room. Base station 12 is in two-way communication using radio waves 13 with a number of display stations such as 14 that are mounted on the walls. In order for simultaneous communications with multiple display screens not to interfere with one another, communications with the base station are channelized. This may be achieved using a sectorized antenna pattern, with a distinct lobe radiating outward from the base station for each channel. Alternatively, each display station may communicate with the base station on a different frequency, or using differently coded information. These methods are known in the art. Base station 12 preferably also receives broadcast radio waves 15 from radio and television stations, and communicates via wired or wireless means such as 16 with external networks 17 such as the World Wide Web.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of information retrieval system 10 , showing the primary data flows. Information retrieval system 10 includes at least one base station 12 with multiple display stations 14 , each one wirelessly connected through a separate RF channel 13 to a base station. If there are multiple base stations in system 10 , they will also connect wirelessly through separate RF channels (not shown). Base station 12 includes CPU 20 supported by a user entry device such as keyboard 21 , user display 22 , semiconductor memory 23 , and storage disk 24 . CPU 20 also receives inputs from voice processor 25 and connects through a bi-directional digital interface to multi-channel RF transceiver 26 . CPU 20 may receive information from external networks 27 through modem 28 , and also from broadcast stations 29 through tuner 30 . Display station 14 includes CPU 31 feeding display 32 through display driver 33 . Audio output is obtained at speakers 34 or headphones (not shown), driven by CPU 31 through audio driver 35 . CPU 31 is supported by memory 36 , also receives inputs from voice processor 37 , and connects through a bi-directional digital interface to single channel RF transceiver 38 .
[0031] [0031]FIG. 3A shows the display station in stored form, 40 , with the flexible screen rolled up 41 . A left-hand bracket 42 has a slot to accept tab 43 , as will be further described. Right-hand bracket 44 has a hole to accept pin 45 as will also be further described. An electronics box 46 hangs below the rolled up screen 41 , and pull 47 is available so that a user may deploy the display screen by pulling it downwards.
[0032] [0032]FIG. 3B shows the display station deployed in extended form 50 . Electronics box 46 is shown attached at the bottom of screen 51 ; it's modest weight causes screen 51 to hang straight without unduly stressing the support hardware such as bracket 42 . Pull 47 is shown attached to box 46 . The display portion of the screen, 51 , is shown, with a border 52 . The screen may be of any size and shape. However, a preferred aspect ratio for the display portion 51 is 4:3, consistent with a display standard such as XVGA, with 1024×768 pixels in the x and y directions, respectively. The width, W, of the screen may be 61 cm (24 inches) for example, allowing easy viewing by multiple people in an office environment. As the OLED technology matures, displays with widths of a meter or more may become available.
[0033] [0033]FIG. 4A shows a cutaway view of display cylinder 61 , together with its internal components. Cylinder 61 is typically made of cardboard; it has a typical outside diameter of 25 mm and a typical wall thickness of 3 mm. A spring assembly 62 is shown at the left end of cylinder 61 , and a pin holder assembly 63 is shown at the right end. Pin holder assembly 63 includes a plastic insert 64 that is pushed into the end of cylinder 61 , and provides support for pin 45 . Spring assembly 62 includes a plastic core 65 with a slot 66 to capture one end of spring 67 . The other end of spring 67 has an increased diameter 68 to form a press fit inside the left end of cylinder 61 . Tab 43 is inserted through a hole in end cap 69 and fixed to the left end of core 65 by insertion into a slot (not shown). Thus spring 67 is secured in such a manner that it can be wound up when tab 43 is rotated while cylinder 61 is stationary. In actual deployment, tab 43 is held stationary in the slot of left hand bracket 42 , and cylinder 61 rotates around the tab (when the user pulls downward on pull 47 ), causing spring 67 to wind up.
[0034] It is desirable to have a convenient way to latch the screen in its extended position. This capability is described in reference to FIGS. 4B and 4C. Shade mechanism 70 is shown in FIG. 4B to illustrate the orientation of the parts when the screen is being pulled down. A pair of hooks 71 and 72 rotate around shafts such as 73 affixed to end cap 69 , which is shown in dotted outline to illustrate the combination. Hooks 71 and 72 have a shape that can interlock with a cam 74 affixed to the base of tab 43 . However, when the display screen is pulled down, hooks 71 and 72 rotate into the positions shown and don't engage cam 74 , as spring 67 is wound up. The rotation of cylinder 61 and end cap 69 is counterclockwise in this case, as indicated by arrow 76 .
[0035] [0035]FIG. 4C shows the situation for mechanism 70 when the user pauses the action of pulling down the display screen. Hook 71 has rotated under gravity into a position where it interlocks with cam 74 as shown. The effect of the wound up spring is to apply torque to cylinder 61 in the direction shown by arrow 77 , such as to maintain the locked position. If the display screen is subsequently tugged downward, the interlock is released and the screen can wind up under the influence of spring 67 .
[0036] [0036]FIG. 5A is an end view of the display station in stored form 40 . Left bracket 42 is shown in relation to wound up screen 41 , electronic box 46 , and pull 47 .
[0037] [0037]FIG. 5B is an end view of the display station in expanded form 50 , with flexible substrate 81 weighted by electronics box 46 . The weight of electronics box 46 causes flexible substrate 81 to hang straight, avoiding wrinkles that would degrade the image displayed.
[0038] [0038]FIG. 6 shows the physical contents 82 of electronic box 46 , as attached to the bottom edge of flexible substrate 81 . Included are a micro-controller chip 83 implementing the CPU function 31 , a group of memory and display driver chips 84 implementing display driver 33 , a group of audio chips 85 implementing audio driver 35 and speech processor 37 , batteries 86 , and a group of radio-frequency (RF) chips 87 . Supported by micro-controller 83 , RF group 87 provides wireless transceiver 38 for communicating with base station 12 . Packaged parts may also be used in place of the bare die chips such as 83 . RF antenna 88 is also shown.
[0039] [0039]FIG. 7 shows a plan view of the total flexible circuit 90 on substrate 81 . It includes display portion 91 , comprised of a repeating array of pixel display elements, represented by location 92 . A top border 93 is shown, corresponding to blank substrate material that is wrapped around and secured to cylinder 61 . A strip of flexible circuit 94 is also shown for attaching the IC chips and components of the electronic box, 46 . For durability and light weight the preferred thickness of substrate 81 is 50-100 microns.
[0040] [0040]FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a pixel display element, such as at pixel location 92 . This example circuit follows Richard Friend, “Organic Electroluminescent Displays”, Society for Information Display, May 1999. Signal line 101 and supply line 102 are arrayed with scan line 103 and capacitor line 104 . Light emitting polymer (LEP) diode 105 emits light 106 and connects between anode 107 and cathode 108 . Switching thin film transistor, TFT, 109 feeds storage capacitor 110 ; the voltage stored on capacitor 110 determines the drive current and therefore the brightness of illumination of the pixel. Drive transistor 111 sends the desired current from supply line 102 through photodiode 105 to create illumination 106 .
|
An information retrieval system includes a base station and multiple display stations. A user gives a voice command to one of the display stations and information is retrieved from the base station and displayed in real time; the information may be presented to the user both visually and aurally. The source of the information may be data stored at the base station, or data relayed by the base station from network sources such as the Internet, or from radio or television broadcast stations. The display station has a pull-down screen that can operate like a shade; it retracts using the energy in a wound-up spring.
| 6
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of international application number PCT/EP2012/050867, filed on Jan. 20, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a piston pump for a high-pressure cleaning appliance, comprising a plurality of pump chambers into each of which one piston which is movable back and forth plunges, and which are each in flow connection via a suction valve with a suction inlet and via a pressure valve with a pressure outlet, the pistons each being surrounded by a sealing ring which is supported in the radial direction by a ring wall and in the axial direction by a support ring.
[0003] A liquid, preferably water, can be pressurized and directed at an article to be cleaned or a surface to be cleaned by means of such piston pumps. For this purpose, the pistons can be reciprocatingly driven, for example, by means of a swash plate, so that the volumes of the pump chambers periodically change and liquid can be drawn from the suction inlet via the suction valves into the pump chambers, pressurized there and discharged via the pressure valves and the pressure outlet. A pressure hose, for example, which carries at its free end a discharge member for the pressurized liquid, for example, a spray nozzle or a spray lance, can be connected to the pressure outlet.
[0004] The pump chambers are each sealed by means of a sealing ring which surrounds the piston plunging into the pump chamber in the circumferential direction. The sealing ring can form a sealing lip, for example, which under the pressure prevailing in the pump chamber is pressed against the lateral surface of the piston. The sealing ring is usually supported by a ring wall in the radial direction, and a support ring is usually used for support in the axial direction. Such piston pumps are known, for example, from DE 44 45 519 C1.
[0005] In many cases, the liquid is pressurized in the pump chambers to a pressure above 100 bar. While in operation, the piston pump is, therefore, subjected to considerable mechanical stresses and must have a high mechanical stability. The piston pumps, therefore, usually have a substantial material thickness. This involves not inconsiderable manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the relatively high material thickness has the consequence that the housing of the piston pump, which is usually manufactured in a casting process, undergoes a lengthy cooling process during the manufacture, which limits the production rate of the housing. This also increases the manufacturing costs of the piston pump.
[0006] The object of the present invention is to develop a piston pump of the kind mentioned at the outset in such a way that it can be manufactured more cost-effectively.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] This object is accomplished, in accordance with the invention, in a piston pump of the generic kind in that it comprises a one-piece support shield which forms the support rings and surrounds the ring walls in the circumferential direction.
[0008] In the piston pump in accordance with the invention, all of the support rings which support in the axial direction the sealing rings surrounding one piston each in the circumferential direction are integrated in a one-piece support shield. This makes simpler assembly of the piston pump possible as all of the support rings can be positioned in a single assembly step.
[0009] The one-piece support shield used in accordance with the invention has, in addition, the function of surrounding the aforementioned ring walls in the circumferential direction and, therefore, supporting the ring walls in the radial direction. This allows the material usage for the ring walls to be reduced as the resulting reduction in the mechanical stability of the ring walls is compensated by the support shield surrounding all of the ring walls in the circumferential direction.
[0010] The one-piece support shield, therefore, makes it possible to reduce the material usage for the pump housing and to simplify the assembly of the piston pump.
[0011] In an advantageous embodiment, the support shield comprises a plurality of support sleeves into each of which a ring wall extends. As explained above, the pump chambers are sealed by means of the sealing rings which surround one piston each and, in turn, are surrounded by a ring wall and are supported on a support ring in the axial direction. In the advantageous embodiment of the invention, the ring wall extends into a support sleeve which is defined by the one-piece support shield.
[0012] It may, for example, be provided that the piston pump in accordance with the invention comprises three pistons which plunge into one pump chamber each, each pump chamber having a ring wall associated therewith, which supports a sealing ring in the radial direction and extends into a support sleeve of the support shield. In such a configuration, the ring wall can be of particularly thin-walled construction and yet the liquid to be pumped can be pressurized in the pump chambers to a high pressure.
[0013] In a particularly preferred configuration of the invention, the piston pump comprises a pump block which includes the pump chambers and is connected to the support shield by substance-to-substance bonding. This allows the manufacturing costs to be additionally reduced and the assembly of the piston pump to also be simplified.
[0014] An adhesive connection, for example, can be used as substance-to-substance bonded connection. A layer of adhesive can, for example, be provided between the ring walls surrounding one sealing ring each in the circumferential direction and the support shield surrounding the ring wall in the circumferential direction. This makes a connection between the pump block and the support shield possible, which is able to withstand mechanical stress. The layer of adhesive can additionally serve as sealing element for the liquid to be pumped. A uniform distribution of tension and transfer of force can also be achieved by the adhesive connection. Tension peaks, as may often occur with a screw connection, can be reduced.
[0015] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the pump block is welded to the support shield. This makes a connection possible, which has a particularly high resistance to stress and also reliably withstands very high pressures.
[0016] It is expedient for the ring walls surrounding one sealing ring each in the circumferential direction to each be welded to a surrounding support sleeve.
[0017] The pump block and the support shield are preferably made of a plastic material. This allows the pump block to be connected to the support shield by, for example, ultrasonic welding. If the support shield comprises support sleeves, as explained hereinabove, the support sleeves can be fitted on one ring wall each and welded to it in a constructionally simple way. The welded connection makes it possible for the two parts to be permanently fixed to each other so that they are subsequently unable to execute any relative movement. As optimum sealing can also be achieved with the welded connection, additional seals between the two parts can be dispensed with.
[0018] It is advantageous for the support shield to be fitted on a guide shield comprising guide members for guiding the pistons in the axial direction. The pistons can be guided in the axial direction by means of the guide members of the guide shield. The guide shield simultaneously has the function of supporting the support shield in the axial direction.
[0019] It may, for example, be provided that the support shield comprises support collars preferably aligned coaxially with the support sleeves. The support collars are fitted on the guide shield and surround one piston each in the circumferential direction. The support shield can be supported on the guide shield in a constructionally simple way by means of the support collars. In addition, the use of the support collars has the advantage that the mechanical stability of the support shield is increased, with the material thickness of the support shield being able to be kept relatively low.
[0020] The support collars preferably comprise one drainage opening each, for example, a drainage slot. Liquid leaking inadvertently from the pump chambers via the sealing ring surrounding one piston each can be discharged to the environment via the drainage opening.
[0021] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a particularly high mechanical stability with relatively low material usage can be achieved by the support shield being supported by a guide shield of convex shape, which forms a cover for a swash plate housing. In such a configuration, the guide shield supporting the support shield in the axial direction is of convex construction. This imparts a particularly high mechanical stability to it and allows the material thickness of the guide shield to be reduced. In addition to its function of guiding the pistons in the axial direction and supporting the support shield in the axial direction, in such a configuration, the guide shield assumes the function of a cover for the swash plate housing in which a swash plate is arranged, with which the pistons interact in order to bring about a reciprocating movement. The swash plate can be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the piston pump, and the pistons can be driven by the rotational movement of the swash plate so as to move back and forth, under the action of which the volumes of the pump chambers are periodically changed.
[0022] The following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention serves for further explanation in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an advantageous embodiment of a piston pump in accordance with the invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a pump block, welded to a support shield, of the piston pump from FIG. 1 ;
[0025] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the pump block, welded to the support shield, along line 3 - 3 in FIG. 2 ; and
[0026] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the pump block and the support shield in the manner of an exploded drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] An advantageous embodiment of a piston pump in accordance with the invention, generally denoted by reference numeral 10 , is shown schematically in the drawings. The piston pump 10 comprises a pump head 12 with a suction inlet 14 , via which a liquid to be pressurized, preferably water, can be supplied to the piston pump 10 . A supply line, for example, can be connected to the suction inlet 14 . The pump head 12 also comprises a pressure outlet 16 via which the pressurized liquid can be discharged. A pressure hose, for example, carrying at its free end a discharge member for the pressurized liquid, for example, a spray lance or a spray nozzle can be connected to the pressure outlet 16 .
[0028] The pump head 12 is fitted in the axial direction, in relation to a longitudinal pump axis 18 , on a pump block 20 comprising a plurality of pump chambers 22 , into each of which one piston 24 plunges. The piston pump 10 shown in the drawings has a total of three pump chambers. Only one pump chamber 22 is recognizable in the drawings. The pump chambers are arranged so as to be uniformly distributed about the longitudinal pump axis 18 and are each at the same radial distance from the longitudinal pump axis 18 .
[0029] The pump chambers 22 are each in flow connection via a suction valve 26 with the suction inlet 14 and via a pressure valve 28 with a central pressure chamber 30 , which the pump head 12 and the pump block 20 form between them. Adjoining the pressure chamber 30 in the axial direction is a pressure line 32 , aligned coaxially with the longitudinal pump axis 18 , via which the pressure chamber 30 is in flow connection with the pressure outlet 16 .
[0030] A central insert part 34 formed rotationally symmetrically in relation to the longitudinal pump axis 18 is held in the pressure chamber 30 . The insert part 34 is formed in the manner of a piston and is surrounded by two sealing rings arranged between the insert part 34 and the wall of the pressure chamber 30 . The insert part 34 forms a holding element for closing springs 40 of the pressure valves 28 . On its front side that faces away from the closing springs 40 , the insert part 34 has a recess 42 into which a closing member 44 of a central check valve extends, by means of which a central passage of the insert part 34 can be closed.
[0031] The pump chambers 22 are each sealed in the direction facing away from the pump head 12 by means of a sealing ring 46 which has a sealing lip 48 and surrounds a piston 24 in the circumferential direction. The sealing ring 46 is surrounded in the circumferential direction by a collar-like ring wall 50 of the pump block 20 . The ring wall 50 is of cylindrical construction and is aligned coaxially with a longitudinal piston axis 52 . In relation to the longitudinal piston axis 52 , the ring wall 50 supports the sealing ring 46 radially.
[0032] On the side that faces away from the pump head 12 , the pump block 20 is adjoined by a one-piece support shield 54 whose configuration is evident, in particular, from FIG. 4 . It comprises support rings 56 which support one sealing ring 46 each in the axial direction. Each support ring 56 is adjoined by a cylindrical support sleeve 58 which is aligned coaxially with a longitudinal piston axis 52 and surrounds a ring wall 50 in the circumferential direction. On the rear side that faces away from the support shields 54 , the support shield 54 carries a plurality of cylindrical support collars 60 which are also aligned coaxially with the longitudinal piston axes 52 and have one drainage opening each in the form of a drainage slot 62 .
[0033] The support shield 54 is of one-piece construction and is made of a plastic material. A plastic material is also used in each case for the manufacture of the pump head 12 and the pump block 20 . The pump block 20 is welded to the support shield 54 in the area of the ring walls 50 and the support sleeves 58 surrounding these. Therefore, each ring wall 50 is connected by substance-to-substance bonding by way of a circumferential weld seam to a support sleeve 58 into which the ring wall 50 extends. This imparts a high mechanical stability to the ring walls 50 without these having to have a considerable material thickness.
[0034] With the support collars 60 , the support shield 54 is supported in the axial direction on a guide shield 64 comprising a plurality of guide members in the form of guide sleeves 66 aligned coaxially with the longitudinal piston axes 52 . A piston 24 lies slidingly against each guide sleeve 66 . By means of a resetting spring 68 surrounding the guide sleeves 66 in each case, the pistons are pressed against a swash plate 70 which is mounted in a swash plate housing 72 for rotation about the longitudinal pump axis 18 . The guide shield 64 forms a convexly outwardly curved cover for the swash plate housing 72 on which the guide shield 64 is supported in the axial direction.
[0035] The swash plate 70 can be rotated about the longitudinal pump axis 18 in the usual way by a drive motor, known per se and, therefore, not shown in the drawings, in particular, an electric motor, with the rotational movement of the motor shaft being transmitted by a gearing 74 shown schematically in FIG. 1 to the swash plate 70 .
[0036] A high mechanical stability is achieved by the weld connection to a support sleeve 58 , which surrounds a ring wall 50 in the circumferential direction, in each case, with the material usage being able to be kept relatively low for both the pump block 20 and the support shield 54 . After the welding of the pump block 20 to the support shield 54 , the sealing rings 46 surrounding one piston 24 each in the circumferential direction are reliably secured in both the axial and the radial direction, so that a high degree of tightness can be achieved by means of the sealing rings 46 even under high pressures. Liquid that does, nevertheless, leak from the pump chambers 22 can escape to the outside through the drainage slots 62 .
[0037] To assemble the piston pump 10 , it is possible, after assembly of the swash plate 70 , for the guide shield 64 to be fitted on the swash plate housing 72 , the pistons 24 having been previously inserted in the guide sleeves 66 . The support shield 54 can then be fitted on the guide shield 64 after the suction valves 26 have been previously assembled in the pump block 20 and the pump block 20 has been welded to the support shield 54 . The ring walls 50 surrounding one sealing ring 46 each in the circumferential direction thereby extend into the support sleeves 58 . The ring walls 50 are welded to one support sleeve 58 each. Ultrasonic welding can be used for this purpose as both the pump block 20 and the support shield 54 are made of a plastic material.
[0038] After insertion of the pressure valves 28 and the central insert part 34 including the central closing member 44 into the pump block 20 , in a following assembly step the pump head 12 can be fitted in the axial direction on the pump block 20 , with an elastically deformable sealing ring 76 being positioned between the pump head 12 and the pump block 20 . In a next assembly step, the pump head 12 can then be clamped to the pump block 20 . A clamping element 77 , for example, can be used for this purpose, which is shown only schematically in FIG. 1 and engages the end face 78 of the pump head 12 that faces away from the pump block 20 . The clamping element 77 can engage over the pump head 12 , the pump block 20 and the support shield 54 and be screwed to radially outwardly facing screw receptacles of the guide shield 64 .
[0039] Manufacture and assembly of the piston pump 10 are, therefore, very simple. Use of the one-piece support shield 54 with the support sleeves 58 surrounding one ring wall 50 each and with the support collars 60 aligned coaxially with the support sleeves 58 makes it possible to keep the material usage of the support shield 54 and also the material usage of the pump block 20 in the area of the ring walls 50 low.
|
A piston pump for a high-pressure cleaning appliance is provided, including a plurality of pump chambers into each of which one piston which is movable back and forth plunges, and which are each in flow connection via a suction valve with a suction inlet and via a pressure valve with a pressure outlet, the pistons each being surrounded by a sealing ring which is supported in the radial direction by a ring wall and in the axial direction by a support ring. In order to develop the piston pump in such a way that it can be manufactured and assembled more cost-effectively, it is proposed that the piston pump includes a one-piece support shield which forms the support rings and surrounds the ring walls in the circumferential direction.
| 5
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] Cross-reference is hereby made to commonly assigned related U.S. application Ser. No. ______ to David Anderson, et al., filed concurrently herewith, entitled “Shape Memory Alloy Actuators” (Attorney Docket No. P9579.00).
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators and more particularly to means for forming SMA actuators and incorporating such actuators into elongated medical devices.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The term SMA is applied to a group of metallic materials which, when subjected to appropriate thermal loading, are able to return to a previously defined shape or size. Generally an SMA material may be plastically deformed at some relatively low temperature and will return to a pre-deformation shape upon exposure to some higher temperature by means of a micro-structural transformation from a flexible martensitic phase at the low temperature to an austenitic phase at a higher temperature. The temperature at which the transformation takes place is known as the activation temperature. In one example, a TiNi alloy has an activation temperature of approximately 70° C. An SMA is “trained” into a particular shape by heating it well beyond its activation temperature to its annealing temperature where it is held for a period of time. In one example, a TiNi alloy is constrained in a desired shape and then heated to 510° C. and held at that temperature for approximately fifteen minutes.
[0004] In the field of medical devices SMA materials, for example TiNi alloys, such as Nitinol, or Cu alloys, may form a basis for actuators designed to impart controlled deformation to elongated interventional devices. Examples of these devices include delivery catheters, guide wires, electrophysiology catheters, ablation catheters, and electrical leads, all of which require a degree of steering to access target sites within a body; that steering is facilitated by an SMA actuator. An SMA actuator within an interventional device typically includes a strip of SMA material extending along a portion of a length of the device and one or more resistive heating elements through which electrical current is directed. Each heating element is attached to a surface of the SMA strip, in proximity to portions of the SMA strip that have been trained to bend upon application of thermal loading. A layer of electrically insulating material is disposed over a portion of the SMA strip on which a conductive material is deposited or applied in a trace pattern forming the heating element. Electrical current is directed through the conductive trace from wires attached to interconnect pads that terminate each end of the trace. In this way, the SMA material is heat activated while insulated from the electrical current. It is important that, during many cycles of activation, the insulative layer does not crack or delaminate from the surface of the SMA strip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] [0005]FIG. 1A is a plan view including a partial section of an elongated medical device including an SMA actuator.
[0006] [0006]FIG. 1B is a plan view of the exemplary device of FIG. 1A wherein a current has been passed through heating elements of the SMA actuator.
[0007] [0007]FIG. 1C is a plan view including a partial section of another embodiment of an elongated medical device including an SMA actuator.
[0008] [0008]FIG. 1D is a plan view of the exemplary device of FIG. 1C wherein a current has been passed through heating elements of the SMA actuator.
[0009] [0009]FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an SMA substrate or strip that would be incorporated in an SMA actuator.
[0010] [0010]FIG. 2B is a plan view of a portion of a surface of an SMA actuator.
[0011] [0011]FIG. 3 is a section view through a portion of an SMA actuator according an embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] [0012]FIG. 4 is a section view through a portion of an SMA actuator according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIGS. 5 A-D are section views illustrating steps, according to embodiments of the present invention, for forming the SMA actuator illustrated in FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] FIGS. 1 A-D illustrate two examples of elongated medical devices each incorporating an SMA actuator, wherein each actuator serves to control deformation of a portion of each device. FIG. 1A is a plan view with partial section of an elongated medical device 300 including an SMA actuator 56 . As illustrated in FIG. 1A, medical device 300 further includes a shaft 305 , a hub 303 terminating a proximal end of shaft 305 , and conductor wires 57 coupled to SMA actuator 56 . SMA actuator 56 , positioned within a distal portion 100 of shaft 305 , includes a plurality of heating elements (not shown), electrically insulated from an SMA substrate, through which current flows fed by wires 57 ; wires 57 , extending proximally and joined to electrical contacts (not shown) on hub 303 , carry current to heat portions of the SMA substrate to an activation temperature. At the activation temperature, portions of the SMA substrate revert to a trained shape, for example a shape 200 as illustrated in FIG. 1B. FIG. 1B is a plan view of the exemplary device 300 of FIG. 1A wherein a current has been passed through heating elements of SMA actuator 56 , locations of which heating elements correspond to bends 11 , 12 , and 13 . When the current is cut, either an external force or a spring element (not shown) joined to shaft 605 in proximity of SMA actuator 56 returns distal portion 100 back to a substantially straight form as illustrated in FIG. 1A. Device 300 , positioned within a lumen of another elongated medical device, may be used to steer or guide a distal portion of the other device via controlled deformation of actuator 56 at locations corresponding to bends 11 , 12 , and 13 , either all together, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, or individually, or in paired combinations.
[0015] [0015]FIG. 1C is a plan view including a partial section of another embodiment of an elongated medical device 600 including an SMA actuator 10 embedded in a portion of a wall 625 of a shaft 605 . As illustrated in FIG. 1C, medical device 600 further includes a hub 603 terminating a proximal end of shaft 605 , a lumen 615 extending along shaft 605 , from a distal portion 610 through hub 603 , and conductor wires 17 coupled to SMA actuator 10 . SMA actuator 10 , positioned within distal portion 610 of shaft 605 , includes a plurality of heating elements (not shown), electrically insulated from an SMA substrate, through which current flows fed by wires 17 ; wires 17 , extending proximally and joined to electrical contacts (not shown) on hub 603 , carry current to heat portions of the SMA substrate to an activation temperature. At the activation temperature, portions of the SMA substrate revert to a trained shape, for example a bend 620 as illustrated in FIG. 1D. FIG. 1D is a plan view of the exemplary device 600 of FIG. 1C wherein a current has been passed through a heating element of SMA actuator 10 , a location of which heating element corresponds to bend 620 . When the current is cut, either an external force or a spring element (not shown), for example embedded in a portion of shaft wall 625 , returns distal portion 610 back to a substantially straight form as illustrated in FIG. 1C. Lumen 615 of device 600 , may form a pathway to slideably engage another elongated medical device, guiding the other device via controlled deformation of distal portion 610 by actuator 10 resulting in bend 620 .
[0016] FIGS. 2 A-B illustrate portions of exemplary SMA actuators that may be incorporated into an elongated medical device, for example device 300 illustrated in FIGS. 1 A-B. FIG. 2A is a perspective view of an SMA substrate or strip 20 that would be incorporated into an SMA actuator, such as SMA actuator 56 illustrated in FIG. 1A. Embodiments of the present invention include an SMA substrate, such as strip 20 , having a thickness between approximately 0.001 inch and approximately 0.1 inch; a width and a length of strip 20 depends upon construction and functional requirements of a medical device into which strip 20 is integrated. As illustrated in FIG. 2A strip 20 includes a surface 500 , which according to embodiments of the present invention includes a layer of an inorganic electrically insulative material formed or deposited directly thereon, examples of which include oxides such as silicon oxide, titanium oxide, or aluminum oxide, nitrides such as boron nitride, silicon nitride, titanium nitride, or aluminum nitride, and carbides such as silicon carbide, titanium carbide, or aluminum carbide. Means for forming the inorganic material layer are well know to those skilled the art and include vacuum deposition methods, such as sputtering, evaporative metalization, plasma assisted vapor deposition, or chemical vapor deposition; other methods include precipitation coating and printing followed by sintering. In an alternate embodiment an SMA substrate, such as strip 20 , is a TiNi alloy and a native oxide of the TiNi alloy forms the layer of inorganic electrically insulative material; the native oxide may be chemically, electrochemically or thermally formed on surface 500 . In yet another embodiment, a deposited non-native oxide, nitride, or carbide, such as one selected from those mentioned above, in combination with a native oxide forms the layer of electrically insulative material on surface 500 .
[0017] According to embodiments of the present invention, an SMA substrate, such as strip 20 , is trained to bend, for example in the direction indicated by arrow A in FIG. 2A, after deposition or formation of an inorganic electrically insulative layer upon surface 500 , since the inorganic insulative layer will not break down under training temperatures. Training temperatures for TiNi alloys range between approximately 300° C. and approximately 800° C. Alternately an SMA substrate, such as strip 20 , may be trained to bend before deposition or formation of the inorganic insulative layer if a temperature of the substrate, during a deposition or formation process, is maintained below an activation temperature of the substrate. Furthermore, according to an alternate embodiment, an additional layer of an organic material is deposited over the inorganic layer to form a composite electrically insulative layer. Examples of suitable organic materials include polyimide, parylene, benzocyclobutene (BCB), and fluoropolymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Means for forming the additional layer are well known to those skilled in the art and include dip coating, spay coating, spin coating, chemical vapor deposition, plasma assisted vapor deposition and screen printing; the additional layer being formed following training of the SMA substrate and at a temperature below an activation temperature of the substrate. An activation temperature for an SMA actuator included in an interventional medical device must be sufficiently high to avoid accidental activation at body temperature; a temperature threshold consistent with this requirement and having a safety factor built in is approximately 60° C. This lower threshold of approximately 60° C. may also prevent accidental activation during shipping of the medical device. An activation temperature must also be sufficiently low to avoid thermal damage to body tissues and fluids; a maximum temperature consistent with this requirement is approximately 100° C., but will depend upon thermal insulation and, or cooling means employed in a medical device incorporating an SMA actuator.
[0018] [0018]FIG. 2B is a plan view of a portion of a surface of an SMA actuator 50 . FIG. 2B illustrates a group of conductive trace patterns; portions of the conductive trace patterns are formed either on a first layer, a second layer, or between the first and second layer of a multi-layer electrical insulation 1 formed on a surface of an SMA substrate, such as strip 20 illustrated in FIG. 2A. As illustrated in FIG. 2B, conductive trace pattern includes heating element traces 2 , which are formed on first layer of insulation 1 , signal traces 4 , 5 , which are formed on second layer of insulation 1 , and conductive vias 3 , 9 , which traverse second layer in order to electrically couple heating element signal traces 2 on first layer with signal traces 4 , 5 on second layer. Each signal trace 4 extends from an interconnect pad 6 through via 3 to heating element trace 2 , while signal trace 5 extends from all heating element traces 2 through vias 9 to a common interconnect pad 7 . According to embodiments of the present invention, multi-layer insulation 1 is formed of an inorganic electrically insulative material, examples of which are presented above, deposited or formed directly on the SMA substrate. Portions of conductive trace pattern deposited upon each layer of multi-layer insulation 1 , according to one embodiment, are formed of a first layer of titanium, a second layer of gold and a third layer of titanium and each interconnect pad 6 , 7 is formed of gold deposited upon the second layer of insulation 1 . Details regarding pattern designs, application processes, thicknesses, and materials of conductive traces that may be included in embodiments of the present invention are known to those skilled in the arts of VLSI and photolithography.
[0019] Section views in FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate embodiments of the present invention in two basic forms. FIG. 3 is a section view through a portion of an SMA actuator 30 including one segment of a conductive trace 32 that may be a portion of a heating element trace, such as a heating element trace 2 illustrated in FIG. 2B. As illustrated in FIG. 3, SMA actuator 30 further includes an SMA substrate 350 , a first insulative layer 31 , electrically isolating conductive trace 32 from SMA substrate 350 , and a second insulative layer 33 covering and surrounding conductive trace 32 to electrically isolate conductive trace 32 from additional conductive traces that may be included in a pattern, such as the pattern illustrated in FIG. 2B. According to embodiments of the present invention, first insulative layer 31 , including an inorganic material, is deposited or formed directly on substrate 350 , as described in conjunction with FIG. 2A. Conductive materials are deposited or applied on insulative layer 31 , creating conductive trace 32 , for example by etching, and then second insulative layer 33 , including an inorganic material, is deposited or applied over conductive trace 32 . In an alternate embodiment, second insulative layer 33 includes an organic electrically insulative material; examples of suitable organic materials include polyimide, parylene, benzocyclobutene (BCB), and fluoropolymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Means for forming insulative layer 33 include dip coating, spray coating, spin coating, chemical vapor deposition, plasma assisted vapor deposition and screen-printing. Training of SMA substrate 350 may follow or precede formation of first insulative layer 31 , as previously described in conjunction with FIG. 2A.
[0020] [0020]FIG. 4 is a section view through a portion of an SMA actuator 40 including one segment of a conductive trace 42 . According to alternate embodiments of the present invention, a groove in a surface of an SMA substrate 450 (reference FIG. 5A) establishes a pattern for conductive trace 42 , the pattern including a heating element trace disposed between signal traces, similar to one of heating element traces 2 and corresponding signal traces 4 , 5 illustrated in FIG. 2B. As illustrated in FIG. 4, an insulative layer 41 is disposed between conductive trace 42 and SMA substrate 450 electrically isolating conductive trace 42 from an SMA substrate 450 . According to embodiments of the present invention, insulative layer 41 includes an inorganic material, examples of which are given in conjunction with FIG. 2A, formed directly on SMA substrate 450 . Training of SMA substrate 450 may follow or precede formation of first insulative layer 41 including an inorganic material, as previously described in conjunction with FIG. 2A. According to alternate embodiments of the present invention, insulative layer 41 includes an organic material, formed directly on SMA substrate 450 following training of substrate 450 . Selected organic materials for insulative layer 41 include those which may be deposited or applied at a temperature below an activation temperature of SMA substrate 450 and those which will not degrade at the activation temperature of SMA substrate 450 ; examples of such materials include polyimide, parylene, benzocyclobutene (BCB), and fluoropolymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Means for forming insulative layer 41 include dip coating, spray coating, spin coating, chemical vapor deposition, plasma assisted vapor deposition and screen-printing.
[0021] FIGS. 5 A-D are section views illustrating steps, according to embodiments of the present invention, for forming SMA actuator 40 illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 5A illustrates SMA substrate 450 including a groove 510 formed in a surface 515 ; groove 510 is formed, for example by a machining process. FIG. 5B illustrates a layer of electrically insulative material 511 formed on surface 515 and within groove 510 . FIG. 5C illustrates a layer of conductive material 512 formed over layer of insulative material 511 . FIG. 5D illustrates insulative layer 41 and conductive trace 42 left in groove 510 after polishing excess insulative material 511 and conductive material 512 from surface 515 . As illustrated in FIG. 5D, conductive trace 42 is flush with surface 515 following polishing; in one example, according to this embodiment, groove 510 is formed having a width of approximately 25 micrometer and a depth of approximately 1.2 micrometer approximately matching a predetermined combined thickness of insulative layer 41 and conductive trace 42 . According to alternate embodiments of the present invention, groove 510 is formed deeper than a resultant combined thickness of the insulative layer 41 and conductive trace 42 so that conductive trace is recessed from surface 515 .
EXAMPLES
[0022] Minimum theoretical thicknesses having sufficient dielectric strength for operating voltages of 100V, 10V, and 1V applied across conductive traces on SMA actuators were calculated for insulating layers of Silicon Nitride, Aluminum Nitride, Boron Nitride, and polyimide according to the following formula:
Thickness=voltage/dielectric strength.
[0023] A dielectric strength for Silicon Nitride was estimated to be 17700 volts/millimeter; a dielectric strength for Aluminum Nitride was estimated to be 15,000 volts/millimeter; a dielectric strength for Boron Nitride was estimated to be 3,750 volts/millimeter; a dielectric strength for polyimide was estimated to be 157,500 volts/millimeter. Results are presented in Table 1.
TABLE 1 Thickness, 100 V Thickness, 10 V Thickness, 1 V (micrometer) (micrometer) (micrometer) Silicone Nitride 5.65 0.56 0.06 Aluminum 6.67 0.67 0.07 Nitride Boron Nitride 26.7 2.67 0.27 Polyimide 0.64 0.064 0.0064
[0024] Finally, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that numerous alternative forms of SMA substrates and trace patterns included in SMA actuators and employed in medical devices are within the spirit of the present invention. For example, SMA actuators according to the present invention can include conductive trace patterns on two or more surfaces of an SMA substrate or an additional layer or layers of non-SMA material joined to an SMA substrate, which serve to enhance biocompatibility or radiopacity in a medical device application. Hence, descriptions of particular embodiments provided herein are intended as exemplary, not limiting, with regard to the following claims.
|
A shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator includes a groove formed in a surface of a shape memory alloy (SMA) substrate establishing a trace pattern for a layer of conductive material formed over an electrically insulative layer. The trace pattern includes a first end, a second end, and a heating element disposed between the first and second ends. The SMA substrate is trained to deform at a transition temperature achieved when electricity is conducted through the conductive material via first and second interconnect pads terminating the first and second ends of the trace pattern.
| 5
|
This is a division of application Ser. No. 580,241, filed May 23, 1975, and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,362.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The disclosures of this patent application is related to the disclosures of the following patent applications filed concurrently herewith:
1. Mott application Ser. No. 580,228, filed May 23, 1975, and entitled "Subsurface Well Apparatus Having Flexing Means", and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,574; and
2. Mott and Miyagishima application Ser. No. 580,240, filed May 23, 1975, and entitled "Subsurface Well Apparatus", and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,296.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of subsurface well apparatus and method for using same.
Subsurface safety valves are sometimes employed as catastrophic protection systems in wells for controlling flow of well fluids from the well producing formation at a subsurface location below the well head to avert well flow under disaster conditions or failure of the surface flow control systems. Operation of such subsurface safety valves may either be controlled by the well conditions--differential or ambient pressure--directly sensed by the valve at the subsurface location (direct-controlled) or controlled from the surface by a suitable control means (remote or surface-controlled). For a more detailed consideration of these types or categories of down hole or subsurface safety valves see the article entitled "Platform Safety by Down Hole Well Control" which appeared in the March 1972 issue of the Journal of Petroleum Technology published by the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Dallas, Tex.
Early examples of rotatable ball-type surface controlled subsurface safety valves include Knox U.S. Pat. No. 3,035,808, Fredd U.S. Pat. No. Re. 25,471 and Bostock U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,070. While these patents disclose the use of a rotatable ball-type flow closure element, other types of flow closure elements such as a flapper element as disclosed in Natho U.S. Pat. No. Re. 25,109 are also known. In general, these early surface-controlled subsurface safety valves were of the tubing retrievable type in that the upper and lower ends of the tubular valve housing were provided with means, normally threads, for connecting the valve housing in the production tubing and making the valve retrievable with the tubing, hence the designation of this type of valve as tubing retrievable. With a tubing retrievable type valve it is necessary to remove or pull the production tubing from the well in order to replace or repair the leaking or damaged valve and such tubing removal and installation operations are both expensive and hazardous and may result in permanent damage to the producing formation.
In order to overcome this problem with tubing retrievable valves, surface controlled wireline retrievable valves were developed such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,149 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,505. In general, these through-the-bore movable or wireline retrievable valves severely restricted the flow area through the valve due to the manner of their operation which required pressure responsive surfaces for the control fluid to be carried by the wireline retrievable valve.
Some attempts to overcome the disadvantages found in the prior art have used a combination of a surface-controlled tubing retrievable valve receiving and operating a wireline retrievable valve with the controls of the tubing retrieval when the tubing retrievable valve fails. U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,077 discloses the concept of locking a tubing retrievable valve open to conduct well operations through the valve while Canadian Pat. No. 955,915 and corresponding United States application Ser. No. 72,034, now abandoned, after filing continuation application Ser. No. 256,194 discloses the concept of releasably locking the tubing retrievable valve open. Such an arrangement is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,696,863 and 3,868,995.
Mott Pat. No. 3,763,933 discloses the combination of a tubing retrievable valve and a wireline retrievable valve in which the wireline retrievable valve is operated off the controls of the tubing retrievable valve without the tubing retrievable valve being locked open.
Mott U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,471 also discloses a tubing retrievable valve that is locked open and the wireline retrievable valve operated off the controls of the tubing retrievable valve. That patent further disclosed the use of a movable landing ring for operably positioning the wireline retrievable valve in the tubing retrievable valve for releasably securing.
Mott U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,564 disclosed an improved wireline retrievable or drop-in valve in which the drop-in valve operator sleeve was secured with the reciprocating tubular operator of the tubing retrievable valve to assure positive operation of the wireline valve. The wireline retrievable valve disclosed in these three Mott patents considered immediately above and their divisional applications did not carry the pressure responsive surfaces and did provide for a ball closure element having a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the wireline retrievable valve housing in order to increase the flow area through the wireline retrievable valve.
Mott U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,650 discloses a dual controlled tubing retrievable housing without a flow controlling valve element for receiving and operating the through-the-flowline retrievable valve disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,564 with either control line.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A through the bore movable surface-controlled rotatable ball-type safety valve is provided with means for moving the ball and seat into sealing engagement upon initial movement of the ball to the closed position. The ball is connected to the valve frame to assume positive rotational operation upon initial valve closing longitudinal movement of the valve operator.
An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method of using a subsurface well apparatus.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved subsurface well apparatus and method of using the subsurface well apparatus.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for controlling the operation of the flow control assembly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevation view, partly in section, of the well apparatus of the present invention connected in a production tubing in a well;
FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are elevations, partly in sections, from the upper to the lower end, respectively, of the tubing retrievable housing of the present invention;
FIGS. 3A and 3B are half-section elevation views illustrating the wire-line retrievable valve of the present invention in the configuration which it is more through the bore of the tubing to the tubing retrievable housing;
FIG. 4A and 4B are elevations similar to FIGS. 3A and 3B with the valve in the closed position and the releasable locking means are in locked position;
FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 3B;
FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 4B;
FIG. 7A and 7B are elevations, in section, showing the valve of FIGS. 3A and 3B assembled on a running tool moving into the tubing retrieval housing of FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C;
FIGS. 8A and 8B are views similar to FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrating the valve secured in the operating position in the tubing retrievable housing with the valve operated closed;
FIGS. 9A and 9B are similar to FIGS. 8A and 8B with the valve operated open;
FIGS. 10A and 10B show the valve receiving a retrieving tool for releasing and retrieval of the valve from the tubing retrieval housing;
FIG. 11 is an exploded isometric view of the rotating ball element and one-half of the operating sleeve which is operably connected therewith; and
FIGS. 12 through 14 are schematic views illustrating rotational movement of the ball element relative to the pivot pins as the ball element moves from the open position to an intermediate position and then to the closed position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the subsurface safety valve well tool apparatus, generally designated WT, is mounted in a production tubing T of a well W for controlling flow of well fluids to the surface S through the bore of the production tubing T. A packer P seals between the production tubing T and the inner surface the well casing C for forcing the well fluids into the bore of the production tubing P as is well known in the art. Well fluid flow is from a well formation F through the perforated openings O in the casing C and upward through the bore TB of the production tubing T to the surface S as is well known in the art. A christmas tree X at the surface S is normally used to control the flow of fluid through the bore of the production tubing T as is also well known in the art. A first control fluid conduit CF-1 connects the well tool WT with a typical control unit U located at the surface S while a second control fluid CF-2 also connects another portion of the tool WT and the controller located remotely from the well W. It is to be understood that the invention as described herein is applicable for use in connection with flow control of wells W either drilled on dry land or in large bodies of water such that the surface S may well represent the ocean bottom.
The general preferred embodiment of the well tool apparatus WT of the present invention employs a tubing retrievable housing H forming a portion of the production or well tubing T for receiving and operating a through-the-bore movable valve tool V which is illustrated in phantom in FIG. 1.
The tubing retrievable housing may be of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,744,564 or 3,858,656 or the type disclosed herein as the preferred embodiment. The through-the-bore movable valve V of the present invention is an improvement of a similar through-the-bore movable flow control apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,564. The valve V disclosed in that United States Patent differs from the valve V of the present invention in regard to the number of improvements found in the valve V of the present invention and not present in the earlier disclosed embodiment. In essence, the housing H receives the through-the-bore movable valve V for securing with the housing H in a manner to effect longitudinal movement of an operator of the valve V to enable remote-controlled operation of the valve V to control the flow of well fluids through the bore of the well tubing at the housing H.
The housing H of the present invention is best illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C with FIG. 2A illustrating the upper portion of the housing H and FIG. 2C the lower portion of the housing H. For ease of assembly the tubular housing H is formed of three tubular portions comprising the upper tubular housing 20 threadedly connected at 22 with an intermediate housing portion or section 24. The intermediate housing portion 24 is in turn connected to a lower tubular housing portion 28 by threaded engagement at 26. The upper housing portion is provided with suitable means, such as box threads 20a for connection with the well or production tubing T above the housing H while the lower housing portion 28 carries suitable means such as pin threads 28a for connecting with the well tubing T below the housing H. Thus the tubular housing H forms a portion of the well tubing T for conducting flow of well fluids from the producing formation F to the surface S.
The upper housing portion 20 terminates at its upper end in an upwardly facing annular shoulder 20b with the upper housing portion 20 extending downwardly from the shoulder 20b to a downwardly facing annular shoulder 20c (FIG. 2B). The tubular housing portion 20 forms an upper inner diameter surface 20d and a lower larger inner diameter surface 20e connected by downwardly facing shoulder 20f. The upper inner surface 20d is provided with an annular recess HR for releasably securing the valve V with the housing H as will be set forth in detail hereinafter.
The lower tubular housing portion 28 terminates at its upper end in an upwardly facing annular shoulder 28b (FIG. 2B). The lower housing portion 28 carries an O-ring 30 for blocking leakage of fluid along the threaded engagement 26 with the intermediate housing portion 24. The lower housing portion 28 has a lower inner surface 28c having an upper enlarged inner surface portion 28d for receiving a tubular wash pipe 32 within the housing H.
The wash pipe 32 forms a downwardly facing annular shoulder 32a at its lower end which is positioned adjacent the threaded engagement 26 and which extends upwardly forming an inner surface 32b of substantially the same diameter as the surface 28c of the lower housing portion 28. The inner surface 32b terminates at an upwardly facing annular shoulder 32c forming the upper end of the wash pipe 32 and which forms a downwardly facing constant diameter outer sealing surface 32d that is stepped at 32e above outwardly projecting annular collar 32f. The collar 32f forms a downwardly facing annular shoulder 32g and an upwardly facing shoulder 32h. The downwardly facing annular shoulder 32g engages the upwardly facing locking shoulder 28b of the lower housing portion 28 for blocking downward movement of the wash pipe 32. A ring shaped spring keeper 34 is disposed above the collar 32f in engagement with the upwardly facing annular shoulder 32h. The spring keeper 34 also engages a downwardly facing annular shoulder 24a for blocking upward movement of the spring keeper 34 and the wash pipe 32 relative to the tubular housing H. Thus the inner surface 32b of the wash pipe 32 and the inner surface 28c of the lower housing portion cooperate to form a well fluid flow passage through the lower portion of the housing H.
As illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a longitudinally movable tubular operator or valve control member 40 is mounted with the housing H. The control member 40 forms an upwardly facing annular shoulder 40a disposed adjacent the shoulder 20f of the upper housing portion 20 and which defines the upper end of the control member 40. The control member D forms an inner surface 40b which terminates at a downwardly facing annular shoulder 40c (FIG. 2B) defining the lower end of the control member 40. The downwardly facing annular shoulder 40c engages the upper end of a biasing or urging spring 42 disposed between the shoulder 40c and the spring keeper 34 for normally maintaining the control member D moved to the upper position illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Extending upwardly from the downwardly facing annular shoulder 40c is an outer constant diameter surface 40d that is disposed adjacent the intermediate housing portion 24. The control member D carries an O-ring or seal means 44 for blocking passage of fluids between the control member D and the intermediate housing portion 24 during longitudinal reciprocating movement of the control member 40.
The constant diameter outer surface 40d terminates at an upwardly facing pressure responsive annular shoulder surface 40e which terminates with an upwardly extending constant diameter outer surface 40f extending to the upper annular shoulder 40a. Chevron packing 46 mounted with the surface 20e of the upper housing portion 20 provides a seal means for blocking passage of fluid between the upper housing portion 20 and the control member 40 during reciprocating movement of the control member D. Snap rings 48a and 48b are secured with the upper housing portion 20 to block downward movement of the chevron packing 46.
The packing 46 and O-ring 44 cooperate to form a control fluid expansible chamber 50 in which the fluid pressure in the chamber 50 urges on the pressure responsive surface 40e of the control member 40 for urging the control member downwardly to overcome the upwardly biasing of the spring 42. The effective surface area of the pressure responsive surface 40e is of course the differential area of the seals effected by the O-ring 44 and the packing 46.
The control member 40 mounts chevron packing 52 adjacent the lower downwardly facing shoulder 40c when snap rings 54a and 54b secure the packing means 52 with the control member 40. The chevron packings 52 effect a sliding seal between the outer surface 32d of the wash pipe 32 and the control member 40.
The lower housing portion 28 mounts or carries an O-ring 56 adjacent the O-ring 30 for blocking flow of fluid between the wash pipe and the lower housing member 28. Thus the O-rings 30 and 56 cooperate with the packing 52 in the O-ring 44 to define an expansible balancing chamber 60. Fluid pressure in the chamber 60 urges on the downwardly facing annular shoulder 40c of the control member 40 for urging the control member 40 upwardly in conjunction with the spring 42 positioned therein. In order to equally offset the hydrostatic heads of the control fluid in the control fluid conduit CF-1 and CF-2, it is desirable that the pressure responsive surface area 40c be equal to the pressure responsive surface 40e for effecting downward movement of the control member 40 for offsetting or balancing the hydrostatic head or control fluid pressure in the control fluid conduits CF-1 and CF-2. Of course, one skilled in the art can vary the size of the pressure responsive areas to enable well fluid pressure to aid or oppose movement of the control member 40 in either direction.
Expansible chamber 60 communicates with the control fluid conduit CF-2 and the automatic controller U through the fluid passageway system now to be described. A port 24a of the intermediate housing portion 24 communicates with an internal channel 24b formed by welding such as illustrated at 24c and 24d a member 24e to enclose the channel 24b as is known. Adjacent the weld 24d (FIG. 2A) a port 24f is formed for communicating the channel 24b with a port 20g communicating with a channel 20h formed in the upper housing 20. The channel 20h communicates with the bore of the control fluid conduit CF-2 which is secured thereto by a suitable means such as threaded engagement at 20i. O-rings 62 and 64 disposed above and below the communicating ports 20g and 24f block leakage of the control fluid between the upper housing portion 20 and the intermediate housing portion 24.
The control fluid channel 20h is sealed at its lower end by receiving therein an annular seal ring 66 which is held in position by a spacer sleeve 68 disposed between the seal ring 66 and the upper chevron packing 46.
The operating expansible control fluid pressure chamber 50 communicates with the control fluid conduit CF-1 through the annular space between the upper housing portion 20 and the intermediate housing portion 24 to a location below the O-ring 64. Referring now to FIG. 9B, a port 24g of the intermediate housing portion communicates with a control fluid channel 20j which is in communication with the control fluid conduit CF-1 (FIG. 2A) and which is secured thereto by a suitable means such as threaded engagement at 20k. Thus, increased control fluid pressure communicated to the control fluid conduit CF-1 will be communicated into the expansible chamber 50 for urging the control member 40 to move downwardly while the control fluid pressure in the chamber 60 will resist such downward movement. By venting the control fluid conduit CF-2 while applying control fluid pressure CF-1 to move the control member 40 downwardly the increased control fluid pressure required in the control fluid conduit CF-1 will only be the pressure required to overcome the urging of the spring 42. The hydrostatic head of the control fluid in each of the control lines CF-1 and CF-2 will be offset in such operations and such offsetting or balancing enables the running of the tubing retrievable housing H at greater depths in the well and which is a desirable feature.
As best illustrated in FIG. 2B the inner surface 40b of the operator or control member 40 is provided with an annular recess DR and a downwardly facing tapered shoulder 40g immediately above a landing ring LR. The landing ring LR is a split radially contractable member that may be forced to move inwardly by the control member 40 moving downwarly to engage the landing ring LR with the upwardly facing annular shoulder 32c of the wash pipe in order to wedge the landing ring LR to move radially inwardly with the downwardly facing annular shoulder 40g (FIG. 7B). As set forth in U.S. Pat. No 3,762,471, the landing ring LR is moved into the bore of the tubing retrievable housing H to position the safety valve V therein for securing.
Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B which illustrate the through-the-bore movable valve V in alphabetical sequence from top to bottom, the valve V will be described in detail. The valve means V of the present invention may be considered as comprising a frame means, generally designated VF, carrying a bore closure means, generally designated VB and an operator means, generally designated VO that is operably connected with the bore closure means for effecting controlled operation of the bore closure means B.
The frame means VF is preferably formed of a plurality of substantially tubular members connected for ease of assembly to form a substantially tubular unit or assembly that extends downwardly from the upper portion of the valve V to a location below the bore closure means VB. In the disclosed preferred embodiment, an upper main frame sleeve 70 is connected to a frame sealing sleeve 72 by threaded engagement at 73.
The safety valve V includes means for releasably securing with the housing H that are disclosed as provided by a plurality of latch dogs 74 to be received within the housing recess HR and a frame latch sleeve 76. The plurality of four dogs 74 are preferably movably disposed in a plurality of four equi-circumferentially spaced windows 70a formed in the frame sleeve 70 and which are radially movable from the released or inner position (FIGS. 3A and 7A) to a locking or extending position (FIGS. 4A and 9A) where they are received in the annular recess HR formed in the bore of the housing H for blocking movement through the bore of the well tubing S. Each of the dogs 74 is provided with a central inner recess 74a having tapered upper and lower recess wedging surfaces or edges 74b and 74c, respectively, leading to dog latching or locking surfaces 74d and 74e, respectively, and which are provided with tapered outer wedging shoulders 74f and 74g, respectively. Outwardly projecting tapered side flanges (not illustrated) prevent each of the dogs 74 from moving out of the respective windows 74a and serve as a movement limit stop for the outwardly extending dogs 74 in the locking position.
The frame latch sleeve 76 is longitudinal movable relative to the frame sleeve 70 and is disposed within the sleeve 70. The latch sleeve 76 extends downwardly from an upwardly facing annular shoulder 76a to a downwardly facing annular shoulder 76b adjacent the lower portion of the latch dogs 74 when the frame latch sleeve 76 is in the upper position illustrated in FIG. 3A. The tubular latch sleeve 76 includes an inner or bore defining surface 76c having an operating or releasing recess 76d formed therein and an upwardly facing lock actuating shoulder. When the latch sleeve 76 is in the upper or latched dog release position recesses 76f and 76g formed in the outer surface 76e are positioned adjacent locking surfaces 74d and 74e, respectively, of the latch dog in order that the latch dogs may move radially inwardly. Disposed between the recesses 76f and 76g is a locking surface 76h that is a companion locking surface to that formed by the outer surface 76e immediately above the recess 76f. When the latch sleeve 76 moves to the lower or latch dog locking position relative to the frame 70 (FIG. 4A) the tapered edges of the recesses 76f and 76g wedge or force the latch dogs 74 radially outward as the locking surfaces 76h and 76e move downwardly relative to the dogs 74 to be positioned adjacent the locking surfaces 74e and 74d of the latch dogs 74, respectively, for latching the dogs 74 in the locking position.
The latch sleeve 76 is movably connected with the frame sleeve 70 by a suitable means to enable the desired reciprocating movement of the latch sleeve 76 relative to the frame sleeve 70 to effect movement between the released and latched or locking position. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3A a threaded pin 76y forms an extension riding in a longitudinal groove 70y cut in the main frame 70 and which arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,564 and to which reference has been made for incorporating that disclosure herein. The latch sleeve 76 carries a radially expansible detent split ring 78 in a recess 76i formed on the outer surface 76e of the latch sleeve 76. When the latch sleeve 76 is in the upper position the detent 78 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 3A where it engages an upwardly facing tapered annular shoulder 70b to prevent inadvertent downward movement to the latching position and when the latching sleeve 76 moves to the lower or latching position the detent ring 78 is radially constricted until adjacent a latching recess 70c and into which the detent 78 expands to prevent inadvertent movement of the latching sleeve 76 from the latched position.
The sealing sleeve 72 extends downwardly from the threaded connection at 73 (FIG. 3A) to a downwardly facing arcuate sealing shoulder or seat 72a. An inner surface 72b of the sleeve 72 as well as the inner surface 76c of the latch sleeve 76 define a frame bore FB forming a flow passage through the valve frame means VF for the well fluid. The sealing frame 72 forms an outer surface 72c having an outwardly projecting collar 72d adjacent the seat 72a. The collar 72d forms an upwardly facing annular shoulder 72e for securing a ball connecting member 80 with the sleeve 72. The outer surface 72c forms a second outwardly projecting collar 72f adjacent the threaded engagement at 73. The collar 72 forms an upwardly facing annular shoulder 72g securing chevron packing 79 with the sealing member 72. The packing 79 blocks the passage of well fluid between the frame sealing sleeve 72 and the housing H to force the well fluids to flow through the frame bore FB in flowing from the producing formation through the well tubing T to the surface S.
The ball connecting member 80 is connected with and extends downwardly from the sealing frame 72 and may be best described as a longitudinally bisected or split ring unit having a pair of downwardly extending fingers which connect with the valve bore closure means VB. As the ball connecting member is formed of identical halves, only one half 80 will be described but it is to be understood that two halves are utilized in the present invention. The half referenced as 80 is best illustrated in FIG. 11. The upper ring portion 80a provides an upwardly facing annular shoulder 80b and a downwardly facing annular shoulder 80c which rest on the upwardly facing annular shoulder 72e of the collar 72d for connecting the ball connecting member 80 with the sealing frame 72. A longitudinally extending finger 80d is secured to the ring 80 and extends downwardly to terminate at inwardly projecting pivot pin 80e. The mating ball connector is provided with the identical parts and the reference numeral 81 is used to designate the identical part in the figures with the alphabetical reference characters designating identical portions to that of the ball connecting member 80.
The plug or bore closure means VB is disposed within the connecting members 80 and 81 and preferably includes a rotatable ball member 84 having an opening 86 formed therethrough. As is best illustrated in FIG. 11, the ball member 84 is formed with an outer spherical surface 84a and a pair of parallel chordal flats 84b and 84c as is well known in the art. Each of the circular chordal flats 84b and 84c are provided with a recess 84d and 84e, respectively, for receiving the inwardly projecting pins 80e and 81e, respectively, carried by the fingers 80 and 81 for mounting the ball 84 with the frame sleeve 72.
The ball 84 is rotatable to and from a first or open position with the flow opening 86 aligned with the bore FB of the frame means VF to enable flow of fluid through the safety valve V and a closed position with the opening 86 disposed substantially traversed and out of communication with the bore FB of the frame means F in order that the ball 84 and the seat 72a will serve to block flow of fluid through the valve V. The opening 86 is preferably formed of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the frame bore FB in order to provide as large a flow opening through the safety valve V as possible. To further enhance this feature, the outer spherical surface 84a of the ball is formed of a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the frame means VF and which is best illustrated in FIG. 4B.
The operator means VO effects opening and closing rotation of the ball 84 and extends downwardly from a location above the ball 84 to the lower end of the valve V. The operator means includes a ball moving member 90 disposed adjacent to and movable relative to the ball connecting member 80. As best illustrated in FIG. 11, the ball moving member 90 is a longitudinally bisected or split sleeve unit that extends downwardly from above the ball connecting member 80 to connect with the operator sleeve or member 94 by threaded engagement at 90a. As with the ball fingers 80 and 81 the reference numeral 91 will be reserved for the mating half of the ball moving member 90 and which are substantially identical. Threads 90b are formed on the member adjacent the upper annular shoulder 90c for threadedly connecting with securing ring 92 for holding the sleeve halves 90 and 91 together for moving as a unit relative to the ball 84. The operator member 94 also serves to secure the sleeve sections 90 and 91 for moving as a unit relative to the ball 84. The ball moving member 90 has a substantial portion removed intermediate of the threads 90a and 90b to form a longitudinally extending finger 90d for connecting an upper ring or collar portion 90e with a lower ring or collar portion 90f. The finger 90d is slotted at 90g to receive the downwardly extending finger 80d of the ball connecting member 80. The finger 90d engages the ring 80a of the ball connecting member 80 for preventing radially outwardly movement of the connecting member 80 through the slot 90g. The space between the fingers 90d and 91d form windows for enabling the use of a large diameter ball as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,102.
The upper portion 90e of the ball moving member 90 forms an inner surface 90h having an enlarged annular recess 90i formed therein which terminates at its upper portion in a tapered annular shoulder 90j leading to a ball cage ring retainer recess 90k having a downwardly facing annular shoulder 90m. The slot 90g extends upwardly to the downwardly facing shoulder 90m for providing clearance for the finger 80d.
In FIG. 11 a radially contractable detent ring 96 is illustrated mounted contracted on the frame 72 by engaging the upwardly facing annular shoulder 72e of the frame with a downwardly facing shoulder 96a of the detent ring. When the detent ring 96 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 11 an upwardly facing annular shoulder 96b engages the downwardly facing annular shoulder 80c of the ball keeper 80 for locating the ball keeper ring in the position illustrated in FIG. 4B. When the safety valve V is moving through the bore of the well tubing T to the subsurface location for securing it is in the stretched condition illustrated in FIG. 3B with the detent ring 96 positioned outwardly of the collar 72d. The initial closing of the ball 84 will move the ball 84 upwardly to engage the seat 72a and moving the ring portion 80a upwardly a sufficient distance above the shoulder 72d to enable the detent ring 96 moving upwardly with the ball cage 80 to radially constrict and seat the lower annular shoulder 96a on the upwardly facing annular shoulder 72e of the frame sleeve 72.
By inserting the detent 96 between the spaced shoulders 72e and 80c the outer spherical sealing surface 84 of the ball 84 is held in engagement with the seat 72a. In addition, the detent 96 eliminates the lost motion slack in the operator means M that is required to insure proper positioning of the operator latch dogs in the recess DR and the latch dogs 74 in the housing recess HR. Obviously, to insure successful latching both recesses, HR and DR, must be slightly larger than the dogs being received therein to insure that the dogs will have sufficient clearance to move radially outwardly into the recess. This clearance provides a certain amount of slack which is compensated for by the detent 96 moving to modify or adjust the operating stroke by removing the slack between the securing detents 74 with the frame and the latch dogs mounted with the operator member 94 and which operator stroke adjustment operation insures that the downward movement of the control member 40 will positively pull the operator means M downwardly to effect opening rotation of the ball 40 without the necessity of the control member 40 moving downwardly the distance required to effect radial constriction of the landing ring LR. The effective life of the landing ring LR is increased and thereby greatly enhancing the reliability of the safety valve system of the present invention.
The sleeve section 90 mounts an inwardly projecting eccentric ball pivoting or rotating pin 90n that is received within the slot 84d of the ball 84 while a similar eccentric pin is mounted with the section 91, but is located to be directly across the ball 84 from the pin 90n so both eccentric pins engage the ball 84 on the same longitudinal axis for imparting the rotating movement to the ball 84. When the ball moving member 90 is in the lower position an the ball 84 is in the open position (FIG. 12) the eccentric pins are disposed below the concentric pins 80e, but as the member 90 moves the eccentric pins upwardly the ball 84 commences (FIG. 13) to rotate to the closed position (FIG. 14).
As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the operator sleeve 94 extends downwardly from threaded engagement at 90a to the lower end of the valve V where it forms a downwardly facing annular shoulder 94a for engaging the landing ring LR for operably positioning the valve V in the housing H. The operator sleeve 94 has a plurality of four rectangular windows equi-circumferentially spaced adjacent the downwardly facing annular shoulder 94a. Each of the windows 94b receives a movable latch dog 98 similar to the latch dogs 74 movably disposed in the windows 70a of the frame sleeve 70. In FIGS. 5 and 6, the movement limiting flanges 98h of the dogs 98 are shown and the alphabetical reference characters employed with the latch dogs 98 are identical to the alphabetical reference characters of the latch dogs 74 and reference is made to the earlier disclosures describing the similar structure and operation of the latch dog 98 which are received within the recess DR of the control member D for effecting longitudinal movement of the operator sleeves 94 and 90.
The operator latch sleeve 100 cooperates with the latch dogs 98 to accomplish the same result as the latch sleeve 76 effects with the latch dogs 74, but the operating positions of the latch sleeve 100 is reversed from the positions of the latch sleeve 76.
When the latch sleeve 100 is in the lower or released position (FIG. 3B) the dogs 98 are enabled to move radially inwardly, but when the latch sleeve 100 moves to the upper position relative to the operator sleeve 94 (FIG. 4B) the latch dogs 98 are wedged radially outwardly to the locking position for securing the operator sleeve 94 with the control member 40 for effecting the longitudinal reciprocating movement of the operator means VO. Referring now to FIG. 3B, the operator sleeve 94 forms an inner surface 94c having an upwardly facing annular shoulder 94d located below the windows 94b for providing a lower movement stop for the operator latch sleeve 100. The inner surface 94c forms a pair of spaced annular recesses 94e and 94f for alternately receiving a detent 102 carried by the operator latch sleeve 100 in a recess 100a to prevent inadvertent shifting of the sleeve 100 in the same manner that detent 78 does with latch sleeve 76.
Above the recess 100a the operator latch sleeve 100 forms an upwardly facing annular surface 100b for engaging a snap ring keeper 104 secured with the tubular member 94 for providing an upper limit stop for the latch sleeve 100 in the upper position and an inner surface 100c extends downwardly from the upper shoulder 100b to an inwardly projecting upwardly facing annular shoulder 100d formed by collar 100e. The collar 100e also forms a downwardly facing shoulder 100f leading to downwardly facing shoulder 100g. The shoulder 100g engages the upwardly facing shoulder 94d of the operator sleeve 94 to serve as the lower limit stop for the operator latch sleeve 100. Disposed above the shoulder 100g is a lower locking surface 100h spaced from upper locking surface 100i by a tapered recess 100j. A second releasing recess 100k is disposed above the locking shoulder 100i. The recesses 100k and 100j are aligned with the locking surfaces 98d and 98e, respectively, when the operator latch sleeve 100 is in the lower position for enabling the latch dogs 98 to move radially inwardly and when the operator latch sleeve 100 moves to the upper position (FIG. 4B) the locking surfaces 100i and 100h are moved for engaging the locking surfaces 98d and 98e, respectively, of the latch dogs 98 for moving the latch dogs radially outwardly and locking the latch dogs 98 in the extended locking position.
Above the keeper 104, the bore closure means VB provides a spring biased ball follower assembly comprising a ball follower 105 movably disposed in flow tube 106 and urged by the spring 107 to engage the spherical surface 84a of the ball 84 with an upwardly facing arcuate shoulder 105a. The flow tube 106 forms an outwardly projecting collar 106a adjacent a lower annular shoulder 106b engaging the keeper 104. The spring 107 is supported on the collar and urges upwardly on the downwardly facing annular shoulder 105b of the follower 105 for urging the follower 105 and the ball 84 upwardly into engagement with the sealing seat 72a. The follower is provided with an outwardly projecting lower collar 105c adjacent shoulder 105b which engages the ball moving member 90 to limit upward movement while an inwardly projecting collar 105d adjacent the upper shoulder 105a forms a downwardly facing shoulder 105e that engages an upwardly facing shoulder 106c of the flow tube 106 to limit downward movement of the follower 105.
An installation or running tool for installing the safety valve V of the present invention in the housing H is illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B operably mounting with the subsurface safety valve V in the stretched condition. Essentially the running tool, generally designated RT, is provided with the longitudinal extending central body that extends through the subsurface safety valve to effect operation of the frame latch sleeve 76 and the operator latch sleeve 100 for operably securing the safety valve V in the housing H.
The running tool RT includes a connecting member 110 for connecting with the jars and wireline to effect operation of the running tool RT for securing the safety valve V in the housing H. Threadedly connected to the lower portion of the connecting member 110 at threads 110a is a locking sleeve 112 which extends downwardly to form a downwardly facing tapered annular locking shoulder surface 112a adapted to engage the upwardly facing tapered locking shoulder 76x of the frame latch sleeve 76. An inner surface 112b of the member 112 forms an upwardly facing shoulder 112c adjacent a reduced diameter inner portion 112d. Received within the tubular member 112 adjacent the surface 112b is an enlarged head 114a of an extension rod 114. The enlarged head 114a forms a downwardly facing annular shoulder 114b engaging the upwardly facing shoulder 112c for connecting the extension rod 114 with the tubular member 112. A shear pin 116 connects the head 114a and the tubular member 112 in the position illustrated and until the shear pin 116 is sheared an upwardly facing annular surface 114c of the extension head enlargement 114a is held spaced from the downwardly facing shoulder 110b of the member 110. The extension 114 is threadedly connected at 115 with a lower running tool body extension 116 which in turn is connected with a running tool nose 118 by threaded engagement at 117. Mounted on the lower running tool body 116 is a movable collet 120 having a lower collet ring body 120a and a plurality of upwardly projecting resilient fingers 120b mounting locking enlargements or bosses 120c. The bosses 120c are held adjacent a locking surface 116a of the member 116 by a shear pin 122. When the pin 122 is sheared the collet 120 is free to drop down by the force of gravity to place the bosses 120c adjacent a recess 116b when the collet ring 120a engages the nose 118. The fingers 120b are sufficiently flexible to enable inward flexing of the bosses 120c to enable upward movement past the collar 100e of the lower latching sleeve 100 by flexing the bosses 120c inwardly with the tapered shoulder 100f of the collar 100e. The member 116 forms a shoulder 116c above the collar 100e to prevent inadvertent upward latching movement of the sleeve 100 during running operations.
The retrieving tool member 114 is formed with a pair of spaced annular releasing recesses 114d and 114e formed on the member 114 and forming therebetween a locking surface 114f and a locking surface 114g above the recess 114d. A valve locking sleeve 122 is concentrically mounted on the member 114 and is longitudinally movable relative to the member 114. Positioned in a plurality of four windows formed in the sleeve 122 is a corresponding plurality of resilient latching members 124 having upper lugs 124a and lower lugs 124b projecting outwardly from the sleeve 122. The lugs 124a are secured in the outer latching position by the locking surface 114g and are received between the downwardly facing seat 72a of the frame member 72 and the ball 86 to insure that during installation the ball 86 does not move upwardly into engagement with the seat 72a and actuate the detent 96 to move between the spaced shoulders 80c and 72e which would actuate the stroke compensator and result in the latch dogs being out of registry with the receiving recess in the housing H or the control member 40. The lower outwardly projecting lug 124b holds the valve follower 105 in the lower position and assures that the ball does not rotate closed on the portion of the running tool 114 disposed within the bore 86 of the ball 84.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B, a retrieving or pulling tool PT is disclosed for releasing the safety valve V from the housing H and retrieving the valve V back to the surface through the bore of the well tubing T. An upper body of the retrieving tool 130 concentrically mounts a tubular fishing connector tool of standard or known type having a downwardly biased collet 132 concentrically mounted thereon and movable relative thereto. The collet includes a plurality of downwardly projecting resilient fingers 132a terminating in enlarged bosses 132b. When the bosses 132 engage a restriction in the tubing T when moving to the housing H the collet 132 moves upwardly to flex the bosses 132 inwardly into a recess 134a formed by the collet carrying fishing sleeve 134 above the boss locking sleeve 134b. When adjacent the recess 134a the collet fingers 132b flex inwardly to enable passage of the bosses 132c past a movement restriction such as shoulder 76a. Once past the shoulder 76a the collet fingers 132b and the bosses 132c will move downwardly relative to the collet carrying member 134 to again be positioned adjacent the locking shoulder 134b. When the pulling tool PT moves upwardly the collet is blocked from downward movement and the bosses 132c remain on the locking shoulder 134b for moving upwardly and engaging the upper shoulder of the latch recess 76d for effecting upward movement of the latch sleeve 76 relative to the latch dogs 74 for moving the latch sleeve 76 to the released position and enabling the latch dogs 74 to move radially inwardly to the released position.
The collet carrying member 134 is connected to a rod extension 136 by tubular engagement at 135. At the lower end of the extension 136 is an enlarged head 136a dimensioned to pass through the safety valve V to engage the upwardly annular shoulder 100d provided by the collar 100e of the lower latch sleeve 100. When a downwardly facing annular shoulder 136b of the head 136a engages the upwardly facing annular shoulder 100d the enlarged bosses 132c have moved into the unlatching recess 76d of the upper latch sleeve. With the downwardly facing annular shoulder 136b of the enlarged head 136a engaging the upwardly facing shoulder 100d the pulling tool PT is jarred downwardly for effecting movement of the operator latch sleeve 100 downwardly from the latched position to the released position and enabling movement of the operator latch dogs 98 to the released position. After jarring downward, the pulling tool PT is pulled upwardly for engaging the operating recess 76d of the operator latch sleeve for moving the operator latch sleeve 76 upwardly to release the latch dogs 74. Upon release of the latch dogs 74 the safety valve V is free to move from the housing H upwardly with the pulling tool PT.
OPERATION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The housing H and control fluid conduits CF-1 and CF-2 are installed when running the well tubing T and packer P during well completion operations. After connecting the christmas tree X and the automatic controller U it may become desirable to install the subsurface safety valve of the present invention in the housing H. The valve V is assembled on the running tool RT in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B and running tool RT connected with the wireline to enable running from the surface through the bore of the well tubing T. Increased control fluid pressure is communicated through the conduit CF-1 while the control fluid conduit CF-2 is vented to enable the control member 40 to move down a sufficient distance to radially constrict the landing ring LR to provide a positioning barrier for the valve V as is illustrated in FIG. 7B. When the downwardly facing shoulder 94a of the operator sleeve 94 engages the landing ring the latch dogs 98 are positioned adjacent the control member 40 recess DR.
As the safety valve V is mounted on the running tool RT in the stretched condition with the contractable detent 96 positioned adjacent to and outwardly of the collar 72d of the frame sleeve 72, the operator sleeves 90 and 94 are in the extended position relative to the frame sleeves 70 and 72 for positioning the frame locking latch dogs 74 adjacent the housing recess HR.
With the safety valve V positioned by the constricted landing ring a downward jar is applied to the member 110 which is transmitted by the sleeve 112 to the shear pin 116 for effecting shearing of the shear pin 116 and moving the downwardly facing locking shoulder 112a of the member 112 downwardly to engage the upwardly facing locking shoulder 76x of the frame latch sleeve 76 for moving the frame latch sleeve 76 to the lower position in setting the dogs 74 in the annular recess HR of the housing. Due to the spacing between the shoulders 112a and 76x and the longitudinal latching movement distance of the sleeve 76 required to effect latching operation of the latch dogs 74 being substantially the same as the distance between the spaced shoulders 114c and 110b of the retrieving tool RT the latch sleeve 76 locking operation is effected substantially simultaneous with the shoulders 110b and 114c of the running tool moving into engagement.
With the upper or frame latch sleeves set for securing the main frame 70 with the housing, the member 110 is moved upwardly by pulling on the wireline and which brings the downwardly facing shoulder 114b of the enlarged head 114 into engagement with the upwardly facing shoulder 112c of the tubular member 110 for moving the member 110 upwardly. As the resilient finger member lugs 124a and 124b hold the sleeve 122 against upward movement with the member 114 the recesses 114d and 114e move upwardly adjacent the projections or lugs 124a and 124b of the resilient member 124 for releasing the resilient member 124 from holding the ball in the spaced condition from the seat with the lug 124a and from rotating the ball with the lug 124b. With the lugs 124a and 124b disposed within the recesses 114d and 114e, respectively, the sleeve 122 is released to move upwardly to the surface with the running tool RT.
Before release of the resilient members 124 the enlarged bosses 120c of the collet 120 are moved into engagement with the downwardly facing annular shoulder 100f of the operator latch sleeve and as the running tool RT is moved upwardly the bosses engage the shoulder 100f for moving the operator latch sleeve 100 from the lower position to the upper position and radially expanding the latch dogs 98 radially outwardly in the locked condition. When the latch sleeve 100 is in the upper or locking position, the shear pin 122 is sheared enabling the collet 120 to drop downwardly for positioning the bosses 120c adjacent the recess 116b where the resilient arms 120b enable the bosses 126c to flex inwardly for passing the collar 100e in moving upwardly through the valve V.
With the running tool removed from the bore TB of the tubing at the surface the control fluid pressure in the conduit CF-1 and expansible chamber 50 is reduced enabling the spring 42 to move the control member 40 upwardly for effecting initial movement of the ball 84 to the closed position (FIGS. 8A and 8B). In moving the ball to the closed position the ball moving member 90 will move the ball 80 to engage the downwardly facing annular seat 72a and move the frame connecting member 80 upwardly with the ball to position the ring portion 80a above the detent 96 for shortening the operating stroke of the operator means VO for effecting opening and closing rotation of the ball 84. The detent 96 eliminates the slack between the latch dogs 98 and 74 due to the tolerances between the detents and the recesses for receiving them and the manufacturing tolerances in assembling the valve V. In addition, the operator means VO then serves as a lower limit stop for the control member 40 for blocking movement of the control member 40 to actuate the landing ring LR and thus enhance the operating life of the landing ring LR.
After the initial closing, increased control fluid pressure is communicated through the control fluid conduit CF-1 and into the expansible chamber 50 when desired for holding the control member 40 in the lower position and thereby the ball 84 in the open position for enabling flow (FIGS. 9A and 9B). Should the control fluid pressure in the control fluid conduit CF-1 and chamber 50 be reduced for any reason, such as the sensing of an undesired condition by the surface controller U and venting the control fluid pressure the urging of the spring 42 will effect upward movement of the control member 40 for closing the ball 84. Should the spring 84 fail, increased control fluid pressure may be introduced into expansible chamber 60 with control fluid conduit CF-2 while venting the expansible chamber 50 through control fluid conduit CF-1 to assure upward movement of the control member 40 for closing the ball 84.
When for any reason it becomes desirable to retrieve the subsurface safety valve V from the housing H the running tool illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B is lowered on a wireline through the bore of the well tubing. As the downwardly facing shoulder 136b of the enlarged head 136a engages the upwardly facing shoulder 100d of the lower operator latch sleeve 100 for effecting its downward movement to the release position and thereby releasing the latch dogs 98, the retrieving tool bosses 132c moves into the operating recess 76d of the frame latch sleeve 76. After the lower latch sleeve 100 is moved to the release position the pulling tool PT is retrieved by lifting with the wireline and which moves the bosses 132c to engage the upper portion of the operating recess 76d while secured on the locking surface 134b for pulling the upper latch sleeve 76 to the released position and effecting release of the latch dogs 74 which enables the safety valve V to move upwardly with the pulling tool to the surface S. Should it be desired, another subsurface safety valve V may be installed in the housing H employing the operations previously described.
The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape and materials as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
|
A surface-controlled wire-line retrieval subsurface safety valve apparatus and method of utilizing the safety valve having a rotatable ball closure element and a movable operator mechanism that controls the operating stroke when the valve is operably installed as well as moving the ball and seat into sealing engagement.
| 4
|
GESS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/476,259 filed Jan. 3, 2000 for Circular Flying Disk Toy.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The subject invention relates generally to toys and amusement devices and more particularly to an aerodynamic disk consisting of a circular center airfoil centered within a circular outer rim or ring.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Flying saucer devices, or so-called “frisbees,” are known in the prior art. Such devices have been used as throwing implements or toys, typically in games of “catch.” Such devices typically employ a central disk portion and a rim extending downwardly from and circumscribing the central disk, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,678.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The invention provides a flying toy including a cylindrical rim having a circular top edge running parallel to a circular bottom edge; and a flat circular central airfoil having a circular edge and a horizontal center line, the circular edge being attached to the inner circumference of the rim such that the centerline of the airfoil bisects the side surface of the rim. When thrown as a flying disk, the device provides increased gyroscopic effect and stability.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The just summarized invention will now be described in detail in conjunction with the drawings of which:
[0008] [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention;
[0009] [0009]FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken at 2 - 2 of FIG. 1;
[0010] [0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment; and
[0011] [0011]FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken at 3 - 3 of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] A prototype flying disk toy 11 according to a preferred embodiment is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The center circular portion or airfoil 13 of this disk toy 11 is planar, constructed of foam board about {fraction (3/16)} inches thick, and can vary in diameter, e.g., between 5 inches to 12 inches in diameter. The outer ring 15 is cylindrical, comprised of posterboard about {fraction (5/64 )} inches thick, and may vary in height from 1 inch to 2 inches in correlation to the size of the center circular portion.
[0013] The outer ring 15 , after it is cut to proper specifications, is positioned around the center airfoil 13 and attached at a 90-degree angle with a glue gun or other adhesive. The outer ring 15 is attached to the center airfoil 13 such that the center line 17 of the airfoil 13 bisects the side surface 20 so that equal portions 19 of the side surface 20 extend to each side of center line 17 . For a 10″ diameter disk, the side portions 19 may each be ¾ inches. As a result, the top and bottom of the device 11 are mirror images of one another.
[0014] After the outer ring 15 is attached to the center airfoil 13 , silicone is applied over the perimeter of seams 21 , or “equatorial line,” where the outer ring 15 connects to the center airfoil 13 . The silicone is smoothed evenly around the entire circumference on both sides so that both sides have a smoothed layer of silicone with a radius of about ½ inches where the center airfoil and outer ring 15 connect. This treatment increases the circumferential weight at the outer ring 15 , increasing the gyroscopic effect tending to level the disk in flight.
[0015] The height of the ring is in relation to the diameter of the center horizontal airfoil 13 determines distance performance. Thus, for example, with center horizontal airfoil diameter of 8 inches, use of a vertical rim height 14 of 1½ inches results in substantially more air resistance than a vertical nm height of 1¼ inches. A ratio of diameter versus height of rim could vary from a ratio of 5:1 to a ratio of 8:1 without significantly affecting performance. Only the distance of flight is affected by this ratio. Greater height of the outer vertical rim results in more air caught between the airfoil and the outer rim, thus resulting in a more pronounced floating effect.
[0016] For production purposes, it is presently preferred to fabricate a flying disk 33 (FIGS. 3 and 4) by a plastic injection molding process. The result is a molded plastic body including a flat center airfoil 37 bounded about its perimeter by a rim portion 35 extending an equal distance on each side of the center airfoil 37 . The rim portion 35 is at a 90-degree angle to the airfoil 37 for the entire circumference of center airfoil. The outer surface 39 of the rim portion 35 curves upwardly and downwardly from the center airfoil 37 enabling manual projection from either of the two identical sides.
[0017] The device 33 is thus shaped to provide a body having an aerodynamic airfoil profile, such that when it is flung through the air with a spinning motion, it appears to sail, or “float,” through the air. The spinning motion imparted by a wrist-flick gyroscopically stabilizes the flight.
[0018] Devices such as those disclosed in FIGS. 1 - 4 may be thrown by the user in a backhanded motion with one hand, keeping the arm parallel with the ground, and ending the throw with a snapping motion of the wrist. Variations of the angle of the arm at launch determine the angle of flight relative to altitude and direction.
[0019] The disclosed devices 11 , 33 are easier to throw and catch due to their shape, levelness, and the effect of “floating” toward the receiving individual, rather than being “whipped” toward that individual. Children adapt to the device more quickly and easily, due to the steadiness of the flight and the ability to toss the device along a more level path and at a shorter range. Such devices can also be thrown in areas that previously did not lend themselves to this activity because such devices can be comfortably thrown at a closer range than those of the prior art, which is especially important in densely populated areas. Thus, a large span of playing field is unnecessary, and a device as disclosed can be comfortably used in an average-sized yard. It is also impossible for the device to be upside-down when thrown since both the top and bottom are identical.
[0020] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiments 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.
|
A flying toy including a cylindrical rim and a flat circular airfoil located within the rim. The centerline of the airfoil is positioned to bisect the side surface of the rim, resulting in a flying toy of increased stability and throwing ease.
| 0
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a divisional application of United States patent application Ser. No. 409,297, filed Oct. 24, 1973, and now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the processing of naturally occurring fibers, such as cotton, it is the usual practice to mix fibers from a plurality of bales to improve uniformity. Commonly, this is done by removing segments from a plurality of bales and dumping these segments into the hopper of a fiber feeder.
If this operation is performed by hand, it is extremely laborious, hot and dirty work. Thus, several attempts have been made in the prior art to mechanize this operation. Exemplary of such attempts are U.S. Pat. No. 3,577,599 to Golddammer, entitled "Apparatus for Mixing Fibrous Components."The Goldammer patent discloses a wheeled fiber plucking mechanism movable between a row of bales arranged behind bale openers. The fiber plucking mechanism in the Goldammer patent is selectively engageable with successive bales for the purpose of plucking quantity of fibers therefrom. Movement of the Goldammer fiber plucker is limited to travel in the space between rows of bales and behind the group of openers.
An improved apparatus permitting removal of fibers from a greater number of bales, and thus permitting greater uniformity of mixing, is disclosed in application Ser. No. 275,942, filed July 28, 1972, by Alex J. Keller, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,908.
Basically, the mechanical hopper feeder apparatus disclosed in the Keller application comprises a fiber plucker having a vertically extendable pickup head. The fiber plucker is supported by and movable along a first pair of horizontal overhead tracks which are, in turn, supported at their ends upon a second pair of horizontal overhead tracks positioned transversely with respect to the first pair of tracks. Thus, by movement of the fiber plucker along the first pair of tracks and movement of the first pair of tracks along the second pair of tracks, the fiber plucker is positionable at any point within a rectangular area defined by the spacing of overhead tracks. In operation, the fiber plucker can be moved over any one of a large number, e.g. 40 or so, bales within the processing area to remove a mass of fibers therefrom and then transport the fibers to the hopper of one of several fiber feeding machines positioned alongside the bale area.
In employing a mechanical means such as described, for example, in the aforesaid Keller application, it is of critical importance that the fiber bales be precisely located within plus or minus 3 inches in either direction at predetermined locations in order that the pickup head will descend into the central portion of the bale during fiber plucking. Such positioning is of particular importance when the fiber plucker has been electrically programmed to move from one location to another in accordance with a predetermined program, or limit switches or cams associated with the apparatus. To date, this placement has required careful location of the bales by hand within the processing area of careful spacing and positioning of the bales upon a conveyor which then transports the bales into the processing area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bale handling system for use in conjunction with mechanical fiber plucking apparatus, and in particular relates to a system for readily and accurately positioning fiber bales at predetermined locations within a bale assembly area. While the preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in relation to an apparatus of the type disclosed in the aforesaid Keller application, it will be understood that the particular embodiment may be readily adapted to be used in conjunction with similar or other types of apparatus.
In accordance with the present invention, bales of fibers to be processed are placed upon bale supporting means which are then moved along guide means or guide ways into the bale assembly area.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for uniformly positioning fiber bales within the bale assembly area of a mechanical fiber plucker.
It is another object to provide a fiber bale handling and positioning apparatus comprised of a plurality of parallel tracks and a plurality of bale supporting means movable upon and guided by said tracks.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a fiber plucking apparatus comprised of a mechanical fiber plucker movable to predetermined positions over a bale assembly area and means for moving bales to predetermined locations within said area.
Other objects of the present invention, if not specifically set forth herein, will be obvious to the skilled artisan upon a reading of the detailed description of the invention which follows, particularly when taken in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bale assembly area and its associated apparatus, with parts broken away.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view with parts broken away, of one embodiment for moving bales within the bale assembly area.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In general, the present apparatus comprises a plurality of parallel guide ways, or guide means, extending across the bale area of a mechanical fiber plucking apparatus and plurality of bale supporting means adapted to move along, and be guided by, said track ways. In the following description, the apparatus is described in conjunction with the fiber plucker apparatus claimed in the aforementioned Keller application. It is to be understood however that the present apparatus may also be suitably employed as part of the other systems.
Referring now to the illustrated embodiment, a first set of trackways comprising a track 10 and a track 11 are suitably supported or suspended about 8 or 12 feet above the floor F of a fiber processing plant. In the illustrated embodiment, the tracks 10 and 11 are supported by posts 12 and 13 at the ends of track 10 and by posts 14 and 15 at the ends of track 11. Track 10 is supported above and extends across a group of fiber feeding machines sometimes called bale breakers, two of which are shown and identified by the reference numerals 16a and 16b. There may be any number of bale breakers served by the fiber plucker apparatus, six breakers being an average number. Only two are shown here for purposes of illustration. Each of the openers may be like that shown and described in the Lytton U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,709 or of any other suitable construction. Each opener includes a hopper 17 into which fibers are deposited for processing within the opener and thereafter delivered to a conveyor 20 extending transversely along the row of openers. The conveyor 20 comprises an endless belt which transports fibers from the openers to a pneumatic conveyor not shown, which transports the fibers to a carding machine or the like.
The track 10 is supported above the group of breakers and extends transversely of the path of the fibers through the breakers. Track 11 is supported in the same horizontal plane as track 10 but spaced rearwardly therefrom a sufficient distance to define an assembly area wherein fiber bales B are located. A distance of about 25 feet has been found sufficient for this purpose. Each of the breakers is about 3 feet in width and if the track 10 overlies six breakers, the tracks 10 and 11 may, therefore, be conveniently about 40 feet long.
A plurality of bales B of fibers, such as cotton, are arranged in the assembly area behind the breakers and between the tracks 10 and 11, by means to be hereinafter described in detail. The bales are of rectangular configuration and may be arranged on the floor in any desired predetermined pattern, but as illustrated are arranged with two longitudinal rows behind each breaker with the longest dimension of the bales extending longitudinally of its row. This arrangement has been found advantageous in conserving floor space and thereby permitting a larger number of bales to be assembled within the assembly area between and beneath the tracks 10 and 11.
If desired, all of the bales in a row behind a given breaker, such as the breaker 16a, may contain a fiber of a given kind which is different from the fibers in the remaining bales in the assembly area. Similarly, the bales behind another breaker, such as 16b, may contain fibers different from the fibers in the rest of the bales in the processing area. Alternatively, any bale or bales behind the hoppers and within the assembly area may contain fiber which is different from the fiber in other bales within the assembly area. Still another alternative would be for all of the bales in the processing area to contain the same kind of fiber. The point is that the bales within the assembly area may or may not contain different fibers and bales with fibers different from the fibers in other bales may be arranged in any desired pattern. The invention is equally applicable to all arrangements of bales containing the same or different kinds of fibers. Any desired mixing of fibers is accomplished after the fibers are deposited in the hoppers, the only function of the hopper feeder being to deliver fibers to the hoppers--not to mix them.
Extending between the tracks 10 and 11 is a wheeled frame broadly indicated at 21 and including a rectangularly shaped longitudinally extending carriage 22 having wheels 23 journalled at the ends thereof and rotatably mounted for reciprocal movement along the tracks 10 and 11. The frame 21 supports a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending tracks 24, upon which is mounted for reciprocal movement therealong a wheeled carriage broadly indicated at 25.
The carriage 25 supports a fiber plucker or tongs broadly indicated at 26 and comprising a vertically reciprocable support shaft 27 and a pair of cooperating tongs or prongs 30 operatively connected to the lower end of the support shaft 27. The prongs 30 are selectively movable toward and away from each other to close upon a quantity of fibers in a bale within the assembly area and to release the fibers plucked from the bale into one of hoppers 17.
The sequence of operations may be controlled through a control circuit including a manually operated or computer operated console operatively connected to the electric, hydraulic, or air motors energizing the movement of the carriage 22 along tracks 10 and 11, carriage 25 along tracks 24, and the raising and lowering the support shaft 27 and the opening and closing of the tongs 30. The console may also include appropriate programming for sensing the volume of fibers within each of the hoppers 17, and be responsive to a volume less than a predetermined minimum to cause the fiber plucker to move an appropriate kind of fiber from one of the bales in the assembly area to the hopper requiring replenishment.
The apparatus for positioning bales with the assembly area at predetermined locations is comprised of a plurality of guide means, shown generally at 33A, 33B, 33C, 33D . . . . Each guide means is comprised of a pair of spaced parallel angle irons 34, each angle iron 34 having a horizontal outwardly extending foot 35 and an upright portion 36; the angle irons or rails forming each guide means being spaced a first given dimension transversely of the path of movement of bales along the guide means. At spaced positions along alternate angle irons 34 are hinged arms 37 secured to each alternate as by hinge 38 and adapted to be moved from an inoperative vertical position as shown at 37A in FIG. 2 to a horizontal operative position extending between proximate rails 34. Arms 37 are spaced longitudinally of the path of movement of bales along the guide means a second given dimension. The angle irons and hinged arms are positioned such that the first and second dimensions define the limits of a predetermined zone within the assembly area for the positioning of successive bales B.
Bales B are supported upon movable support means, which comprises a pallet 42 having an upper surface with dimensions approximating those of bale B. Pallet 42 is supported upon a plurality of wheels 43 or casters. Spacers 44 are secured on each side of pallet 42. In the preferred embodiment, spacers 44 comprise laterally projecting tubular members which are welded to the sides of pallet 42. Removable side walls 45 are insertable between spacers 44 and the sides of the pallet members to hold bale B on pallet 42. The dimensions of the pallets 42 is such that the dimension across the pallet from the outer edge of opposed spacers 44 is slightly less than the space between the angle irons 34 forming the guide means, so that the pallets may be rolled between proximal angle irons 34. The longitudinal dimension of pallet 42 is slightly less than the distance between adjacent hinged arms or spacer bars 37, so that when two bars are positioned across proximal angle irons 34 such as guide means 33A, pallet 42 therebetween will be precisely located in a predetermined position within the assembly area for access by the fiber plucker 30, which may be programmed to stop only at designated points within the assembly area. Once properly positioned the pallet 42 will be prevented from longitudinal or transverse movement.
In operation, a bale B is positioned onto a first pallet 42 and wheeled between proximal angle irons 34, such as guide means 33A until it rest against a first arm 37 adjacent the hopper 17. The next successive or second arm 37 is then moved from its vertical inoperative position across the angle irons and behind pallet 42 to precisely position the first pallet and form a forward stop for the next succeeding pallet. The next pallet 42 and its bale between the angle irons 36 defining guide means 33A and brought into contact with the second arm. A third arm is then brought in position behind the bale support means and the sequence of steps is continued until the desired number of bales is positioned along the guideway. A similar sequence of events is carried out along each guide means until the desired number of bales have been positioned within the processing area.
It is to be understood that the essence of the present invention is an apparatus for positioning bales of fibrous material within an assembly area at predetermined locations which comprises a plurality of bale support means which are adapted to travel along a plurality of parallel guideways to predetermined positions within the assembly area. For example, the objects of the present invention may be accomplished by a plurality of parallel grooves within the floor of the processing area, and bale support means having pins projecting downwardly therefrom for engagement with the groove. It is also within the spirit of the invention to eliminate the hinged arms 37 and use a fixed stop adjacent the hoppers to locate the first pallets in each guide means. The rest of the pallets will be positioned against the first pallets in each row and against each other and properly dimensioned to precisely position their respective bales at predetermined points in the assembly area.
|
A system is provided for accurately positioning bales of fibrous material in relation to a mechanical means for transporting fibers from said bales to the hoppers of fiber feeders.
| 3
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
A movable boat propulsion apparatus comprising a drive assembly interconnected to an inboard drive means and propeller means by a first and second universal joint respectively.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of tiltable marine propulsion systems have been developed such that the propeller housing is freely tiltable should the propeller means impinge on an obstruction such as bottom or submerged objects to prevent destruction of the propeller. In addition, the propeller is generally tilted up for docking, shallow water trolling and the like. Such tiltable systems are almost universally restricted to use with outboard motors.
A problem which exists with tilting of inboard drive means is the excessive thrust or torque generated when the propeller is in a partially tilted position. This can exert a destructive force on the motor and drive assembly unless appropriate provision is made to safeguard against such emergency conditions. Unfortunately, most safeguard systems include various expensive warning and control systems to prevent an overload condition.
Most existing tilt or lift mechanisms include motorized drive-lift mechanisms with pulley and cable arrangements which are expensive to manufacture and operate. In addition, these tilt systems generally vary the horizontal thrust component when tilted thereby reducing the effective power of the entire propulsion system.
Thus, there is a need for an improved marine drive tilting mechanism particularly for inboard drives including tilting means with safety features inherent in the tilting which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, dependable, and economical to operate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a movable boat propulsion apparatus. More specifically, the boat propulsion apparatus comprises a drive assembly interconnecting a propeller means to an inboard drive means to permit vertical movement of the propeller means relative to the boat hull.
The drive assembly comprises an elongated drive shaft enclosed within a housing pivotally attached to the bottom of the hull. The elongated drive shaft terminates at each end with a first and second coupling means. Each coupling means comprises a universal joint. The upper portion of the housing is partially disposed within a channel means formed in the bottom of the hull. The propeller means is rotatably mounted on the rear portion of the housing. A substantially vertical strut means is attached to the housing and the upper portion of the strut means is interconnected to the rear portion of the hull by a strut control means, preferably comprising a hydraulic piston/cylinder combination.
An alternate embodiment further includes a directional thrust control means enclosed within the housing to move the strut means and propeller means in the vertical plane relative to the hull. In addition, a second directional control means interconnects the strut control means and rear of the hull. Coordination of the first and second directional control means permits directional control of the thrust and height of the propeller means relative to the hull as more fully described hereinafter.
In operation, the strut means is substantially vertical with strut control means fully extended. In this position the propeller means is substantially vertical. The propeller means is driven through the drive assembly by the inboard drive means. Should the strut means strike the bottom of the water or a submerged object, the strut means will rotate rearwardly and upwardly causing housing to move upward further into the channel means. Since the drive assembly is operatively coupled at each end by a universal joint, the drive assembly and propeller means continue to operate without overloading or over-torqueing the apparatus despite the angular orientations of the propeller means relative to the hull. The upward movement of the strut means is controlled by the piston/cylinder combination. Similarly, the downward movement of the strut means is also controlled as it returns to the vertical position once the impinging force is removed. It can thus be seen that the propeller and drive assembly continue to operate normally despite striking the bottom or a submerged object.
The alternate embodiment operates similarly to the embodiment described above with several additional elements. Specifically, extension and retraction of the first directional control means within the housing changes the angular orientation of the propeller means relative to the hull as well as the distance of the propeller means below the hull. By adjusting the second directional control means relative to the hull the angular orientation of the propeller means relative to the hull may be changed. Thus, by coordinating the extension and retraction of the first and second directional control means the depth of the propeller means may be adjusted while maintaining the propeller means in a substantially vertical plane. In addition, it should be noted that since the housing is movable upwardly into the channel, the apparatus may be adjusted to operate in very shallow water without losing any thrust vector.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of the movable boat propulsion apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of an alternate embodiment of the movable boat propulsion apparatus.
Similar reference characters referr to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As shown in FIG. 1, the boat propulsion apparatus generally indicated as 10 comprises a drive housing means 12, interconnecting drive means 14, propeller means 16 and strut means 17.
The inner portion 18 of housing means 12 is movably coupled to mount 20 by flexible boot 22. The upper portion 19 of housing means 12 is normally disposed within channel 24 of the hull 21 as shown in FIG. 1. Channel 26 extends the length of housing means 12 to operatively support the drive means 14 as more fully described hereinafter. The strut means 17 is attached to the rear portion of housing means 12 which extends upward to engage attachment means or strut control means generally indicated as 30 secured to the hull by fastener means 32. The attachment means 30 comprises a buffer means including a first or lower portion 34A of a cylinder 34, piston means 36 and interconnecting member 38 movably attached to rearward portion 28. Interconnecting member 38 extends through aperture 40 and is fixedly attached to piston 36 including a plurality of apertures 39 formed therein. The upper or second portion 34B of cylinder 34 is pivotally attached to the rear 42 of hull 21 by fastener means 32.
A primary rudder means 44 is fixedly secured to the lower portion of strut means 17. A secondary rudder means 46 is secured to the rear portion of housing means 12. Propeller mount 48 comprising propeller support means 50 and propeller guard means 52 depend from the rear portion of housing means 12.
The drive means 14 includes drive shaft means 54 and coupling means 56 and 58 comprising universal joints formed at opposite ends thereof. The inner universal joint 56 is attached directly to motor shaft 60. As shown at 29, the universal joint 56 may be sealed. The outer universal joint 58 is coupled to the propeller means 16. The propeller means 16 comprises propeller shaft 64 rotatably mounted within propeller support means 50 and propeller 66 attached thereto. Since the drive shaft means 54 is enclosed within channel 26 the universal joints 56 and 58 may be constantly lubricated by introducing a lubricant into channel 26.
FIG. 2 shows an alternate embodiment including a directional thrust control means. This alternate embodiment includes drive housing means 100, directional thrust control means 102, and 103, interconnecting drive means 104, propeller means 106 and strut means 108.
The interconnecting drive means 104, includes drive shaft means 109 and coupling means 110 and 112 comprising universal joints 110 and 112 formed at opposite ends thereof. Inner universal joint 110 is attached directly to motor shaft 114 while the outer universal joint 112 is attached to propeller means 106. Propeller means 106 comprises propeller shaft 116 and propeller 118.
The inner portion 120 of housing means 100 is movably coupled to the hull 122. The upper portion 124 is partially disposed within channel 126 of the hull 122. A first and a second channel 128 and 130 respectively extend substantially the length of housing means 100. The first or upper channel 128 operatively supports shaft means 109 while the second or lower channel 130 operatively supports directional thrust control means 102.
The directional thrust control means 102 comprises control shaft 132 coupled to the lower portion of strut means 108 at its outer end and to control lever 136 at its inner end. A propeller guard 134 is formed on the lower portion of strut means 108.
Strut means 108 comprises a lower cylindrical body 138 and upper hollow cylinder 140. The cylinder 140 includes a first and a second cylinder portion 140A and 140B. A support member 142 including aperture 144 formed therein is arranged within cylinder 140 between the first and second cylinder portions 140A and 140B. An elongated interconnecting member 143 including enlarged portion 145 interconnects body 138 and cylinder 140. Cylinder 140 is connected to the rear 146 of hull 122 by second directional thrust control means 103. Control means 103 comprises mount 148 pivotally coupled to adjustment means 150.
In operation, shown in FIG. 1 strut means 28 is substantially vertical with attachment means 39 fully extended. In this position propeller 66, interconnected to motor means (not shown) by drive means 14, is powered to drive the boat. In the event guard 52 strikes the bottom of the water or a submerged object, strut means 28 will rotate rearwardly and upwardly causing housing means 12 to move upwardly into channel 24. Since the drive means 14 is connected at each end by universal joints 56 and 58, the entire propulsion apparatus 10 will continue to operate. The hydraulic attachment means 30 buffers the upward movement of the entire apparatus. The flow of fluid between the first and second cylinder portions 34A and 34B through apertures 39 damps the movement of the housing means 12. Once the impinging force is removed, housing means 12 rotates downward, the fluid in cylinder 34 controlling the rate of return. Since the drive shaft means 54 and universal joints 56 and 58 are contained within channel 26, lubricant may be enclosed therein to reduce wear.
The alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 2 operates similarly to the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1. Fluid flow through aperture 144 between the first and second cylinder portions 140A and 140B damps the movement of housing means 100. The control arm 102 may be extended and retracted relative to housing means 100 by lever means 136 to rotate strut means 108 to change direction of thrust. In addition, the strut means 108 may be tilted by movement of control means 103. Stop 154 prevents the upper portion of strut means 108 from striking the rear protion 146 of hull 122. Thus, by coordinating the extension and retraction of the first and second directional control means the depth of the propeller means 106 may be adjusted while maintaining the propeller means 106 in a substantially vertical plane. In addition, it should be noted that since the housing 100 is movable upwardly into the channel 126 the apparatus may be adjusted to operate in very shallow water without losing any thrust vector.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.
|
A movable boat propulsion apparatus for use with an inboard drive comprising a drive assembly disposed within a pivotally mounted housing coupled at one end to the drive by a universal joint and coupled at the opposite end to a propeller mounted on a substantially vertical strut by a second universal joint such that the entire boat propulsion apparatus is movable in the vertical plane relative to the boat hull. The apparatus may also include a control coupled to the strut to adjust the height and angular orientation of the propeller in the vertical plane relative to the boat hull.
| 1
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is an aqueous coating composition that is well suited for coating metal surfaces and exhibiting water resistance at elevated temperatures. Thus, these compositions are particularly adapted to coating cans that are subjected to high temperature processes during or after filling.
The surfaces of metallic containers intended to contain food or beverages are typically coated so as to retard corrosion of the container and to improve the appearance of the surface. Food and beverage cans are generally made from aluminum, steel, blackplate or tinplate steel. These metal containers are subject to air oxidation and to corrosive action of the food or beverage products, both of which can be accelerated during high temperature pasteurization or sterilization processes associated with some canning operations.
In order to provide high temperature process resistant coatings on cans, the prior art has generally relied on coating compositions that contain substantial amounts of organic solvent. Volatilization of these organic solvents during the curing of these coatings is considered environmentally undesirable, and therefore the art has considered it desirable to find water based coatings with the required degree of high temperature process resistance. Water based coating compositions are generally based on polymeric binders that are either water soluble or dispersions in water. Water dispersions usually entail synthesis by emulsion polymerization using a surfactant. The presence of the surfactant in the film formed from such a coating composition degrades the water resistance of the film. An example of this type of water dispersion composition is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,859 (McEwan et al.). Water soluble binder systems also generally suffer from poor water resistance because of the relatively high carboxy group content needed for water solubility. Such conventional water based coatings typically soften, blister, or blush (get hazy due to water absorption) under process conditions, e.g., 250° F. (121° C.) steam for 30 minutes). The prior art has attempted to improve water resistance of these types of compositions by including substantial amounts of aqueous amino resins such as alkoxy derivatives of melamine or benzoguanamine, but a disadvantage to that approach is typically a loss of film flexibility and the undesirable generation of formaldehyde as a product of the curing reaction. Additionally, the cross-linking stability provided by these amino resins is less than desired under the conditions of high temperature water exposure.
A water based can coating that has high temperature process resistance without relying primarily on melamine or benzoguanamine derivatives or the like would be highly desirable. A high level of process resistance would be indicated by the ability to withstand 250° F. (121° C.) steam for 30 minutes. Superior process resistance would be even more desirable, as evidenced by the ability to withstand 250° F. (121° C.) steam for 90 minutes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,917 (Swift et al.) discloses that hydroxyalkylamides can be used to react with carboxy groups of a waterborne acrylic polymer so as to cure the polymer. The patent discloses that in order to effect a cure, the amount of hydroxyalkylamide used should be chosen relative to the amount of carboxy groups in the acrylic polymer. More specifically the ratio of hydroxy groups in the hydroxyalkylamide to carboxy groups in the polymer are disclosed to be in the range of about 0.5:1 to about 2:1, preferably 1:1. In all of the examples of that patent in which the ratio is disclosed it is 1:1 (or "stoichiometric").
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a coating composition which may be water based having: (1) binder resin comprising acrylic polymer having carboxy functionality, and (2) a curing agent comprising hydroxyalkylamide, wherein the ratio of hydroxy groups in the hydroxyalkylamide to carboxy groups in the binder resin is less than 0.5:1, preferably less than 0.4 to 1, and most preferably less than 0.35 to 1. This is less hydroxyalkylamide than was considered necessary by the prior art to cure carboxy functional polymer coatings. Surprisingly, it has now been discovered that coating compositions having such low hydroxyalkylamide levels can yield films having excellent process resistance, i.e., resistance to water at high temperatures. Therefore, the coatings of the present invention are particularly suitable for use on metal food and beverage containers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Hydroxyalkylamide curing agents are disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,917 (Swift et al.) and are commercially available from the Rohm and Haas Company, Philadelphia, Pa. They are represented by the following formula: ##STR1## where:
A is a bond, hydrogen or a monovalent or polyvalent organic radical derived from a saturated or unsaturated alkyl radical wherein the alkyl radical contains from 1-60 carbon atoms, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, eicosyl, triacontyl, tetracontyl, pentacontyl, hexyicontyl and the like: aryl, for example, mono- and dinuclear aryl such as phenyl, naphthyl and the like; tri-lower alkyleneamino such as trimethyleneamino, triethyleneamino and the like; or an unsaturated radical containing one or more ethylenic groups such as ethenyl, 1-methylethenyl, 3-butenyl-1,3-diyl, 2-propenyl-1,2-diyl, carboxy lower alkenyl, such as 3-carboxy-2-propenyl and the like, lower alkoxy carbonyl lower alkenyl such as 3-methoxycarbonyl-2-propenyl and the like;
R 1 is hydrogen, lower alkyl of from 1-5 carbon atoms such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl and the like or hydroxy lower alkyl of from 1-5 carbon atoms such as hydroxyethyl, 3-hydroxypropyl, 2-hydroxypropyl, 4-hydroxybutyl, 3-hydroxybutyl, 2-hydroxy-2-methyl propyl, 5-hydroxypentyl, 4-hydroxypentyl, 3-hydroxypentyl, 2-hydroxypentyl and the isomers of pentyl;
R 2 and R 3 are the same or different radicals selected from hydrogen, straight or branched chain lower alkyl of from 1-5 carbon atoms or one of the R 2 and one of the R 3 radicals may be joined to form, together with the carbon atoms, such as cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl and the like;
n is an integer having a value of 1 or 2 and n' is an integer having a value of 0 to 2 or when n' is 0, a polymer or copolymer (i.e., n has a value greater than 1, preferably 2-10) formed from the β-hydroxyalkylamine when A is an unsaturated radical.
Specific examples of hydroxyalkylamides within the formula above that may be used as curing agents are bis[N,N-di(β-hydroxyethyl)] adipamide (available from Rohm and Haas as "QM552"), bis[N,N-di(β-hydroxypropyl)] succinamide, bis[N,N-di(β-hydroxyethyl)] azelamide, bis[N,N-di(β-hydroxypropyl)] adipamide, and bis[N-methyl-N-(β-hydroxyethyl)] oxamide.
An advantage of the hydroxyalkylamide curing agents compared to melamine derivative type curing agents is that in the case of the former, formaldehyde is not formed as a by-product of the crosslinking reaction. Another advantage is that the crosslinking reaction of hydroxyalkylamides with carboxy groups is substantially irreversible at the boiling point of water. Additionally, high temperature process resistance is attained without substantially sacrificing flexibility of the film formed from the coating composition. Although the present invention does not rely on melamine derivatives for curing the coating, small amounts, such as 0.5 to 3 percent, of melamine derivatives may be included in some coating compositions for other purposes such as application improvements. These minor inclusions of melamine derivatives may be tolerated in the coating compositions of the present invention without unduly sacrificing process resistance.
The acrylic polymer which comprises the binder of the coating composition of the present invention may be prepared by free radical addition polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers. A wide range of acrylic monomers known in the art may be used for the polymerization including acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid and esters thereof. Typical acrylic esters are the lower alkyl esters including methyl (meth)acrylate, ethyl (meth)acrylate, n-butyl (meth)acrylate and isobutyl (meth)acrylate. Other acrylic esters include 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, dodecyl acrylate. Other carboxy group containing monomers having unsaturation may also be used, including crotonic acid, itaconic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, citraconic acid and the like. Inclusion of an acid group containing monomer provides compatibility of the coating composition with water upon neutralization of the polymer with a base such as an amine. Acid groups are also needed for reaction with the hydroxyalkylamide curing agent. To provide for both of these needs, greater than 12 percent by weight on a solids basis of the monomers employed for polymerizing the acrylic polymer should contain acid groups. Preferred embodiments employ 20 to 50 percent acid group containing monomers. The use of more than 65 percent acid containing monomers is not preferred. Expressed differently, sufficient acid functionality is provided in the acrylic polymer to yield an acid value of 1.5 to 9 milliequivalents of KOH per gram of polymer (solids basis). Anhydrides such as maleic anhydride may be used in place of the carboxy group containing monomers, in which case each anhydride will count as an acid functionality of two.
The acrylic polymer may be polymerized entirely from acrylic monomers, but preferred embodiments include vinyl monomers (e.g., styrene or vinyl toluene) copolymerized with the acrylic monomers. Inclusion of vinyl components in the binder polymer has been found to further improve the high temperature water resistance of the coating. To assure sufficient acid group content of the polymer, it would be preferred to include vinyl monomers in amounts less than 85 percent by weight (solids basis) of the monomers used for the preparation of the acrylic polymer.
In addition to the acrylic polymers described above, the binder may include other resins such as polyesters for reducing cost or altering flow characteristics of the composition. However, such additions have generally been found to detract from the process resistance of the coating and therefore are not included in preferred embodiments where the highest level of performance is desired.
Polymerization of the monomers to produce the acrylic polymer generally entails the present of a free radical initiator as known in the art. Free radical initiators include azo compounds such as 2,2'-azobis-(2-methylisobutyronitrile); peroxyesters such as t-butylperoxy acetate, t-butyl peroctoate, t-amyl peroctoate, t-amyl peracetate, and t-butyl perbenzoate; alkylhydroperoxides such as t-butyl hydroperoxide; diacyl peroxides such as dibenzoyl peroxide; and dialkyl peroxides such as ditertiary butyl peroxide and dicumyl peroxide.
Preparation of the acrylic polymer takes place in any suitable organic solvent in which the monomers and the polymer are soluble, as is known in the art. Among the many solvents that may be used are ethers such as 2-ethoxyethanol, 2-butoxyethanol, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, and 1-methoxy-2-propanol, and alcohols such as butanol, tridecyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof. After the polymerization is concluded, the acid groups on the polymer may be substantially neutralized with a base such as an amine, as is conventional in the art, to render the polymer water soluble. Preferably the base is selected so as to be volatile at the elevated temperature used to cure the coating so that the base does not remain in the cured film. Thereafter, the polymer may be reduced with water, blended with pigments if desired and with the hydroxyalkylamine curing agent and other additives as may be desired for the particular application of the coating composition. For exterior can coatings, including a lubricant such as a wax is often considered desirable, and the wax may be present during the polymerization step.
The relative amounts of hydroxyalkylamide curing agent and acrylic polymer to be blended into the composition is determined by the ratio of hydroxy groups in the curing agent to carboxy groups in the acrylic polymer. For the present invention this ratio is less than 0.5 hydroxy groups to 1 carboxy group, preferably less than 0.4 to 1, and most preferably less than 0.35 to 1. At ratios below 0.02 to 1, there appears to be insufficient crosslinking to provide a durable film. Expressed differently, the amount of hydroxyalkylamide included in preferred embodiments of the invention have generally been in the range of 3 to 10 percent by weight of the total polymer solids of the composition, preferably 3.5 to 8 percent.
Although an important advantage of the present invention is the provision of a water based coating composition, it should be appreciated that the process resistance properties of this composition do not require that the composition be water based. Instead of neutralizing with a base and reducing the composition with water, the neutralizing step may be omitted and the composition may be reduced with an organic solvent or solvent mixture.
Application of the coating onto a substrate may be by any conventional means, but for can coatings roll coating and dip coating are commonly used. Application to can interiors may also be by spraying. Although the coating compositions of the present invention may be applied at any thickness desired, the best process resistance results have been attained at less than 1 mil (0.025 millimeter), preferably less than 0.5 mil (0.013 millimeter), most preferably less than 0.2 mil (0.005 millimeter), dry film thickness. The coating is cured at elevated temperatures at which the hydroxyalkylamide curing agent is activated, usually within the range of 250° F. (125° C.) to 750° F. (400° C.) for a period of time ranging from about 2 seconds to 30 minutes.
It may be noted that good adhesion to metal surfaces under high temperature process conditions was achieved with the present invention without unusual measured being taken to clean or otherwise prepare the surfaces prior to coating. While some prior art compositions may be able to attain adhesion with specially prepared surfaces, the present invention achieves these results with conventional degrees of substrate cleanliness and even relatively poor cleanliness. Therefore, the present invention provides wide latitude in commercial operations, where surface preparation is typically less than ideal.
An aqueous acrylic polymer suitable for use in the coating composition of the present invention was made as described in the following example.
EXAMPLE I
A reaction vessel was charged with butyl Cellosolve® (500 grams), butanol (166 grams), Shellmax® wax (12 grams), and carnauba wax (12 grams), and the contents heated to reflux. A solution of monomers consisting of methyl methacrylate (840 grams), styrene (360 grams), butyl acrylate (720 grams), acrylic acid (480 grams) and tert-dodecyl mercaptan (24 grams) and a solution of catalyst of t-butyl perbenzoate (60 grams) in butyl Cellosolve® (60 grams) were added simultaneously to the reaction mixture over 3 hours. A solution of t-butyl perbenzoate (6 grams) in butanol (6 grams) was then added and the reaction mixture held at reflux for 1.5 hours. The reaction was cooled to less than 130° C. and dimethylethanolamine (475.5 grams) was added. Boiling water (3000 grams) was added slowly over 1.5 hours and the reaction mixture held at 73° C. for 2 hours to yield the acrylic polymer in an aqueous medium.
White coating compositions in accordance with the present invention were formulated and tested as described in the following example.
EXAMPLE II
The acrylic dispersion polymer product of Example I was used to disperse titanium dioxide with a pigment to binder ratio ranging from 1/1 to 1.21/1. This dispersion was blended with bis [N,N-di (β-hydroxyethyl) adipamide at a ratio of hydroxy equivalents to acrylic acid equivalents of 0.24/1. The blended composition was applied to two piece drawn and ironed aluminum and steel cans. The applied film weight ranged from 0.1 mil (0.0025 millimeters) to 0.4 mil (0.01 millimeters) thickness. The cans were cured at temperatures ranging from 330° F. (169° C.) to 450° F. (232° C.) with dwell times ranging from two seconds to 4 minutes. The cured coatings were processed in a steam retort ranging from 15 minutes to 90 minutes at a steam pressure of 15 to 17 pounds per square inch (103 to 117 kilopascals) and a temperature of 250° F. (121° C.) to 254° F. (123° C.). The panels were crosshatched and taped using Scotch 610 tape and evaluated for adhesion failure. No loss of adhesion was found for any of the samples.
The following example describes production of another aqueous acrylic dispersion that may be used in the coating compositions of the present invention.
EXAMPLE III
To a solution of butyl Cellosolve (658 grams) and butanol (260 grams), heated to reflux, was added simultaneously over 3 hours two solutions, the first consisting of styrene (1680 grams) and acrylic acid (720 grams) and the second consisting of t-butyl perbenzoate (84 grams) and butyl cellosolve (60 grams). A solution of t-butyl perbenzoate (6 grams) in butanol (6 grams) was then added and the reaction mixture maintained at reflux for 1.5 hours. After cooling to less than 130° C., dimethylethanolamine (667.4 grams) was added to the reaction mixture. Boiling water (4900 grams) was added over 1.5 hours and the mixture held at 73° C. for 2 hours to give an acrylic polymer in water.
Clear coating compositions within and outside the scope of the present invention were formulated and tested as described in the following example.
EXAMPLE IV
The acrylic dispersion product of Example III was blended with bis [N,N-di(β-hydroxyethyl) adipamide at the ratios of 0, 0.03, 0.14, 0.21, 0.34, 0.44, 0.59 and 0.98 part hydroxy equivalent per one part of carboxy equivalent, applied to tin plated steel drawn and ironed beverage can at about two milligrams per square inch dry. These coated cans were stoved for 90 seconds at 400° F. (204° C.) then again 180 seconds at 400° F. (204° C.). These cans were then partially submerged in water and processed for 90 minutes at 250° F. (121° C.). The cans were scribed and taped with Scotch 610 tape. The results are given in the table below.
______________________________________Ratio Adhesion FailureHydroxy/carboxy Appearance Defect (Area)______________________________________0 severe blush - blister 80.03 slight - moderate blush None.14 moderate blush None.21 slight blush None.34 very slight blush None.44 none Less than 1%.69 spot rusting 1-3%.98 large spot rusting 25-30%______________________________________
|
A coating composition which may be water based and which is adapted for metallic substrates is disclosed, having: (1) binder resin comprising acrylic polymer having carboxy functionality, and (2) a curing agent comprising hydroxyalkylamide, wherein the ratio of hydroxy groups in the hydroxyalkylamide to carboxy groups in the binder resin is less than 0.5:1, preferably less than 0.4 to 1, and most preferably less than 0.35 to 1. The composition has been found to yield films exhibiting good resistance to water at high temperatures, thereby rendering them particularly suitable for use on metal food and beverage containers that are subjected to sterilization or pasteurization processes.
| 2
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 11-114583, filed Apr. 22, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more specifically to a fuse structure of a semiconductor memory device, as well as a method of manufacturing the same, that is, in short to improvement of the fuse structure of a semiconductor memory device.
Recently, in the field of semiconductor integrated circuits, the degree of the high integration further advances, and in particular, in DRAMs, a high integration density of a level of giga bit is required. Further, due to the characteristics of the memory element of the semiconductor memory device, a large-scale redundancy circuit must be inevitably provided. Therefore, the integration density of the semiconductor integrated circuit is further increased. For this reason, it is becoming essential to decrease the area of a fuse element in order to reduce the element area.
A fuse region of a conventional DRAM will now be described with reference to FIGS. 17A and 17B. Here, FIG. 17A is a cross sectional view of the fuse element, whereas FIG. 17B is a top view of the fuse element. A cross section taken along the line XVIIA—XVIIA in FIG. 17B is indicated as FIG. 17 A. As can be seen in FIG. 17A, an element separation region 101 is formed in a surface region of a semiconductor substrate 100 . On the element separation region 101 , an interlayer insulating film 102 having a thickness of about 1.4 μm, which is made of a silicon oxide film or the like. A plurality of metal fuses 103 having a thickness of 2000 to 3000 angstroms, which are made of aluminum or the like, are formed on the interlayer insulating film 102 so as to be adjacent and parallel to each other.
In the structure shown in FIG. 17B, as a laser beam is applied to a fuse portion 104 which is a fusing (meltdown) region, the portion breaks down in a manner of joule breakdown by heat, and fuses. It should be noted here that the length of the fusing region 104 of each one of the fuses 103 is about 1.0 μm, and the width (that is, taken in a direction normal to the direction of the length) of the fuses in a region other than the fusing region 104 is about 0.6 μm. On the fuses 103 , an interlayer insulating film 105 having a thickness of about 500 to 5000 angstrom is formed to cover the fuses 103 . Please also note that in a fuse region of the prior art technique, a special process step is provided to form a fuse opening section, and a film corresponding to the interlayer insulating film 105 is formed to have a certain thickness on a metal fuse 104 .
However, the conventional semiconductor as described above entails the following drawbacks.
That is, in the fuse structure of the conventional technique described above, the interval between fuses is narrowed as the element is downsized. With this structure, when broken pieces of a fuse are scattered from a melted-down fuse and stuck on some other fuse which should not be melted down, the erroneous meltdown of that fuse which should not be melted down, or the change in the resistance of the fuse (or the corresponding circuit) are induced, creating a problem that a desired element operation cannot be guaranteed. Further, as the wire is multi-layered, the thickness of the film cannot be made uniform any more from one site to another in the interlayer insulating film. Therefore, when a plurality of fuses are provided, the thickness of the portion of the insulation film, which is located on each fuse differs from one portion to another. As a result, when a laser beam is applied uniformly onto a plurality of fuses, insufficient meltdown or excessive meltdown may occur. Further, in the case where the interlayer insulating film formed underneath fuses is multi-layered, the stress of a fuse which is scattered into pieces while the meltdown of the fuse is easily propagated between insulating films made of different compositions, and therefore in some cases, a fuse which should not be melted down is melted due to the propagated stress. In order to prevent such a phenomenon, the energy level of the laser is limited to a low level such as about 0.9 μJ, and such a limited energy level is in some cases insufficient to surely melt down a desired fuse depending on a situation determined by, for example, the thickness of the insulating film on a fuse.
As described above, with the conventional semiconductor device, in order to melt down a very fine fuse, heat is applied to the fuse through an insulating film. Therefore, a meltdown error of fuse caused by the non-uniformity of the thickness of the insulating film, or other type of meltdown error caused by the propagation of the stress when a fuse is scattered in meltdown, due to the difference in the material of the underlying insulating film, occurs. For example, in the case of a silicon oxide film having a multi-layer insulating film structure, as shown in FIG. 18, with its underlying layer being a TEOS film (tetraethyl ortho silicate) 106 and its overlying layer being an HDP (high density plasma) film 107 , as laser energy is irradiated on a melted-down fuse 108 , a stress created as the melted-down fuse scatters is propagated between the TEOS film 106 and the HDP film 107 as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 18, thereby causing an adverse effect on an adjacent non-melted fuse 109 . Thus, in some cases, the fuse which should not be melted down is wrongly fused depending on a situation. Further, even if it is not fused, the width of wiring of the fuse which should not be melted down, is narrowed due to the adverse effect of the stress caused by the scattering of the fuse, thus increasing its resistance value.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention are to solve the above-described drawback of the prior art technique. More specifically, the object of the invention is to provide a fuse element capable of fusing a very fine fuse uniformly without being influenced by the thickness of the insulating film on the fuse, as well as a method of manufacturing such a fuse element.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a highly integrated fuse element in which an adverse effect on an adjacent fuse element is suppressed by reducing the amount of scattering pieces of a meltdown fuse when it is fused.
In order to achieve the above-described object, there is provided, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate; a first insulating film region provided in a groove-like manner in the semiconductor substrate; a fuse element provided on the first insulating film region; a second insulating film region formed on the fuse element and the first insulating film region; and a metal plug connected to the fuse element, and having a surface exposed to a surface of the second insulating film region.
In the semiconductor device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the metal plug may include a portion projecting on the surface of the second insulating film.
There is further provided, according to a second aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate; a first insulating film provided on the semiconductor substrate; a first fuse element provided on the first insulating film; a second insulating film formed on the fuse element and the first insulating film, the second insulating film having a via hole formed therein; and a first metal plug formed in the via hole formed in the second insulating film, the metal plug being connected to the fuse element, and having a surface exposed to a surface of the second insulating film.
In the semiconductor device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the surface of the first metal plug may be depressed in the via-hole is removed.
In the semiconductor device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the first metal plug may have a portion projecting on the surface of the second insulating film.
In the semiconductor device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the semiconductor device may further comprise an element separation film formed on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the via hole formed in the second insulating film may be above the element separation film, and the first metal plug may be above the element separation film. The surface of the first metal plug may be depressed in the via-hole is removed. The first metal plug may have a portion projecting on the surface of the second insulating film.
In the semiconductor device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the semiconductor device may further comprise an element separation film formed on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first insulating film may have an open hole formed therein, a second metal plug may be provided in the open hole formed in the first insulating film, the open hole formed in the first insulating film may be outside of a region of the element insulating film, the via hole formed in the second insulating film may be outside of the region of the element separation film, and the first metal plug formed in the vial hole of the second insulating film may be outside of the region of the element separation film. The surface of the first metal plug may be depressed in the via-hole may be removed. The first metal plug may have a portion projecting on the surface of the second insulating film.
In the semiconductor device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the semiconductor device may further comprise an element separation film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a second fuse element formed on the first insulating film, and a third insulating film provided between the first insulating film and the first fuse element, the third insulating film having an open hole formed therein, a second metal plug provided in the opening hole formed in the third insulating film, wherein the open hole formed in the third insulating film may be above the element insulating film, the second metal plug provided in the opening hole may be above the element insulating film, the via hole formed in the second insulating film may be above the element separation film, and the first metal plug formed in the vial hole of the second insulating film may be above the element separation film. The surface of the first metal plug may be depressed in the via-hole may be removed. The first metal plug may have a portion projecting on the surface of the second insulating film.
With the above-described structures, it becomes possible to carry out meltdown of a fuse without having a non-uniform meltdown of the fuse or erroneous fusing caused by the stress created in the scattering of a melted-down fuse due to the difference in the material of the underlying insulting film. Therefore, with the present invention, a fuse element capable of uniformly melting down a very fine fuse without adversely affected depending on the thickness of the insulating film on the fuse, can be provided.
Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including the steps of: forming an element separation region on a semiconductor substrate; forming a first insulating film on the element separation region; depositing a metal fuse on the first insulating film; depositing a second insulating film on the metal fuse; removing a region of the second insulating film, where a via-hole is to be formed, by etching; depositing a metal film on the second insulating film such as to completely embed the via-hole formation scheduled region; and forming a metal plug by etching a section of the metal film, other than a region where a plug is to be formed. With this structure, a metal plug can be formed on a fuse while reducing the number of processing steps, and further it becomes possible to prepare a fuse of a high controllability, which is not affected by the thickness of the insulating film on the fuse.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1A is a cross sectional view of a semiconductor device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 1B is a top view of the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 2A to 2 C are cross sectional views of a semiconductor structure in each processing step of a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B;
FIGS. 3A to 3 D are cross sectional views of a semiconductor structure in each processing step of a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B;
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a semiconductor device in which a semiconductor structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied;
FIG. 5A is a cross sectional view of a semiconductor device according to a second embodiment of the present invention is applied;
FIG. 5B is a top view of the semiconductor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is applied;
FIGS. 6A to 6 C are cross sectional views of a semiconductor structure in each processing step of a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B;
FIGS. 7A and 7B are cross sectional views of a semiconductor structure in each processing step of a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B;
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a semiconductor device according to a third embodiment of the present invention is applied;
FIGS. 9A to 9 D are cross sectional views of a semiconductor structure in each processing step of a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 8;
FIGS. 10A to 10 C are cross sectional views of a semiconductor structure in each processing step of a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 8;
FIGS. 11A to 11 D are cross sectional views of a semiconductor structure in each processing step of a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 8;
FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of a semiconductor device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention is applied;
FIGS. 13A to 13 D are cross sectional views of a semiconductor structure in each processing step of a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 12;
FIGS. 14A to 14 D are cross sectional views of a semiconductor structure in each processing step of a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 12;
FIGS. 15A to 15 C are cross sectional views of a semiconductor structure in each processing step of a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 12;
FIGS. 16A to 16 D are cross sectional views of a semiconductor structure in each processing step of a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 12;
FIG. 17A is a cross sectional view of a conventional semiconductor device;
FIG. 17B is a plan view of the conventional semiconductor device; and
FIG. 18 is a cross sectional view illustrating a drawback of the conventional semiconductor device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to accompanying drawings. In these drawings and the descriptions therefor, the same or similar structural members are designated by the same or similar reference numerals. It should be noted that the figures are schematic and therefore the relationship between the thickness and the measurements of plane, or the ratio between layers in terms of thickness with respect to each other should differ from practical cases, and therefore specific thickness or measurements should be understood from actual values used in the following descriptions. Further, between figures, there are sections where the relationship or ratio of measurements is different although these sections are of the same structural member.
First Embodiment
A semiconductor device (in this embodiment, it is a fuse element) according to the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, and will now be described with reference to these figures.
FIG. 1A is a cross sectional view of a fuse element, and FIG. 1B is a top view of the fuse element. A cross sectional view taken along the line IA—IA of FIG. 1B is illustrated as FIG. 1 A. FIG. 1B is a figure showing an example in which three fuse elements 4 are formed adjacent and in parallel to each other, for the simplification of the illustration; however in actual cases, several thousands or more fuse films 4 are formed in one region depending on a situation. Here, the width of a fuse element 4 is about 0.6 μm, and the length (taken in a direction normal to the width) of a meltdown region 11 of the fuse element 4 , which is fused with laser, is about 1 μm. It should be noted here that the fuse element 4 , in an actual structure, is an underlying film of the second insulating film 5 as shown in FIG. 1A (in cross section). Therefore, the fuse element cannot originally be visually indicated in FIG. 1B (top view); however for the convenience of description, the second insulating film 5 on the fuse element 4 is omitted from the illustration.
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (a fuse element in this embodiment) according to the first embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2A to 3 D.
In a step shown in FIG. 2A, first, an element separation region 2 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 1 , and then a first insulating film 3 made of a silicon oxide film is deposited thereon to have a film thickness of, for example, 1.4 μm. Next, a metal fuse film 4 made of, for example, aluminum is deposited on the first insulating film 3 to have a film thickness of, for example, 2000 to 3000 angstroms. After that, a second insulating film 5 made of a silicon oxide film is deposited on the metal fuse film 4 to have a film thickness of, for example, 5000 angstroms. Subsequently, a photoresist 6 is applied on the second insulating film 5 , and the applied photoresist is patterned. In this manner, a photoresist 6 of a pattern having an opening for forming a via-hole on a region of the second insulating film, in which a via-hole is to be formed, is formed.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 2B, the via-hole formation schedule region of the second insulating film 5 is removed by anisotropic etching, for example, dry etching, with use of the photoresist 6 as a mask, so as to form a hole pattern 7 for the formation of a via-hole. Here, the length of the bottom portion of the hole pattern is, for example, about 0.3 to 0.5 μm.
After that, in a step shown in FIG. 2C, the photoresist 6 is removed by an ashing process.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 3A, a metal film 8 made of, for example, aluminum is formed to have a thickness of about 1 μm on the second insulating film 5 , so as to complete fill the hole pattern 7 with the metal film 8 . That the metal film 8 in the hole pattern 7 is shaped such that the surface thereof is depressed by the depth of the hole pattern 7 .
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 3B, a photoresist is applied on the metal film 8 , and the applied photoresist is patterned by lithography. In this manner, a photoresist 9 of a pattern for forming a plug on a region of the metal film 8 , in which the metal plug is to be formed, is formed.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 3C, the section of the metal film 8 other than the metal plug formation schedule region is removed by isotropic etching, for example, wet etching, with use of the photoresist 9 as a mask. Thus, a fuse element having a structure shown in FIG. 3D, is formed. That is, a fuse element of this embodiment, in which the metal plug 10 is formed on the second insulating film 5 , such as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, is formed.
With thus obtained fuse, the fusing of a fuse necessary in heat breakdown is carried out by laser. Thus, in this embodiment, the area of the fusing region is reduced as compared to the conventional case, thereby making it possible to improve a higher density of the fuse region. Here, since the metal plug 10 is formed on the fuse 4 , the stress of the melted-down fuse is released from the metal plug 10 . Therefore, the stress of the fuse created by the scattering of the fuse material caused by fusing is relaxed, and thus erroneous fusing of an adjacent fuse can be prevented. For this reason, while the control of the thickness of the second insulating film 5 formed on the fuse 4 is not necessary, the breakdown of the fuse can be effectively can be performed. Further, since a laser beam is irradiated directly on the metal plug, the stress can be relaxed. Therefore, an high energy level of about 1 μJ can be used, and with this energy level, it is possible to surely melt down a desired fuse.
Further, in this embodiment, the metal plug on a fuse can be formed at the same time as in a step of forming a metal film of a connection pad of a semiconductor element. Therefore, one step of the conventional technique, which is for etching the insulating film on the fuse to a desired thickness, becomes unnecessary, and thus the number of steps can be reduced. That is, in this embodiment, the metal plug can be formed on a fuse while reducing the number of steps. Thus, a fuse with a high controllability, which is not affected by the thickness of the insulating film on the fuse, can be formed.
Further, with this embodiment, the breakdown rate of the fuse is improved, and therefore the pitch of fuses is narrowed, the yield of products can be improved.
It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first insulating film 3 and the second insulating film 5 are described each as a single insulating film; however an insulating film of a multi-layer can be used as well.
Furthermore, the metal plug 10 in the fuse region is formed on the fuse 4 , and therefore the metal plug can be formed at the same time as in a step of forming a pad 13 of a semiconductor chip of a semiconductor device shown in FIG. 4 . In other words, the pad 13 and the metal plug 10 are situated on the same plane, and therefore they can be deposited at the same time, and also etched at the same time. For this reason, as compared to the conventional method of manufacturing a fuse, the manufacturing method described above in connection with FIGS. 2A to 3 D has an effect of shortening the processing step. Here, the pad is an input/output terminal through which an input/output signal, power potential and the like are supplied when the semiconductor chip is set on a circuit board or the like. It should be noted that FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section of an example of the semiconductor device comprising a fuse element shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.
Second Embodiment
A semiconductor device (in this embodiment, it is a fuse element) according to the second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, and will now be described with reference to these figures.
FIG. 5A is a cross sectional view of a fuse element, and FIG. 5B is a top view of the fuse element. A cross sectional view taken along the line VA—VA of FIG. 5B is illustrated as FIG. 5 A. FIG. 5B is a figure showing an example in which three fuse elements 4 are formed adjacent and in parallel to each other, for the simplification of the illustration; how ever in actual cases, several thousands or more fuse films 4 are formed in one region depending on a situation. Here, the width of a fuse element 4 is about 0.6 μm, and the length (taken in a direction normal to the width) of a meltdown region 11 of the fuse element 4 , which is fused with laser, is about 1 μm. It should be noted here that the fuse element 4 , in an actual structure, is an underlying film of the second insulating film 5 as shown in FIG. 5A (in cross section). Therefore, the fuse element cannot originally be visually indicated in FIG. 5B (top view); however for the convenience of description, the second insulating film 5 on the fuse element 4 is omitted from the illustration.
In the semiconductor device according to the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a metal plug 15 is formed only in a via-hole 7 . The metal plug 15 is formed by removing the portion of the metal film 8 on the surface of the via-hole 7 , so that and it remains from the bottom portion of the via-hole to a certain thickness. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in this aspect, and the other structure is similar to that of the first embodiment. With such a shape that the metal plug 15 on the fuse is allowed to remain only in the via-hole 7 , it becomes possible to reduce the amount of scattering pieces of fuse in the breakdown of the fuse, and therefore the adverse effect on an adjacent fuse can be suppressed, in addition to the advantage achieved by the first embodiment.
In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the first embodiment, the photoresist 9 used as a mask is formed on the metal layer 8 in the step shown in FIG. 3B, and then the metal film 8 is patterned with use of the photoresist 6 as a mask in the step shown in FIG. 3 B. However, in the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the second embodiment, the photoresist 9 used as a mask on the metal film 8 is not formed. In place, the metal film on the surface of the second insulating film 5 is completely removed by dry etching, and the metal layer in the via-hole 7 is allowed to remain to a certain thickness by removing only the portion on the surface of the via-hole 7 . The other steps are similar to those of the first embodiment. It should be noted that the first insulating film 3 is described to be a single layer; however it may be of a multi-layered structure made of a plurality of insulating films, to realize the embodiment.
Here, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (a fuse element in this embodiment) according to the second embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6A to 7 B.
In a step shown in FIG. 6A, first, an element separation region 2 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 1 , and then a first insulating film 3 made of a silicon oxide film is deposited thereon to have a film thickness of, for example, 1.4 μm. Next, a metal fuse film 4 made of, for example, aluminum is deposited on the first insulating film 3 to have a film thickness of, for example, 2000 to 3000 angstroms. After that, a second insulating film 5 made of a silicon oxide film is deposited on the metal fuse film 4 to have a film thickness of, for example, 5000 angstroms. Subsequently, a photoresist 6 is applied on the second insulating film 5 , and the applied photoresist is patterned by lithography. In this manner, a photoresist 6 of a pattern having an opening for forming a via-hole on a region of the second insulating film, in which a via-hole is to be formed, is formed.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 6B, the via-hole formation schedule region of the second insulating film 5 is removed by anisotropic etching, for example, dry etching, with use of the photoresist 6 as a mask, so as to form a hole pattern 7 for the formation of a via-hole. Here, the length of the bottom portion of the hole pattern 7 is, for example, about 0.3 to 0.5 μm.
After that, in a step shown in FIG. 6C, the photoresist 6 is removed by an ashing process.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 7A, a metal film 8 made of, for example, aluminum is formed to have a thickness of about 1 μm on the second insulating film 5 , so as to completely fill the hole pattern 7 with the metal film 8 . The metal film 8 on the hole pattern 7 is shaped such that the surface thereof is depressed by the depth of the hole pattern 7 .
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 7B, the portion of the metal film 8 other than the metal plug formation schedule region is removed by dry etching. The portion of the metal film 8 on the surface of the via-hole 7 is removed, and it remains from the bottom portion of the via-hole to a certain thickness. Thus, a fuse element having a structure according to this embodiment is formed. That is, a fuse element as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, is formed.
Third Embodiment
A semiconductor device (a fuse element in this embodiment) according to the third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 8 . FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of the fuse element.
Now, the semiconductor device of the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8 .
In the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 6, an opening is made in a first insulating film 3 on a semiconductor substrate 1 , and a second metal plug 20 is formed within the opening. The opening is made on a region of the semiconductor substrate 1 , where an element separation region 2 is not formed. In other words, the opening is located on the element region of the semiconductor substrate 1 . Therefore, the opening is communicated to the element region of the semiconductor substrate 1 . With this structure, the fuse is connected to the element region of the semiconductor substrate 1 via the second metal plug 20 . Further, in the third embodiment, the metal plug 10 on the fuse is formed not above the element separation region 2 , but above the element region of the semiconductor substrate 1 . This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in these aspects, and the other structure is similar to that of the first embodiment. It should be noted here that the first insulating film 3 is illustrated as a single layer structure in this embodiment, but it can be realized with a multi-layered structure consisting of a plurality of insulating films.
In the third embodiment, the fuse is connected to the element region of the semiconductor substrate 1 via the second metal plug 20 , and therefore the potential of the substrate 1 and that of the fuse can be equalized as an advantage. Further, in the third embodiment, the metal plug 10 on the fuse is formed above the element region of the semiconductor substrate 1 , and therefore the semiconductor substrate 1 and the fuse can be set at the same potential level. In particular, when the semiconductor substrate 1 is set at the ground potential level, and fuses provided in a plurality of numbers, are connected to the semiconductor substrate, these plurality number of fuses can be all set to the same potential.
In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the third embodiment, prior to the step shown in FIG. 2A in the semiconductor device manufacturing step of the first embodiment, an opening is made in the first insulating film 3 on the semiconductor substrate 1 . It should be noted that the opening is made on a region of the semiconductor substrate 1 , where the element separation region 2 is not formed. That is, the opening is situated on the element region of the semiconductor substrate 1 . With this structure, the opening is communicated with the element region of the semiconductor substrate 1 . Further, a metal film is deposited thickly on the first insulating film 3 so as to embed the opening. After that, the portion of the deposited metal film which is located on the above surface of the first insulating film, is removed so as to allow the deposited metal film remain only in the opening. In this manner, the second metal plug 20 is formed in the opening. Subsequently, a fuse 4 is formed on the first insulating film 3 . The processing steps from this onwards, are similar to those of the first embodiment. It should be noted here that in the third embodiment, the metal plug 10 on the fuse is formed not above the element separation region 2 , but above the element region of the semiconductor substrate 1 .
Here, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (a fuse element in this embodiment) according to the third embodiment will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 9A to 11 D.
In a step shown in FIG. 9A, first, an element separation region 2 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 1 , and then a first insulating film 3 made of a silicon oxide film is deposited thereon to have a film thickness of, for example, 1.4 μm. Next, a photoresist is applied on the first insulating film 3 , and the applied photoresist is patterned by lithography. In this manner, a photoresist of a pattern having an opening on a region of the second insulating film is formed. Thus, the opening of the photoresist pattern is situated on the region other than the element separation region 2 .
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 9B, the opening formation schedule region of the first insulating film 3 is removed by anisotropic etching, for example, dry etching, with use of the photoresist as a mask, so as to form an opening in the first insulating film 3 . The opening the photoresist pattern is situated above the region other than the element separation region 2 , and therefore the opening formed in the first insulating film 3 is naturally situated above the region other than the element separation region 2 . After that, the photoresist 6 is removed by an ashing process.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 9C, a metal film made of, for example, aluminum is formed on the first insulating film 3 , to have such a thickness as to completely fill the opening formed in the first insulating film 3 .
After that, in the step shown in FIG. 9D, the portion of the metal film, which is situated on the surface of the first insulating film 3 is removed by dry etching, so as to allow the portion of the metal film to remain only in the opening of the first insulating film 3 .
In a step shown in FIG. 10A, a metal fuse film 4 made of, for example, aluminum is deposited on the first insulating film 3 to have a film thickness of, for example, 2000 to 3000 angstroms. After that, a second insulating film 5 made of a silicon oxide film is deposited on the metal fuse film 4 to have a film thickness of, for example, 5000 angstroms. Subsequently, a photoresist 6 is applied on the second insulating film 5 , and the applied photoresist is patterned by lithography. In this manner, a photoresist 6 of a pattern having an opening on a region of the second insulating film is formed.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 10B, the via-contact formation schedule region of the second insulating film 5 is removed by anisotropic etching, for example, dry etching, with use of the photoresist 6 as a mask, so as to form a hole pattern 7 for the formation of a via-contact. Here, the length of the bottom portion of the hole pattern is, for example, about 0.3 to 0.5 μm.
After that, in a step shown in FIG. 10C, the photoresist 6 is removed by an ashing process.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 11A, a metal film 8 made of, for example, aluminum is formed to have a thickness of about 1 μm on the second insulating film 5 , so as to completely fill the hole pattern 7 with the metal film 8 . The metal film 8 on the hole pattern 7 is shaped such that the surface thereof is depressed by the depth of the hole pattern 7 .
Subsequently, in a step shown in FIG. 11B, a photoresist is applied on the metal film 8 , and the applied photoresist is patterned by lithography. In this manner, a photoresist pattern 9 is formed on a region of the metal film 8 , in which a metal plug is to be formed.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 11C, the section of the metal film 8 other than the metal plug formation schedule region is removed by, for example, dry etching, with use of the photoresist 9 as a mask. Thus, a fuse element having a structure shown in FIG. 11D is formed. In other words, a fuse element of this embodiment is formed.
Fourth Embodiment
A semiconductor device (a fuse element in this embodiment) according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 12 . FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of the fuse element.
Now, the semiconductor device of the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 12 .
In the semiconductor device according to the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 12, a first insulating film 3 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 1 , and a part of a surface region of the first insulating film 3 , which is located on an element separation region 2 is etched to made a groove section. The groove section is filled with a material such as tungsten or polyimide, and thus a second fuse 21 is formed. Further, a third insulating film 22 is deposited on a portion of the first insulating film 3 , where the second fuse 21 is formed. An opening is made in the third insulating film 22 , and a second metal plug 23 is formed within the opening. Then, a fuse is formed on a portion of the third insulating film 22 where the metal plug 23 is formed. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in these aspects, and the other structure is similar to that of the first embodiment. It should be noted here that the first insulating film 3 and the third insulating film are illustrated as a single layer structure in this embodiment, but each of them can be realized with a multi-layered structure consisting of a plurality of insulating films.
In the fourth embodiment, the second fuse is newly provided in addition to the first fuse, and therefore when the potential of the first fuse is set to the same potential as that of the second fuse, the potential of the first fuse can be further stabilized.
In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the fourth embodiment, prior to the step shown in FIG. 2A in the semiconductor device manufacturing step of the first embodiment, a part of a surface region of the first insulating film 3 formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 , which is located on the element separation region 2 is etched to made a groove section. The groove section is filled with a material such as tungsten or polyimide, and thus the second fuse 21 is formed. Further, the third insulating film 22 is deposited on the portion of the first insulating film 3 , where the second fuse 21 is formed. An opening is made in the third insulating film 22 , and a metal film is deposited thickly on the third insulating film 22 so as to embed the opening. After that, the portion of the deposited metal film which is located on the above surface of the third insulating film 22 , is removed so as to allow the deposited metal film remain only in the opening. In this manner, the second metal plug 23 is formed in the opening. Subsequently, a fuse 4 is formed on the third insulating film 22 . The processing steps from this onwards, are similar to those of the first embodiment.
Here, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (a fuse element in this embodiment) according to the fourth embodiment will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 13A to 16 D.
In a step shown in FIG. 13A, first, an element separation region 2 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 1 , and then a first insulating film 3 made of a silicon oxide film is deposited thereon to have a film thickness of, for example, 1.4 μm. Next, a photoresist is applied on the first insulating film 3 , and the applied photoresist is patterned by lithography. In this manner, a photoresist of a pattern having an opening, is formed.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 13B, a part of the surface region of the first insulating film 3 is removed by anisotropic etching, for example, dry etching, with use of the photoresist as a mask, so as to make a groove in the part of the surface region of the first insulating film 3 . After that, the photoresist is removed by an ashing process.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 13C, a metal fuse film made of, for example, aluminum is formed on the first insulating film 3 , to have such a thickness as to completely fill the groove made in the first insulating film 3 . After that, in the step shown in FIG. 13D, the portion of the metal film, which is situated on the upper surface of the first insulating film 3 is removed by dry etching, so as to allow the portion of the metal fuse film to remain only in the groove. In this manner, a metal fuse 21 is formed in the groove.
In a step shown in FIG. 14A, a third insulating film 33 is deposited on the first insulating film 3 in which the second fuse 21 is formed. Then, a photoresist is applied on the third insulating film 22 , and the applied photoresist is patterned by lithography. In this manner, a photoresist of a pattern is formed on a region of the third insulating film 22 , in which a second metal plug 20 is to be formed.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 14B, a via-contact formation schedule region of the third insulating film 22 is removed by anisotropic etching, for example, dry etching, with use of the photoresist as a mask, so as to form an opening in the third insulating film 22 . After that, the photoresist is removed by an ashing process.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 14C, a metal film made of, for example, aluminum is deposited on the third insulating film 22 , to have such a thickness as to completely fill the opening formed in the third insulating film 22 .
After that, in a step shown in FIG. 14D, the portion of the metal film, which is formed on the surface of the third insulating film 22 is removed by dry etching, so as to allow the metal film to remain only in the opening. In this manner, a second metal plug 20 is formed in the opening.
In a step shown in FIG. 15A, a metal fuse film 4 made of, for example, aluminum is deposited on the third insulating film 22 in which the second metal plug 20 is formed, to have a film thickness of, for example, 2000 to 3000 angstroms. After that, a second insulating film 5 made of a silicon oxide film is deposited on the metal fuse film 4 to have a film thickness of, for example, 5000 angstroms. Subsequently, a photoresist 6 is applied on the second insulating film 5 , and the applied photoresist is patterned by lithography. In this manner, a photoresist 6 of a pattern having an opening is formed on a region of the second insulating film, in which a via-hole is to be formed.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 15B, the via-contact formation schedule region of the second insulating film 5 is removed by anisotropic etching, for example, dry etching, with use of the photoresist 6 as a mask, so as to form a hole pattern 7 for the formation of a via-contact. Here, the length of the bottom portion of the hole pattern is, for example, about 0.3 to 0.5 μm.
After that, in a step shown in FIG. 15C, the photoresist 6 is removed by an ashing process.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 16A, a metal film 8 made of, for example, aluminum is formed to have a thickness of about 1 μm on the second insulating film 5 , so as to completely fill the hole pattern 7 with the metal film 8 . The metal film 8 on the hole pattern 7 is shaped such that the surface thereof is depressed by the depth of the hole pattern 7 .
Subsequently, in a step shown in FIG. 16B, a photoresist is applied on the metal film 8 , and the applied photoresist is patterned by lithography. In this manner, a photoresist 9 of a pattern is prepared on a region of the metal film 8 , in which a metal plug is to be formed.
Next, in a step shown in FIG. 16C, the section of the metal film 8 other than the metal plug formation schedule region is removed by anisotropic etching, for example, dry etching, with use of the photoresist 6 as a mask. Thus, a fuse element having a structure shown in FIG. 16D is formed. In other words, a fuse element of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, is formed.
According to the present invention, the metal plug is formed on a fuse, and therefore the stress of the melted-down fuse is released from the metal plug. Consequently, the stress of the fuse created by the scattering of the fuse material caused by fusing is relaxed, and thus erroneous fusing of an adjacent fuse can be prevented. For this reason, while the control of the thickness of the second insulating film formed on the fuse is not necessary, the breakdown of the fuse can be effectively can be performed. Further, the etching step which is essential to the conventional technique, which is provided for processing the insulating film on the fuse to a desired thickness, becomes unnecessary, and thus the number of steps can be reduced. That is, in this embodiment, the metal plug can be formed on a fuse while reducing the number of steps. Further, the area of the fuse meltdown area is made smaller as compared to the conventional case, and therefore it becomes possible to achieve a higher density of the fuse region.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
|
In the fuse element structure of the semiconductor device, the first insulating film region is provided in a groove-like manner in the semiconductor substrate. Further, the fuse element is formed on the first insulating film region, and the second insulating film region is formed on the region on the fuse element and the first insulating film. The metal plug is connected to the fuse element, and the surface thereof is exposed to the surface of the second insulating film region. With this structure, the meltdown of the fuse by the laser blow is facilitated, and the area of the fuse is reduced. Thus, as the downsizing of the element is further advanced, it is possible to provide a fuse element structure capable of melting down a fuse without causing an affect on another fuse adjacent to the melted-down fuse with the scattering pieces thereof.
| 7
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of assignee's patent application Ser. No. 08/655,033, filed May 29, 1996, abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to burner control, and more specifically to methods and apparatus for controlling combustion efficiency in burners.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous industrial processes such as glass or fritt melting, ferrous and nonferrous materials smelting, ladle preheating, billets reheating, waste incineration and vitrification, crude oil refining, petrochemical production, power plants, and the like use burners as the primary source of energy, or as an auxiliary source of energy. These burners possess one or more inlets for fossil fuels of high calorific value such as natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, liquid hydrocarboneous fuel, and the like, which are combusted to produce heat. Some burners also comprise inlets for low calorific content gases or liquids that need to be incinerated. The fuels are burned in a combustion chamber where the energy that is released by the combustion is transferred to the furnace load. The combustion requires an oxidant, such as air, oxygen enriched air, or oxygen, and the oxidant is preferably preheated. The oxidant is also supplied by the burners.
Precise and reliable control of the combustion is very important for the efficiency and the safety of industrial processes, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.
For instance, it is well known that combusting a fuel with excess oxidant yields higher nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission rates, especially when the oxidant is preheated or when the oxidant is pure oxygen. On the other hand, incomplete combustion of a fuel generates carbon monoxide (CO). Both NOx and CO are very dangerous pollutants, and the emission of both gases is regulated by environmental authorities.
Combustion of a fuel with an uncontrolled amount excess of air can also lead to excessive fuel consumption and increase the production cost of the final product.
Safety of operation is an essential characteristic expected from all industrial combustion systems. Automated control of the presence of the flame in the combustion can be used to stop the flow of oxidant when the fuel flow is suddenly interrupted.
Commercially available UV flame detectors can be used to control the status (flame on or off) of a flame. However, this type of combustion control device does not give any information on the combustion mixture. It is impossible to know whether the burner is operated under fuel rich (excess of fuel, combustion ratio lower than 1), fuel lean (excess of oxidant, combustion ratio greater than 1), or stoichiometric (exact amounts of fuel and oxidant to obtain complete combustion of the fuel, combustion ratio equal to 1). UV flame detectors are typically self contained devices that are not always integrated in the burner design.
Endoscopes are also often used in the industry to visually inspect flames, and their interaction between the furnace load. They are generally complicated and expensive pieces of equipment that require careful maintenance. To be introduced into very high temperature furnaces, they require external cooling and flushing means: high pressure compressed air and water are the most common cooling fluids. When compressed air is used, uncontrolled amounts of air are introduced in the furnace and may contribute to the formation of NOx. Water jackets are subject to corrosion when the furnace atmosphere contains condensable vapors.
Control of combustion ratio at a burner can be performed by metering the flows of fuel and oxidant, and using valves (electrically or pneumatically driven) controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC). The ratio of oxidant to fuel flow is predetermined using the chemical composition of the natural gas, and of the oxidant. To be effective, the flow measurement must be very accurate and retaliated on a regular basis, which is not always the case, especially when the oxidant is air. This situation often leads the furnace operator to use large excess of air to avoid the formation of CO. This feed-forward combustion control strategy does not account for the air intakes that naturally occur in industrial furnaces and bring unaccounted quantities of oxidant into the firebox, nor does this control scheme account for the variation of the air intakes caused by furnace pressure changes. Another drawback is that the response time of the feed-forward regulation loop is generally slow, and can not account for cyclic variations of oxidant supply pressure and composition that occur when the oxidant is impure oxygen, for example as produced by a vacuum swing adsorption unit or membrane separator. Yet another drawback of the feed-forward control of combustion ratio is that the PLC should be reprogrammed at every occurrence of a change in natural gas supply and composition.
Placing an in-situ oxygen sensor at the furnace exhaust can provide a feed-back control solution for global combustion ratio control. However, zirconia sensors for oxygen that are commercially available have limited lifetime and need to be replaced frequently. One difficulty met when using these sensors is a tendency to plug, especially when the exhaust gases contain volatile species, such as in a glass production furnace. When the furnace possesses more than one burner, a drawback of global combustion control is that it is not possible to know whether each individual burner is properly adjusted or not. This technique also has long response times due to the residence times of the furnace gases in the combustion chamber, which can exceed 30 seconds.
Continuous CO monitoring of the flue gas, for example in so-called post combustion control of an electric arc furnace, provides another means of controlling the combustion. It involves the use of a sophisticated exhaust gas sampling system, with separation of the particulate matter and of the water vapor. Although very efficient, these techniques are not always economically justified.
Other combustion control devices use acoustic control of flames. Most of these systems were developed for small combustion chambers in order to avoid extinction of flames, and are triggered by instabilities of flames.
The light emission observed from flame is one of the most characteristic features providing information on the chemical and physical processes taking place. Monitoring the flame light emission can be easily performed in well controlled environments typically found in laboratories. However, implementing flame light emission monitoring on industrial burners used on large furnaces is quite difficult in practice, resulting in a number of problems. First, optical access is necessary which requires positioning of a viewport in a strategic location with respect to the flame for collecting the flame light emission. Second, the plant environment is difficult because of the excessive heat being produced by the furnace. Typical optical ports on a furnace can have temperatures in excess of 1000° C., thus necessitating the need for water cooled or high flow-rate gas cooled probes or use either in or near the furnace. Finally, these environments tend to be very dusty which is not conductive for optical equipment except with special precautions, such as gas purging over the optical components.
While currently available systems have been able to achieve some degree of control over the combustion in a burner, there is a need for a fast response time control apparatus that avoids the previously described problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, methods and apparatus to control or monitor the combustion of a burner are presented which overcome many of the problems of the prior art. One aspect of the invention comprises a burner control apparatus comprising means for viewing light emitted by a flame from a burner, means for optically transporting the viewed light into an optical processor, optical processor means for processing the optical spectrum into electrical signals, signal processing means for processing the electrical signals obtained from the optical spectrum, and control means which accept the electrical signals and produce an output acceptable to one or more oxidant or fuel flow control means. The control means may be referred to as a "burner computer", which functions to control the oxidant flow and/or the fuel flow to the burner. In a particularly preferred apparatus embodiment of the invention, a burner and the burner control apparatus are integrated into a single unit, which may be referred to as a "smart" burner.
Another aspect of the invention is a method of controlling the combustion ratio of a burner, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) viewing light emitted by a flame from a burner;
(b) optically transporting the viewed light into an optical processor;
(c) optically processing the viewed light into usable light wavelengths and light beams;
(d) generating electrical signals with the usable wavelengths and beams; and
(e) controlling the input of an oxidant and/or a fuel into the burner using the electrical signals. Preferred methods of the invention are those wherein the light from the flame is viewed and optically transported using optical fibers.
This invention provides a unique method and apparatus for monitoring the flame emission on an industrial burner for use of an industrial process. The method is general enough to monitor flame emission in the ultraviolet, visible, or infrared spectral regions, allowing individual regions, multiple regions or single wavelengths to be monitored. Many of the problems of previous control mechanisms are avoided by adapting the burner housing with a window and/or an optical fiber positioned with respect to either the fuel injector or oxidizer injector, as will be seen further from the detailed description of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 represents a schematic block diagram of an apparatus of the invention;
FIG. 2 represents a side elevation view of a prior art burner (reduced in scale) without any optical access;
FIG. 3 represents the burner of FIG. 2 on which a window has been installed so that light emitted by the flame can be directed to an optical sensor;
FIG. 4 represents a detailed view of the optical coupling of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 represents the burner of FIG. 2 in which the optical coupling is an optical fiber having one extremity installed in a fuel injector;
FIG. 6 represents the burner of FIG. 2 in which the optical coupling is an optical fiber having one extremity installed in an oxidant injector;
FIG. 7 represents the flame emission spectra of a flame operated under fuel lean conditions;
FIG. 8 represents the flame emission spectra of a flame operated under fuel rich conditions;
FIG. 9 represents the flame emission spectra obtained for three different burner operating conditions; and
FIG. 10 is a graphical representation of the relationship between emission spectra and stoichiometry.
FIG. 11 is a graphical representation of integrated intensity versus stoichiometric ratio;
FIG. 12 is a graphical representation of integrated intensity versus power;
FIG. 13 is a graphical representation of stoichiometric ratio versus power;
FIG. 14 is a graphical representation of integrated intensity versus stoichiometric ratio at constant power; and
FIG. 15 is a graphical representation of stoichiometric ratio versus time at a constant power.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A schematic block diagram of a preferred flame control apparatus of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. The apparatus comprises an optical coupling element 2 which functions to collect light emitted from a flame 8. Preferably, element 2 is an optical fiber. Optical coupling element 2 is preferably an integral part of a burner 4, the optical element and burner preferably housed in a single unit 6 (boxed area). After the light emission is collected it is transported by an optical transport system 10, which can either be one or more optical fibers or a plurality of lenses.
Optical processing is performed in an optical processor 12 to obtain characteristic information on specific spectral regions of the flame. For example, optical processor 12 may be an optical filter that allows only radiation of selected wavelengths to pass. This radiation may be monitored by either a photodiode or photomultiplier detector. Preferred optical processors of the apparatus of the invention employ one or more optical beam splitters, optical filters and optical detectors. This allows one to monitor simultaneously multiple regions of the flame light emission spectrum.
Alternatively, a dispersion element could preferably be used in the optical processor to monitor complete spectral regions of the flame. Dispersion elements can be employed in a manner similar to an optical filter by tuning the dispersion element to a specific wavelength (or range of wavelengths) and monitoring the flame emission spectrum in a narrow spectral wavelength range, or by scanning the element (similar to a spectrometer) to collect a much larger spectral wavelength range. In this case a photodiode or photomultiplier that is sensitive to the wavelength range of interest can be used to convert the optical wavelength into an electrical signal that can be further processed. An array detector can also be used in conjunction with the dispersion element, allowing real-time detection of an entire spectral wavelength range of interest. Finally, all of the above mentioned detection methods can be used in combination with one another by using optical beam splitters or multiplexed optical fibers, with the appropriate number of multiple detection methods as described above.
After optical processing of the flame radiation the electrical signal(s) obtained is sent to one or more signal processors 14 which preferably comprise analog/digital converters, amplifiers, line drivers, or any other typical signal processing circuit device (FIG. 1). The electrical signal is then transmitted to a burner logic controller 16 that determines operating conditions of burner 4. BLC 16 may accept other input signals from external process controls 18, such as a furnace supervision system. BLC 16 generates control signals that change the burner operating parameters (such as flow of fuel 20, and/or flow of oxidant 22) according to the information transmitted by signal processors 14. Suitable programmable logic controllers usable as BLCs are available from Siemens Co. Process control software, such as that available from Ocean Optics, Inc. may be employed to program the BLC.
This preferred combustion control apparatus can advantageously be implemented on every burner installed on an industrial furnace in order to more precisely control the combustion ratio of the whole furnace.
As previously noted, all of the components illustrated in FIG. 1 may be integrated into a so-called smart burner. In this aspect of the invention, the burner may be equipped with a fuel control valve and an oxidant control valve. Solid-state proportioning valves, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,713, may be employed for controlling flow, but the use of the valves is not necessary to the present invention. The previous patent is incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 2 illustrates a prior art pipe-in-a-pipe burner 100 with inlets for fuel 1 and oxidant 3. In FIG. 2, burner 100 includes a fuel pipe 24 within an oxidant pipe 26. A flange and bolt arrangement 28 is typically employed. A support 30 is used to maintain the position of pipe 24 inside pipe 26, preferably concentric.
A schematic of a burner 102 modified to allow optical coupling with a window is illustrated in FIG. 3. In this embodiment, a window 32 is mounted on the rear of the burner such that optical access is provided through fuel injector pipe 24, as indicated in the detailed view of FIG. 4. The window material selected is preferably specific to the spectral region of interest. For example, if the ultraviolet region of the spectrum is of interest, then a quartz window would be applicable. However if infrared emission is of interest, then a sapphire window material would be suitable. An optical component, such as a combination of lenses, can be used to collect either the integrated emission along the length of the flame, or the emission from a selected point in the flame.
In the preferred embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the flame emission is collected by an optical fiber 34 that is positioned in one of the burner injectors (fuel (FIG. 5) or oxidant (FIG. 6)). The choice of fiber material used depends on the spectral region of interest. Useable optical fibers preferably have core diameters varying from about 50 to about 300 micrometers, more preferably from about 175 to about 225 micrometers, and made from silica, with a stainless steel cladding outer layer. A seal between the fiber and burner housing can be a simple o-ring compression. Optical connector 36 connects optical fiber 34 to a second optical fiber 38 in each of these two exemplary embodiments. For the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 the collected emission may also be integrated over the flame length or collected from a selected focused point in the flame for improved spectral resolution.
By adapting the burner housing with a window and/or optical fiber positioned with respect to the fuel injector and/or oxidant injector, the flame emission may be collected through the burner housing. For either case the gas flow over the window or optical fiber provides cooling while also keeping the optical surface free of dust.
The intensity of the emitted flame radiation detected depends on the wavelength region that is being observed. This wavelength dependence results from chemiluminescence of excited state chemical species, continuum emission from atom molecule reactions, and continuum emission from the presence of particles either being entrained or formed in the flame. These effects can be classified as purely chemical, i.e., the observed flame radiation is only a result of the chemical process taking place with no external influences. In addition to the pure chemical effects, other factors can influence the spectrum intensity such as, characteristics of how the fuel and oxidizer are mixed, burner, background contributions and entrainment of chemical species into the flame, furnace, and the method used to collect the radiation, e.g. optical system. Therefore the flame radiation intensity observed in a process can be expressed as a multivariable function:
I.sub.λ =---f(B, S, P, OD, OC, F, O, ρ)dV (1)
where I.sub.λ is the observed intensity at wavelength λ integrated over the sample volume. This intensity is a function of the burner (B) characteristics, combustion stoichiometry (S), burner power (P), optical collection system (OC), and optical detector (OD), fuel (F), oxidizer (O), and process (ρ) disturbances.
In addition these variables can also be time dependent. For example, in turbulent diffusion flames the mixing between fuel and oxidizer at a fixed location in the flame will vary with time, i.e., the local stoichiometry (S) and power (P) are changing randomly within some range. The variable ρ may also be considered time dependent, e.g., when particle entrainment into the flame is not constant. A more general expression for the observed intensity becomes
I.sub.λ (t)=---f(B, S(t), OC, OD, F, O, ρ(t))dV (2)
In general the variables B, OD, OC, F, O can be considered time invariant. Of course, burner or collection optic degradation can occur, which can result the in I.sub.λ changing. However, these effects can usually be considered long term, i.e., the time scale for I.sub.λ to change from B, OD, and OC is much greater than that for the variables S, P, and ρ. The variables F (fuel) and O (oxidizer) may change from day-to-day because of the source being changed. In this case, the sensitivity of I.sub.λ to changing F or O would need to be determined.
Because most industrial processes are stochastic in nature an average value of I.sub.λ is more practical to work with. Here the time-averaged value of I.sub.λ (t), denoted by <I.sub.λ (t)>, is defined as the integral on time over a time interval T, divided by the time interval: ##EQU1##
The magnitude of the time interval T needs only to be long enough to average out the fluctuations.
For practical applications such as, process control of a burner the variables OC, OD, B, F and O are generally constant, e.g., the burner configuration, collection optics and optical detector are not changed once the system is in place. As stated above they may also be coincided time invariant. Then Eq. (3) reduces to the following:
<I.sub.λ (t)>=---f(S(t), P(t))dV (4)
where ρ(t) was assumed negligible. Furthermore the total integrated intensity observed over a wavelength range can be expressed as ##EQU2## Since I.sub.λ =f(S,P) then it follows that Γ=f(S,P). The change in the integrated intensity can then be related to the changes in S and P by the relation ##EQU3## A solution to the above equation can be obtained once the partial derivatives are determined. Evaluation of the partial derivatives can be obtained by performing a calibration over a range of operating conditions at constant P and then at constant S. This will give the relationships Γ P =f(S) and Γ S =f(P) that can be used to evaluate Eq. (6), where the subscript denotes the constant variable. This calibration can then be used for controlling and monitoring the burner stoichiometry and power. The following example illustrates how these partial derivatives can be obtained from experimental measurements.
In this example the flame emission is monitored using the configuration shown in FIG. 5, i.e., the flame emission was observed through the NG injector. Flame radiation was transported by a 12 ft long 100 μm diameter fiber optic attached at the rear of the burner. At the other end the fiber was attached to an Ocean Optics model PC 1000 PC spectrometer board with a spectral range of 290-800 nm. The variables OC, OD, O, F, B, and ρ are held constant only P and S are changed. Note, the influence of the furnace, which is lumped into ρ, can be neglected provided the flame emission is observed below 400 nm. At longer wavelengths background radiation from the furnace walls would have to be included. In the spectral region between 300 and 400 nm the changes in stoichiometry and power can be observed by either monitoring the OH peak or part of the continuum, e.g., between 340-360 nm. In this example the fuel is natural gas and the oxidizer is oxygen therefore the theoretical stoichiometric ratio is 2, where the stoichiometric ratio is defined as (moles of oxygen/moles of fuel). Here CH 4 +20 2 ->2H 2 O+CO 2 . FIGS. 11 and 12 shows the integrated OH intensity (λ 1 =290 nm and λ 2 =325 nm in Eq. (5)) at different stoichiometries and burner powers. For a given power level a linear fit can be obtained over the stoichiometric range tested. Similarly, for fixed stoichiometrics a linear fit can be obtained over the power range tested, as shown in FIG. 12. The linear fits for both P and S result in a family of curves. To solve for dΓ, Eq. (6) can be integrated from (S 1 , P 1 ) to (S 2 , P 2 ). The integration is performed along a path of constant P first then along a path of constant S as shown in FIG. 13, where the partial derivatives are evaluated from the linear calibration functions shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.
The next example illustrates how the technique can be used for controlling operating conditions of a burner. In this example, the same configuration as discussed above is used and all variables are fixed except the stoichiometry (S). Prior to the test a calibration was performed to determiners Γ.sub.ρ =f(S) by monitoring the integrated OH emission intensity at different stoichiometric ratios and a constant power of 1.5 MMBtu/hr. The calibration provides a good linear fit over the stoichiometric ratio range of 1.88-2.22 tested, as shown in FIG. 14. In FIG. 14 the error bars represent the standard deviation for 180 samples at each stoichiometric condition. The calibration provides a linear function of the form Γ=AS+B, where A and B are constants. Using this expression with Eq. (6) and upon and rearrangement the following equation for stoichiometry is obtained: ##EQU4## where S 1 and Γ 1 are known values for this example (S 1 =2 and Γ 1 =22,568 counts) and can be considered as set-point values. Incorporating Eq. (7) into a computer algorithm for real-time processing of the integrated OH signal allows the stoichiometry to be monitored at a high sampling rate as shown in FIG. 15. In FIG. 15 the integrated intensity Γ is sampled at 3 Hz. The sampling rate reported here is limited by the computer hardware used. Higher sampling rates are certainly feasible. The dashed line shows the result of a 50 point moving average that is applied to remove temporal fluctuations. These results show good agreement with the stoichiometric ratios based on flow rate measurements of both NG and oxygen, shown as the solid line marked historical trend in FIG. 15.
To adapt this methodology for process control applications of a burner Γ would be monitored and S and/or P could then be obtained. However, in the example case presented here either S or P must be constant or determined independently.
Examples of Optical Processors and Burner Logic Control
As stated previously the radiation emitted from a flame is one of the fundamental characteristics that provides information on the chemical and physical process involved. The capability to monitor this flame radiation can provide numerous applications useful for optimizing the furnace operation.
Here we cite a number of examples of how the flame emission can be used to control the combustion.
EXAMPLE 1
Safety Alarm
Detection of the flame radiation can be used to identify the presence or absence of the flame. If the signal level drops below a set-point level an alarm can be triggered, indicating a problem with the burner. For this case a region in the ultraviolet, for example, below 300 nanometers (nm), would be best to discriminate against visible and infrared emission from the furnace walls. Typically furnaces use UV flame monitors for detection of the flame. This application would provide not only a secondary backup detection system, but could also alert the operator of other problems. For example, severe damage to the burner such as material build-up causing the flame to deflect, or a piece of refractory blocking the burner exit. For these cases the emission characteristics could change, setting off an alarm indicating a potential problem. In general, commercial UV flame monitors are presently used only to indicate the presence or absence of flame radiation.
EXAMPLE 2
Flame Stoichiometry Monitoring
In this application a specific region of the spectrum may be monitored to provide information on the flame stoichiometry. For example, in the combustion of natural gas (NG) and oxygen, a strong continuum in the wavelength range of 350-700 nm is present with a maximum occurring near 650 nm. The continuum is thought to result from chemiluminescence from the recombination reaction of CO+O=>CO 2 . The strength (intensity) of this continuum has been observed to be related to whether the burner is operating near stoichiometric conditions. When operating under fuel-rich conditions the observed continuum intensity is weaker as compared to slightly fuel-lean or stoichiometric operating conditions.
This behavior is illustrated graphically in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 represents the visible emission of a flame generated by an oxygen-natural gas burner similar to the one illustrated in FIG. 2, when there is an excess of fuel (fuel rich). FIG. 8 represents the visible emission spectrum of the same flame with flowrates of natural gas and oxygen such that there is an excess of oxygen of 10% (fuel lean). At 530 nm, there is a weaker signal when the combustion mixture is fuel rich than when the mixture is fuel lean.
The signal obtained can then be compared to a calibration curve relating signal intensity to firing stoichiometry. Depending on the desired operating conditions, control action on the fuel and oxidant flows can be performed to adjust the burner fuel and/or oxidant flows to optimize the flame. For example, if a reducing atmosphere is desirable one would want to adjust the fuel and/or oxidizer such that the observed continuum intensity decreases. Again using the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, every burner used in the process could be individually monitored.
Toward the infrared region of the spectrum, flame emission related to soot could also be monitored. Since soot is a particle, it behaves as a black body, with broadband emission, as opposed to gaseous species emission which occurs in specific regions (lines). In certain applications a sooty flame which increases the luminosity is desirable. On the other hand, soot formation in a flame can be an indication of incomplete combustion of the fuel, which requires an adjustment of the combustion ratio. Monitoring of the appropriate spectral region will provide information for the process control action required.
EXAMPLE 3
Monitoring Chemical Tracers
In this application chemical tracers may be added to fuel and/or the oxidant streams directly, or entrained into the flame from the surrounding environment. For example, the introduction of particles into the flame, such as titanium dioxide, can be used to monitor the temperature by using a two-color optical pyrometer technique. In this case the temperature is being determined from the radiation of light emitted by the particle. Two or more wavelengths are required to be monitored since the particle's emissivity is often unknown.
EXAMPLE 4
Monitoring the Burner Firing Rate
This application is similar to Example 2, in that the emission intensity is related to the firing rate of the burner. In this case a calibration would be required to relate the observed signal at some selected wavelength to the burner firing rate. Once this information is known control of the firing rate can be adjusted accordingly by the BLC.
EXAMPLE 5
Environmental Combustion Monitoring
The detection of pollutants such as, NOx or SOx may be directly or indirectly monitored. However, it is difficult to quantify these pollutants because the observed signal is both temperature and concentration dependent, but one could monitor gross changes in the observed signal levels. For example, NOx could be directly monitored in the ultraviolet spectra region near 226 nm. Alternatively NOx may be indirectly monitored from the OH (hydroxyl radical) emission signal. A strong OH emission signal has been discovered to indicate a corresponding increase in measured NOx (provided N 2 is present) levels from the exhaust stack of our pilot furnace. In either case the method provides a means of determining gross changes in pollutant formation occurring for an individual burner.
The numerous examples described above using the inventive burner-mounted optical flame control apparatus illustrates the variety of applications where such a device can be found useful for industrial application.
Certainly this list of applications is not all inclusive and additional applications could be thought of, depending on the process requirements.
Examples
Experiments were conducted using a burner and optical coupling as illustrated in FIG. 3. The optical coupling device was attached to a standard burner known under the trade designation ALGLASS available from Air Liquide America Corp., Houston, Tex. The burner had an output of 1.2 MMBtu/hr (using oxygen 99% pure as oxidant) allowing flame emission spectra to be collected through the natural gas (NG) injector. Ultraviolet and visible flame radiation covering a spectral rage of 300-700 nm were collected for different combustion stoichiometries defined in terms of equivalence ratio (Φ), wherein: ##EQU5## for stoichiometric operating conditions, Φ=1, whereas for fuel-lean conditions Φ<1, and for fuel-rich conditions Φ>1. Results showing the variation of the flame emission spectra for different values of Φ are graphically illustrated in FIG. 9. The spectra were obtained using a fiber optic placed and lens positioned externally to the burner. Flame emission was collected through the natural gas (NG) injector and window mounted on the burner as shown in FIG. 3. The fiber optic was coupled to a 0.5 micrometer Acton monochromator with a Hamamatsu 1P28A photomultiplier (PMT) detector. The emission spectra shown in FIG. 9 was obtained by scanning the monochromator over a specified wavelength region, in this case from 300 to 700 nm. The signal from the PMT was then processed in a EG&G 4402 Boxcar averager.
From FIG. 9, a number of distinct differences relative to the stoichiometric spectra (Φ=0.98) were seen. First, for Φ=0.75 the continuum below 550 nm and the OH (hydroxyl radical) band were noticeably stronger, but above 550 nm the distinction was not so clear when compared to the Φ=0.98 spectra. Second, for Φ=1.17 the continuum below 425 nm was only slightly different from the Φ=0.98 case, but a significant difference was seen near 550 nm. These results suggested that the spectral region near 400 nm and 550 nm could be used for relating the observed flame emission to the stoichiometry. Both regions are necessary to account for fuel-lean and fuel-rich operating conditions. By manipulating the data a relationship between these spectral regions and the stoichiometry was developed, as illustrated in FIG. 10. From FIG. 10 a maximum near Φ=1 is seen with a sharp decrease on either side of the maximum as fuel-lean or fuel-rich operating conditions were approached.
Various modifications to the described preferred embodiments will be envisioned by those skilled in the art; however, the particular embodiments herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the appended claims.
|
In accordance with the present invention, methods and apparatus to control or monitor the combustion of a burner are presented which overcome many of the problems of the prior art. One aspect of the invention comprises a burner control apparatus comprising means for viewing light emitted by a flame from a burner, means for optically transporting the viewed light into an optical processor, optical processor means for processing the optical spectrum into electrical signals, signal processing means for processing the electrical signals obtained from the optical spectrum, and control means which accept the electrical signals and produce an output acceptable to one or more oxidant or fuel flow control means. The control means may be referred to as a "burner computer", which functions to control the oxidant flow and/or the fuel flow to the burner. In a particularly preferred apparatus embodiment of the invention, a burner and the burner control apparatus are integrated into a single unit, which may be referred to as a "smart" burner.
| 5
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is a modular device for the reception, the acquisition and the transmission to a central control and recording station of seismic and acoustic signals in a liquid medium, for use in marine seismic prospecting operations.
With respect to the marine seismic prospecting field, systems for the acquisition and the transmission of seismic signals are contained in sheaths which often have a length of several kilometers and are known as seismic streamers. Seismic streamers are towed under water by a ship along a seismic profile to be explored. Seismic streamers comprise a large number of successive sections interconnected by rigid boxes. Seismic receivers or sensors, each one consisting for example of one or several hydrophones, are distributed along each section. These receivers are connected with an acquisition device located in an interconnection box for sampling, digitizing and storing all the received signals. The different acquisition devices are generally connected with the central laboratory on the ship through common transmission lines divided in two groups. The first group known as outward lines transmits orders or commands addressed to the different devices in the laboratory. A second group known as inward lines transmits to towards the laboratory of the responses of the different devices and notably of the data stored at the end of each seismic emission and reception cycle. A seismic streamer is described for example in French Patent 2,471,088 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,271).
The current trend is to lengthen the seismic streamers and to increase the total number of receivers. This allows reduction of the intertrace which is the interval between two adjacent locations of the surveyed seismic profile and an increase in the sharpness of the recording, through the combining and the processing of the recorded signals.
Increasing the number of receivers in each streamer section requires to increasing the integration density of the components of the receivers. The presence of relatively heavy boxes between sections full of a liquid providing a certain buoyancy has the effect of bending the streamer out of shape. The drag of the streamer increases which induces parasitic signals which superpose on the wanted signals.
The length of the connections between the receivers and the acquisition devices, which may reach several ten meters, increases their sensitivity to the noise signals. A solution to the problem caused by the lengthening of the streamers and the resultant increase in the mass of the boxes is described in French Patent 2,590,684 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,069) which discloses a streamer having each seismic receiver closely associated with an electronic module for the purpose of adapting the analog signals supplied by the receivers.
The complexity of streamers having a high integration density poses another problem regarding the particular conditions of use imposed by the operators. The structure of highly integrated streamers is often too rigid and makes difficult adapting to operating conditions that had not been anticipated from the outset making usage difficult if not impossible and their cost considerable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides receiving, acquiring and transmitting seismic and acoustic signals to a central control and recording station in a liquid medium while overcoming the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above.
The invention comprises an elongated sheath consisting of the interconnection of a series of sections. The sections are individually interconnected through interposed boxes. A great number of seismic or acoustic wave receivers are distributed along the sheath providing a modular system of acquisition and transmission to a central control and recording station of the data received by the wave receivers.
The invention includes a set of acquisition devices for collecting the signals produced by the seismic receivers distributed along at least one section of the sheath, a transmission set comprising transmission modules distributed in the interconnection boxes and connected with the central station through digital transmission cables comprising common channels for the transmission of instructions addressed by the central station to the different acquisition devices, means for decoding these instructions and common channels for the transmission of data to the central station the responses from the different acquisition devices.
The invention is characterized as follows:
Each acquisition apparatus comprises means for storing data with a multiplicity of acquisition units arranged in at the one section of the sheath with each one of these acquisition units being located in the sheath close to a multiplicity of seismic receivers for the sequential acquisition of the signals from the receivers with each acquisition unit comprising a local synchronizing element and an analog-to-digital converting means;
The transmission set comprises local lines for the digital transmission of commands which connect a means for decoding orders with the local synchronizing element and local lines for the digital transmission of data which connect all the transmission modules with the data storage means;
Each transmission module comprises means for coding signals transmitted to the central station by the data transmission channels.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the transmission set comprises means for generating a clock signal (H) marking the transmission of the signals on said data transmission channels comprising a clock oscillator in the acquisition box that is farthest from the central control and recording station.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the transmission set comprises means for generating a clock signal marking the transmission of the signals on the data transmission channels comprising clock oscillators located in at least part of the interconnection boxes and switching means for selecting any one of the clock oscillators upon request from the decoding means.
The clock signal is applied for example to each storing means to mark the reading of the digital data therein.
Each acquisition apparatus of the invention can comprise a testing means to check the working condition of the receivers and each acquisition unit.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, each seismic receiver is associated with a means for processing the received signals.
Each testing means comprises for example a testing oscillator in an adjacent interconnection box and the signal from the testing oscillator being selectively directed by a switching set in each acquisition unit by request from the local synchronizing element towards the signal processing means associated with each seismic receiver.
The signal processing means of the received signals comprise for example pre-amplifiers and filters receiving the signals produced by the associated seismic receivers, a multiplexer with several inputs to receive the amplified and filtered signals, a binary-gain amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter and an emission synchronizer.
According to one embodiment of the invention the response transmission channel comprises at least one optical fiber.
According to another embodiment of the invention the instruction order transmission channel also comprises at least one optical fiber.
Each transmission channel can also comprise two transmission routes and switches arranged in the interconnection boxes to select routes for the signals entering each of the routes.
The configuration of the invention with its acquisition devices decentralized an acquisition unit located close to the seismic receivers, the control for managing the exchanges distributed in the interconnection boxes and in the acquisition units, and totally digital transmission, at the local level in each section and at the level of the links with the central station provides the following advantages: The electronics are distributed all along the streamer which provides balancing and a decrease in hydrodynamic drag;
The signal-to-noise ratio is clearly improved because the analog links between the receivers and the acquisition units are short and all transfer from and to the control and recording station are in a digital mode. The present invention with its decentralized structure can manage the acquisition of signals from a great number of receivers of up to about thirty seismic "traces". It should be emphasized that the possible concentration in an interconnection box of the electronics necessary for the acquisition of such an amount of signals would be very difficult, and even impossible, if an acceptable noise level was imposed;
The number of acquisition units is increased in relation to prior streamers where the data collection is exclusively achieved in the interconnection boxes. On the other hand, the unit price and the electric consumption of the acquisition units are much lower for a given processing speed and precision because each acquisition unit only has to collect a very limited number of distinct signals.
As a result of the sharing of the functions performed from the ship, exclusively through digitized transmission channels managed by logical decoding units located in the boxes and each acquisition unit, the obtained seismic streamer is easily modifiable. Many modifications may be made in operation cycles, in testing stages as well as in the seismic data collection stages by changing the instructions sent from the central station. The development and exploitation cost is therefore lower.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the method of operation and of the device according to the invention will be clear from reading the description hereafter of the embodiments of the invention and procedures described by way of non limitative examples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a marine seismic streamer towed under water;
FIG. 2 is a diagram of the arrangement of the receivers and the acquisition units in each section of the streamer;
FIG. 3 is a diagram of the electronics contained in each interconnection box; and
FIG. 4 is a diagram of each acquisition unit arranged in the streamer sections.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The seismic streamer shown in FIG. 1 comprises a flexible sheath 1 full of liquid, along which a plurality of seismic receivers are distributed. It is made up of a series of successive sections T1 . . . Tk . . . Tn linked to one another with rigid interconnection boxes B1 . . . Bk . . . Bn. In operation, the streamer is towed under water behind a ship 2 fitted with a control and recording station or laboratory 3.
Along each streamer section (FIG. 2), a plurality of seismic receivers such as hydrophones are distributed. The receivers in each section are distributed in a certain number m of groups G1 . . . Gi . . . Gm each one containing a set number p of receivers. All the receivers H1 . . . Hp of each group are connected by a short pair of twisted conductors to an acquisition unit U1 . . . Ui . . . Um arranged close to them. For example 28 hydrophones are distributed in each section, and are subdivided into four groups of 7 hydrophones and 4 acquisition units respectively are associated with these four groups.
All the acquisition units U1 to Um of each streamer section are connected with an electronic set arranged in an interconnection box at one end, which will be described in relation with FIG. 3. The link is provided by common command lines LOC for directing orders and instructions towards the acquisition units and a common data bus for returning the responses given by these units.
At least one instruction transmission channel and at least one data transmission channel pass along each streamer section. In order to increase the security of the transmissions, two parallel transmission channels lta1, lta2 for the orders and two parallel transmission channels ltr1, ltr2 for the data are preferably arranged. French Patent 2,469,717 cited above describes how a satisfactory outward transmission line lta1 or lta2 for and a satisfactory outward transmission line ltr1 or ltr2 for data are selected by means of tests carried out previously to the seismic prospecting operations.
In order provide the high transmission rate required for the collecting of the signals picked up by a streamer with a high number of traces and for the transmission management, the outward and inward transmission channels comprise optical fibers. At each end of each section Tk, an interface set I of a well-known type comprising two modules Co/e and Ce/o supplying the necessary conversion. The first module converts the optical signals circulating on the fibers into electric signals and the second module converts the electric signals into optical signals.
In each interconnection box Bk (FIG. 3), the transmissions are carried out by means of electric line sections. The two outward channels lta1 and lta2 are connected to the inputs of a first switch S1. The output of the first switch is connected on one hand in parallel with the two outputs of module Ce/o of the following section Tk, and on the other hand with the input of an order decoder 4.
The central laboratory on the ship sends off on one of channels lta1 or lta2 coded instructions containing addresses designating the interconnection box affected by each instruction. The decoder 4 at the reception of an instruction affecting box Bk separates the addresses that are connected to address lines LA, synchronization signals that are connected to other lines LS. Lines LA and LS are local lines for the digital transmission of commands or instructions. A test oscillator 5 delivering a test signal H' is connected with lines LA and LS and to a line LT. Lines LA, LS and LT constitute a local group of lines LOC. A coding element 6, connected with a data bus BD connected to the acquisition units of the adjacent section Tk, is disposed in each interconnection box Bk as discussed below with reference to FIG. 4. The coding element 6 codes the data arriving on bus BD encoded with the CMI3 code, well-known by specialists for transmission the signals on the optical fibers. The coded data from the coding element 6 is stored a memory 7 which may be of the FIFO type. The writing and reading command inputs of memory 7 are connected with decoder 4. The signal outputted from a clock decoder 8 is applied to the "clock" input of the memory.
The outputs of module Co/e of the adjacent streamer section Tk are connected with two inputs of a second switch having three inputs S2. The output of the switch S2 is connected having a first input of a switch S3 with two inputs. The other input of the switch S3 is connected with the output of the FIFO memory 7. The output of the third switch S3 is connected in parallel with the inputs of module Ce/o which are the return lines ltr1 and ltr2.
Electric supply lines LAL are arranged all along the streamer. In each box Bk a feeding set 9, connected with lines LAL, provides electric voltages for feeding the electronic circuits in the box BK and the adjacent streamer section. The current distribution lines between the feeding set 9 and the electronic circuits are not shown.
The transmission of the signals between the laboratory on board and the different boxes is performed following the quasi-asynchronous transmission method described in French patent application EN 89/14,346. The coded instructions are transmitted from the laboratory on the optical inward fibers lta1 or lta2 following a timing imposed by a first clock at a 2.56 Mbits/s rate. The responses from boxes Bk are transmitted on the return fibers ltr1 or ltr2 following a timing imposed by a second clock located for example in the last box Bn (FIG. 1) at a 32.8 Mbits/s rate. The clock decoder 8 is connected with the output of the second switch S2 in order to extract the clock signal H emitted at the beginning of the return lines ltr1 or ltr2.
In order to ensure the independence of the different boxes in relation to clock H, each box also includes a clock oscillator 10 connected with the third input of the second switch S2 that is able to time on request the transmission of the responses of the boxes below on the return channels ltr1 or ltr2.
The acquisition of the seismic signals in each streamer section is performed by the different units U1 to Up (FIG. 1). FIG. 4 shows that the different receivers H1 to Hp respectively connected with signal adaptation sets. Each adaption set comprises a fixed gain pre-amplifier 11 in series with a bandpass filter 12 the passband of which passes the band of seismic signals to be acquired. A switching set 13 is interposed between each receiver and the input of the corresponding pre-amplifier. Such a switching set is already described in French Patent 2,613,496 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,425) assigned to the same applicant.
The signals from the bandpass filters 12 are respectively applied to P inputs of a multiplexer 14 having at least (p+1) inputs. The (p+1)th input is grounds grounded. The signals at the output of multiplexer 14 are applied to a high-dynamic binary-gain amplifier 15 such as those described for example in French Patents 2,593,002 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,055) and 2,592,537 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,474) assigned to the same applicant. The amplified signals are then digitized in a floating point analog-to-digital converter 16, such as that described in French patent application 2,626,423, also assigned to the same applicant. The digital words that are produced are synchronized by an synchronizer 17 for transmission on data bus BD towards the coder 6 in end box Bk. A local control element 18 is connected with the local group LOC of command transmission lines LA, LS and LT. A data register 19 is preferably interposed between memory 16 and synchronizer 17. Control element 18 is connected to the inputs commanding the switching sets 13 through a set of command lines LCOM. Through other lines LM, LC and LSYN, control 18 respectively sends control signals to multiplexer 14, converter 16 and synchronizer 17. Control 18 decodes the instructions received from the laboratory 3 onboard via the decoding means (4) (FIG. 3) and the local command lines LA, LS, LT, and commands the acquisition operations by the acquisition unit or previous testing operations of each acquisition channel. These testing operations consist of applying the test signal received on line LT to each receiver connected with its acquisition channel, to each channel disconnected from the corresponding receiver or in measuring the background noise level of the total acquisition chain.
All the acquisition units (U1-Um), local command lines LOC and databus BD and memory 7 (FIG. 3) constitute an acquisition apparatus. The set comprising a coder 6, referenced elements 4, 5, 8, 10 and switches S1 to S3 constitutes a transmission module.
The invention works as follows:
The seismic signals picked up by receivers H1 to Hp of each group Gk are multiplexed, amplified, sampled and digitized by the corresponding acquisition chain (11, 12, 14-16) (see FIG. 4). Each digitized sample is transferred into register 19. By means of instructions decoder 4 and of the local control elements of the various acquisition units, the digitized samples of the different registers 19 are sequentially transmitted by the data bus BD into the FIFO memory 7. The same sequential transmission is carried out for all the successive samples from converters 16.
At the end of each seismic emission-reception cycle, the central laboratory controls, by means of instructions decoder 4 in the boxes Bk, the transmission on return lines ltr1 or ltr2 of the content of the different memories 7, following the quasi-asynchronous transmission method mentioned above.
Prior to the launching of the seismic acquisition operations, the transmission outward (lta) and inward (ltr) lines are tested to ensure a faultless bidirectional transmission path between the central laboratory and all the interconnection boxes. The stages are carried out step by step as for the seismic streamer described in the previously cited French Patent 2,471,088 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,271). To this effect, a loop which becomes longer and longer is formed and closed successively through all the interconnection boxes B1 to Bn, in order to send back towards the central laboratory, by means of the inward channels, test signals that have been emitted on the outward channels, and the quality of the received signals is checked. A specific instruction transmitted and recognized by decoder 4 (FIG. 3) causes the direct transferring into memory 7 of a test signal and reading and application via switch S3 to the inward channels ltr1 and ltr2. The clock signal H that is necessary for marking the retransmission of the test signal in the loop constituted thereby is obtained by connecting the output of switch S2 on the output of the local clock 10. When the transmission channels have been selected at the end of the successive loopings, the different tests concerning the acquisition apparatuses mentioned above are carried out.
It is within the scope of the invention to replace the registers 19 (FIG. 4) with local memories that could contain at least part of the signals received during one emission-reception cycle and to sequentially transfer their contents into the FIFO memory 7 in the box for transferring them to the central laboratory (3).
|
Modular device for the reception, the acquisition and the transmission, to a central control and recording unit, of signals picked up by a very large number of seismic acoustic receivers distributed along a streamer of great length under water in operation.
The receivers in each one of the sections (Tk) of the streamer are arranged in several groups and the receivers (H1 to Hp) of a same group are connected with an acquisition unit (U1 to Um) located close to them. All the units of each section are connected through digitized command and data transmission lines (LOC,BD) with a common memory and a transmission management unit in an interconnection box (Bk) at one end of the streamer section. Transferring a great part of the electronic equipment into the streamer sections is very favorable for the balancing of the streamer in the water, for obtaining a good signal to noise ratio and it facilitates the development and the exploitation of the material.
| 6
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing noise due to head-tape contact in a single-ended magnetoresistive read element.
2. Background of the Invention
Information is written onto a magnetic tape by magnetizing tape elements. These magnetized tape elements produce a magnetic field that can be detected and converted to an electrical signal by a read head. A common type of read head for carrying out this conversion is the magnetoresistive (MR) read head.
A simple MR head consists of a thin film of magnetoresistive material, such as permalloy, between two insulating layers. When the MR layer is formed, a magnetic field is typically applied in a direction parallel to the plane of the thin layer. Thus, the MR layer exhibits a uniaxial anisotropy with an easy-axis of magnetization parallel to the direction of the applied field. If an external magnetic field, such as from a magnetic tape, is applied normal to the easy-axis, the magnetization direction of the MR layer will rotate away from the easy-axis and toward the direction of the applied magnetic field. This magnetization rotation causes a change in resistance in the MR layer. When no external field is applied, the resistance is greatest. The resistance decreases with increasing applied field. For practical geometries of the MR layer, resistance as a function of applied field traces a bell-shaped curve. The MR head is often biased with an applied current such that a zero magnitude applied field results in a resistance near an inflection point on the resistance curve. Thus, small changes about a zero magnitude applied external field result in nearly linear changes in resistance.
To accommodate increasing densities of data stored on magnetic tape, the geometries of read heads continue to shrink. As read head geometries become smaller, however, MR read heads become increasingly susceptible to noise. Dual-element read heads may be used in a differential manner to counteract some of this susceptibility by eliminating common-mode noise, but at a cost of slightly increased head size and loss of data density on the recording medium. A need exists, therefore, for a read head that allows for a smaller physical size than conventional double-element read heads, but with less susceptibility to noise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed toward a single-element magnetoresistive (MR) read head with reduced susceptibility to noise. In particular, the present invention addresses the problem of noise generated thermally through contact with the recording medium. The present invention solves this problem by keeping the temperature of the read head at a level that minimizes the noise level. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shielding material used in the read head is recessed with respect to the magnetic-medium-bearing surface. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a thin coating of metal on the read head surface is applied. In yet another embodiment, the read element is operated with a low bias current so as to minimize the thermal effect of power consumption due to electrical resistance. In still another embodiment, the read element makes use of insulating material that is both an electrical insulator and a high quality thermal insulator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting the main components of a magnetic tape drive in which the teachings of the present invention may be applied;
FIG. 2 is a diagram of a magnetoresistive read element and associated read circuitry as may be incorporated into a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram of a magnetoresistive read element in which the shielding material is recessed with respect to the active surface of the read element in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a diagram of a magnetoresistive read element with thin metal layer in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention is directed generally toward a magnetoresistive (MR) read element for reading information from a magnetic storage medium in a storage device. FIG. 1 depicts the primary components of a magnetic tape drive, which is one type of storage device in which the present invention may be implemented.
Magnetic tape 108 moves from source spool 110 to take-up spool 112 in a pulley action from force applied by motor 114 . Source spool 110 and take-up spool 112 may exist separately, or may be incorporated into an integrated package, such as a tape cartridge or cassette.
Data recorded to magnetic tape 108 will preferably be written in the form of several parallel tracks extending longitudinally along a surface of magnetic tape 108 . Read/write assembly 106 will preferably contain multiple read heads and write heads for reading and writing to/from these tracks simultaneously. Read/write assembly 106 maintains alignment with magnetic tape 108 by way of a servo control 124 , which uses solenoid 126 to position read/write assembly 106 vertically with respect to magnetic tape 108 . Read/write assembly 106 is generally positioned so that its read and write heads are kept at a very small distance from magnetic tape 108 in order to detect the small magnetic flux reversals on magnetic tape 108 that encode digital data or other information (e.g. analog signals or audio).
Because read/write assembly 106 is positioned at only a small distance from magnetic tape 108 , which is a moving medium, intermittently the read/write assembly 106 and the read and write elements it contains will make contact with magnetic tape 108 . This intermittent contact with magnetic tape 108 causes the temperature of the read and write elements in read/write assembly 106 to fluctuate. When the read elements are very small in size, this contact with magnetic tape 108 can result in a significant amount of thermally-generated noise being injected into the signal read from magnetic tape 108 .
One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that this thermally-generated noise resulting from contact with the recording medium (hereinafter referred to as “thermal contact noise”) is not a phenomenon limited to magnetic tapes, but may also occur in other magnetic media without limitation. Examples of other magnetic media include floppy disks, hard disks, and magnetic drums.
FIG. 2 is a diagram depicting a single-element magnetoresistive (MR) read element 200 as may be incorporated into a preferred embodiment of the present invention. MR read element 200 comprises a layer of magnetoresistive material 202 , such as permalloy, sandwiched between two layers of an electrically insulating material 204 to form a generally rectangular block, which is in turn sandwiched between two layers of magnetic shielding material (shields) 211 . One side of MR read element 200 that contains an exposed portion of magnetoresistive material 202 is designated as an active side 206 of MR read element 200 and is the side of MR read element 200 that faces recording medium 208 .
In the presence of a magnetic field, such as that provided by recording medium 208 , magnetoresistive material 202 changes in electrical resistance. Thus, magnetoresistive material 202 acts as a variable resistor or rheostat that varies in resistance in response to changes in the local magnetic field. Thus, a signal may be read from recording medium 208 via MR read element 200 by incorporating magnetoresistive material 202 into a circuit to fulfill the role of a rheostat. In FIG. 2 , magnetoresistive material 202 is used as a variable feedback resistor in an operational amplifier (op-amp) circuit operating in an inverting configuration. A voltage source 210 is connected through a fixed resistor 212 to inverting input 216 of an op-amp 214 , while non-inverting input 218 of op-amp 214 is grounded (optionally through a resistor 220 , as shown). Magnetoresistive material 202 is connected in a feedback path from output 222 of op-amp 214 to inverting input 216 of op-amp 214 . This arrangement allows a bias current to flow through magnetoresistive material 202 and allows the resistance of magnetoresistive material to control the gain of the resulting inverting amplifier circuit provided by op-amp 214 . Thus, a magnetic signal recorded on recording medium 208 in converted by the resulting variable-gain amplifier circuit into a corresponding voltage level at output 222 .
Returning attention now to the physical characteristics of MR read element 200 , it can be seen from FIG. 2 that active side 206 of MR read element 200 forms a rectangle in two dimensions. The width of each constituent component in the MR read element sandwich is the “element width” of MR read element 200 (dimension 224 ). The length of the entire MR read element 200 across the sandwich layers is called the “total shield distance” of MR read element 200 (dimension 226 ). It can be shown experimentally that thermal contact noise in an MR read element such as MR read element 200 becomes significant when element width 224 is equal to or less than total shield distance 226 , the element's operating temperature is substantially higher than the ambient temperature, and when the thermal conduction from the MR element to the media is too high.
Thermal contact noise can be reduced by minimizing the temperature change of the read element by tape contact. The tape cools the element by the following process: First, the tape transfers heat from the shields, cooling them. Then, since the shields are in thermal equilibrium with the element the element will cool also.
We can therefore minimize element temperature changes by either minimizing heat flow between the shields and tape, or providing a means to make the heat flow more constant.
Minimizing heat flow between shields and tape can be done by
A) Keeping the element temperature close to the tape temperature, thereby not heating the shields with the element and thus lowering the temperature differential between shields and tape. We accomplish this by either maintaining a bias current below a pre-determined amount, or lowering resistance below a pre-determined amount, or both. B) Thermally isolating the element from the shields, thereby not heating the shields with the element and thus lowering the temperature differential between shields and tape. We accomplish this by either using a high-quality thermal insulator for the insulating material 204 , or by increasing the thickness of this material, or both.
Making the heat flow between shields and tape more constant can by done by
A) Enhancing thermal contact between tape and shields with a coating on the head surface, thereby keeping heat transfer between shields and tape more constant and less susceptible to intermittent, discrete cooling events. This is depicted in FIG. 4 . B) Reducing thermal contact between the tape and shields by recessing the shields from the tape bearing surface, thereby minimizing heat transfer between the shields and tape. This is depicted in FIG. 3 .
FIG. 3 is a diagram of an MR read element 300 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. MR read element 300 contains magnetoresistive material 302 surrounded by shields 310 , separated from magnetoresistive material 302 by layers of insulating material 304 . Shields 310 are then enclosed by closure layers 315 , which are separated from shields 310 by insulating layers 313 . Closure layers 315 are, in a preferred embodiment, made from an alloy such as an aluminum-titanium-carbon (AlTiC) alloy, both other materials may be substituted without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Closure layers 315 have medium-bearing surfaces 320 that make contact with magnetic medium 317 (e.g., magnetic tape or disk). Shields 310 (as well as magnetoresistive material 302 and insulating layers 304 and 313 in this example) are recessed from the plane of tape bearing surfaces 320 . This configuration avoids heat transfer between shields 310 and magnetic medium 317 , and thus reduces thermal contact noise.
FIG. 4 is a diagram depicting an alternative embodiment of an MR read element 400 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. MR read element 400 , in addition to having a layer of magnetoresistive material 402 , layers of insulative material 404 , and layers of shielding material 411 , also has a thin layer of metal applied to the active side of MR read element 400 . The metal layer allows for more even cooling of MR read element 400 and helps to stabilize the temperature of MR read element 400 to avoid noise. The metal layer in one particular embodiment consists of a 10 Angstrom layer of gold. The alternative embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG. 4 is particularly useful in single-use or limited-use magnetic reading devices, where erosion of the metal layer over time is not a problem.
As stated previously, additional alternative embodiments of the present invention reduce thermal contact noise by lowering a bias current of the magnetoresistive material or steady state resistance of the magnetoresistive material to beneath a pre-determined amount. This prevents heating of the shields by the magnetoresistive material by keeping the current density of the magnetoresistive material low and thus lowers the temperature differential between the shields and magnetic medium (e.g., tape). This can also be accomplished by using a high-quality insulating material and/or increasing the thickness of the insulating material to prevent the magnetoresistive material portion of the MR read element from heating the shields.
The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
|
A single-element magnetoresistive (MR) read head with reduced susceptibility to noise is disclosed. In particular, the present invention addresses the problem of noise generated thermally through contact with the recording medium. The present invention solves this problem by keeping the temperature of the read head at a level that minimizes the noise level. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shielding material used in the read head is recessed with respect to the magnetic-medium-bearing surface. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, a thin coating of metal on the read head surface is applied. In yet another embodiment, the read element is operated with a low bias current so as to minimize the thermal effect of power consumption due to electrical resistance. In still another embodiment, the read element makes use of insulating material that is both an electrical insulator and a high quality thermal insulator.
| 6
|
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a diffusion barrier layer for a semiconductor device and a fabrication method thereof which is stable even at a high temperature by combining an insulating material and a refractory metal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A diffusion barrier layer in a semiconductor device delays diffusion or prevents a chemical reaction between an interconnection material and a substrate material or between interconnection materials. Therefore, a stable diffusion barrier layer is essential for the development of reliable semiconductor devices. Since it is almost impossible for the diffusion barrier layer to completely prevent the diffusion, the performance of the diffusion barrier layer depends upon how long the diffusion barrier layer can play its part under various annealing conditions. The diffusion barrier layer is required to have properties, such as being stable thermodynamically even when being in contact with the interconnection and the substrate material, having low contact resistance and excellent adhesivity, being tolerable to thermal and mechanical stress and having high electric conductivity. Further, it is desirable that a coefficient of thermal expansion of the diffusion barrier layer is similar to that of the substrate material.
[0003] Such diffusion barrier layer is mainly divided into a passive barrier, a sacrificial barrier and a stuffed barrier. More specifically, the passive barrier prevents the reaction with the interconnection and the substrate material by using a material which is thermodynamically stable and chemically inert. The sacrificial barrier layer reacts with the interconnection material or the substrate material, but the reaction is very slow. Thus, the sacrificial barrier layer serves as the diffusion barrier layer until it is exhausted due to the reaction with the interconnection material or the substrate material. Lastly, the stuffed barrier prevents the diffusion by filling other materials into grain boundaries that become the paths of the diffusion. Here, the diffusion barrier layer according to the present invention belongs to the stuffed barrier. As mentioned above, stuffing implies filling of other material into the grain boundaries.
[0004] Generally, the grain boundaries have been known as fast diffusion paths, since the diffusion along the grain boundaries occurs much more easily than through crystallites in a polycrystalline thin film. Therefore, to prevent the diffusion along the grain boundaries, single crystal or amorphous material which has no grain boundary, or the stuffed film in which other materials are filled in the grain boundaries is used as conventional diffusion barrier layers. Among the conventional diffusion barrier layers, however, the amorphous diffusion barrier layer which is thermodynamically unstable is transformed into a crystalline structure and thus there exists grain boundaries.
[0005] As a fabrication method of the conventional stuffed barrier layer, there is a method for blocking the grain boundaries by precipitating into the grain boundaries a precipitation, or implanting a material into the grain boundaries by diffusing a impurity gas in the atmosphere. Most popular examples are nitrogen stuffing and oxygen stuffing. Particularly, the nitrogen stuffing is to precipitate nitrogen into grain boundaries by depositing a thin film which contains nitrogen in excess of its limit. The oxygen stuffing is to implant oxygen into the grain boundaries by performing the oxygen plasma treatment or annealing in oxygen atmosphere after thin film deposition. Using such implantation, nitrogen can be implanted.
[0006] However, in these methods, since nitrogen or oxygen is weakly bound with the matrix thin film, the stuffing effect becomes extinct when the annealing process is performed for a long time. Also, in implantation by using the plasma treatment, the thin film is damaged due to high ion energy, which results in bond break in the thin film and crystal defects such as dislocation, void and interstitial, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a diffusion barrier layer and a fabrication method thereof that obviate the problems according to the related art.
[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a diffusion barrier layer for a semiconductor device that is thermodynamically stable even at a high temperature and a fabrication method thereof.
[0009] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, there is provided a diffusion barrier layer including an insulating material and a refractory metal, the insulating material being bonded to the refractory metal material and the diffusion barrier layer being in a microcrystalline or amorphous state.
[0010] Further, in order to achieve to the object of the present invention, there is provided a fabrication method of a diffusion barrier layer for a semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming a diffusion barrier layer containing a refractory metal material and an insulating material on an insulating layer and in a contact hole, wherein the insulating layer being partially etched to form the contact hole is formed on a semiconductor substrate; and annealing the diffusion barrier layer.
[0011] The foregoing and other objectives of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
[0013] FIGS. 1 A- 1 C are vertical cross-sectional diagrams sequentially illustrating a method of fabricating a diffusion barrier layer of a semiconductor device according to the present invention;
[0014] [0014]FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating sheet resistance of a Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer that has been subjected to annealing between 500° C. and 800° C. at various sputtering power according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] [0015]FIG. 3 is a graph showing Ta 4f XPS spectra of a Ta thin film;
[0016] [0016]FIG. 4 is a graph showing Ta 4f XPS spectra of a Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer formed at 150W of sputtering power without an annealing process according to the present invention;
[0017] [0017]FIG. 5 is a graph showing Ta 4f XPS spectra of a Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer formed at 150W of sputtering power and annealed at a temperature of 800° C. according to the present invention;
[0018] [0018]FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating XRD patterns of a Ta—CeO 2 , diffusion barrier layer formed at 170W of sputtering power and annealed at various temperatures according to the present invention; and
[0019] [0019]FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating XRD patterns of a Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer formed at 150W of sputtering power and annealed at various temperatures according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
[0021] FIGS. 1 A- 1 C are vertical cross-sectional diagrams sequentially illustrating a fabrication method of a diffusion barrier layer of a semiconductor device according to the present invention.
[0022] First, FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional diagrams in which a contact hole 30 is formed by etching a predetermined portion of an insulating layer 20 applied on a semiconductor substrate 10 . As shown in FIG. 1B, a diffusion barrier layer 40 consisting of Ta—CeO 2 is formed on the insulating layer 20 and in the contact hole 30 by co-sputtering and then an annealing process is performed at a temperature of 750° C. for 30 minutes to the Ta—CeO 2 , diffusion barrier layer 40 for achieving the thermal stabilization thereof.
[0023] Such co-sputtering deposition employs a first target containing Ta, a refractory metal, and a second target containing CeO 2 , an insulating material. While, the diffusion barrier layer 40 can be formed in other ways such as a sputtering deposition using a target or a pallet which contains the refractory metal material and the insulating material. The diffusion barrier layer 40 can be formed in another ways such as any kind of chemical vapor deposition, including a chemical vapor deposition which employs a compound containing the refractory metal material and the insulating material in CVD equipments.
[0024] Here, it is noted that at least one of 4B, 5B and 6B groups is used as the refractory metal, the 4B, 5B and 6B groups including Ti, Ta, Mo and W, and the insulating material consists of oxide or nitride. Further, the annealing process is performed for at least 10 minutes and preferably for 10 minutes to an hour, at a temperature of 450° C. to 750° C. Here, it is noted that the optimum conditions of the annealing process are determined by a material of an interconnection to be formed in a following process.
[0025] Accordingly, the fabrication of the diffusion barrier layer is completed and then followed by a next process including the forming of the interconnection. That is, as shown in FIG. 1C, an interconnection 50 is formed on the diffusion barrier layer 40 , the interconnection 50 consisting of at least one of Al, Al alloy, Cu and Cu alloy.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 2 illustrates relation between sheet resistance of the Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer and annealing temperature when the Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer is deposited at a thickness of 100 nm according to the embodiment of the present invention and annealed between 500° C. and 800° C. at various sputtering power(e.g., 130W, 150W and 170W) in a vacuum. As shown therein, the sheet resistance of the Ta—CeO 2 , diffusion barrier layer is considerably low in the measuring range, except for which the sputtering power is 170W and the annealing temperature is about 800° C. The thin film formed at 170W of the sputtering power and annealed at 800° C., shows the relatively high sheet resistance, because much CeO 2 exist in the diffusion barrier layer. However, although the sheet resistance in the above case is relatively high among sheet resistance values, it still belongs to a range of low sheet resistance values required for the diffusion barrier layer. Therefore, the diffusion barrier layer shows the excellent property, that is, low sheet resistance in the entire measuring range when the Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer is formed at 130W, 150W and 170W of the sputtering power and annealed at the temperatures from 500° C. to 800° C.
[0027] The diffusion barrier layer according to the present invention maintains the low sheet resistance even at the high temperature of 800° C., because CeO 2 stuffed in the Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer is not just filled therein, but bonded to Ta. The above fact can be certified by analyzing Ta bonds by performing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). FIG. 3 shows Ta 4f XPS spectra when only Ta is deposited by a sputtering method. As shown therein, there are shown three spectra at about 22 eV (1), 24 eV (2) and 34 eV (3), respectively. Therefore, there exist bonds having binding energy of about 22 eV, 24 eV and 34 eV, respectively, in the Ta thin film, and the three peaks (1, 2, 3) are the specific spectra of Ta 4f.
[0028] [0028]FIG. 4 shows Ta 4f XPS spectra for a Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer formed at 150W of the sputtering power without annealing. As can be seen, two more peaks are shown at about 26 eV (4) and 28 eV (5), respectively, in addition to the three peaks (1, 2, 3) of 22 eV, 24 eV and 34 eV, respectively as shown in FIG. 3. Such two more peaks (4, 5) result from Ta—O—Ce bond and Ta—O—Ce bond, because, when Ta—CeO 2 are deposited, some oxygen, decomposed from the CeO 2 target, is combined with Ta in a plasma condition. Here, it is noted that the peak (4) at about 26 eV more increases after the annealing process.
[0029] [0029]FIG. 5 illustrates Ta 4f XPS spectra for a Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer formed at 150W of the sputtering power and annealed at a temperature of 800° C. As shown therein, peaks (1, 2, 3) of the Ta thin film itself are shown at around 22 eV, 24 eV and 34 eV, respectively and the peak (4) at around 26 eV is considerably increased. Therefore, it can be realized that the annealing process increases the bond number of Ta and oxygen. Consequently, XPS shows that CeO 2 which is the insulating material is not simply filled in the Ta—CeO 2 , diffusion barrier layer, but bonded to Ta which is the refractory metal. Further, as mentioned above, the diffusion barrier layer according to the present invention is in a microcrystalline or amorphous state, and which can be seen from X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 6 illustrates XRD patterns of a Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer formed at a thickness of 100 nm at 170W of the sputtering power and annealed for about 30 minutes at various temperatures according to the present invention. As shown therein, in the XRD patterns when the diffusion barrier layer is formed without the annealing process, there appears a broad peak at about 37°, showing that the Ta—CeO 2 layer is an amorphous or microcrystalline state. The broad peak showing the amorphous or microcrystalline state has no change even if annealing temperature is increased up to 800° C. Accordingly, it can be seen that the Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer according to the present invention maintains its microcrystalline or amorphous state even at the high temperature, for example, at 800° C.
[0031] Further, any peak of Ta-silicide crystal generated by a reaction between Ta and the Si substrate, can not be seen, showing that the Ta—CeO 2 diffusion barrier layer according to the present invention has an excellent property that does not react on the semiconductor substrate.
[0032] [0032]FIG. 7 illustrates XRD patterns of a Ta—CeO 2 , diffusion barrier layer deposited at a thickness of 100 nm at 150W which is different from the sputtering power of FIG. 6 and annealed for about 30 minutes at various temperatures according to the present invention. As shown therein, the Ta—CeO 2 layer deposited in the sputtering power of 150W is still of the amorphous or microcrystalline state up to an annealing temperature of 750° C. However, when the annealing temperature reaches 800° C., the broad peak at 37° is split as in dotted lines respectively indicating crystalline planes and thus the amorphous or microcrystalline structure is destroyed, showing that the Ta—CeO 2 , diffusion barrier layer is crystallized.
[0033] As described above, the diffusion barrier layer for semiconductor device and the fabrication method thereof according to the present invention has several advantages. The diffusion barrier layer according to the present invention can be stable even at the high temperature of 800° C., since the insulating film is bonded to the refractory metal material in the diffusion barrier layer, while in the conventional nitrogen or oxygen stuffing, stuffed nitrogen or oxygen is diffused along the grain boundaries when annealing process is performed and thereby stuffing effect become extinct.
[0034] Further, the present invention does not induce the crystal defects in the thin film, due to the high ion energy needed to in conventional nitrogen or oxygen implantation by using the plasma treatment. In addition, since the refractory metal material and the insulating material constituent of the diffusion barrier layer according to the present invention are thermodynamically stable, reaction with the semiconductor substrate does not occur, thereby improving the reliability of the semiconductor device.
[0035] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the diffusion barrier layer for the semiconductor device and the fabrication method thereof of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
|
The present invention relates to a diffusion barrier layer for a semiconductor device and fabrication method thereof. The diffusion barrier layer according to the present invention is fabricated by forming a diffusion barrier layer containing a refractory metal material and an insulating material on an insulating layer and in a contact hole, wherein the insulating layer being partially etched to form the contact hole, is formed on a semiconductor substrate; and annealing the diffusion barrier layer. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a diffusion barrier layer for a semiconductor device, which is of an amorphous or microcrystalline state and thermodynamically stable even at a high temperature since an insulating material is bonded to a refractory metal material in the diffusion barrier layer.
| 7
|
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present invention relates to a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator and a wind power generator having the same, and in particular to a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator and a wind power generator having the same which are able to change the angle of a blade according to wind velocity.
[0002] A wind power generator is an apparatus which is able to convert energy obtained from wind resource into a rotational kinetic energy and then into an electric energy.
[0003] Such a wind power generator consists of a rotor which rotates by wind, a nacelle which is able to convert rotational force of the rotor into electricity, and a tower which supports the nacelle and rotor. The rotor equips with a plurality of blades which generate rotational force with the aid of wind and is installed rotatable at the nacelle. In addition, the nacelle may include a gear box configured to transfer torque to the rotor, and a generator which may operate by the torque. The tower is installed vertical at an installation place to support the weight of the nacelle and the rotor which are installed on its top.
[0004] In case of such a wind power generator, one specific structure may not well operate withstanding all the wind since winds flows in various directions or with intensities based on the installation place. To this end, it needs to provide a wind power generator having a structure which may provide high efficiency while being suitable to a specific region and place. For example, if the width of each blade of a wind power generator is made wide, such a configuration may be good to use low velocity wind, but bad to use strong wind. In particular, in case of a horizontal shaft type blade which may allow to change the whole angles of each blade, the rotational angle in the rotating direction may change, which may consequently cause any problems in terms of safety, due to vibration, etc. during the rotation of the rotor. For this reason, a wind power generator and its structure which may use both strong and weak wind with the aid of a wide area blade are necessary.
[0005] In order to resolve the above problems, as a conventional art, there are provided the Korean utility model registration number 20-0459015 (registered on Feb. 27, 2012) entitled “blade angle control apparatus for wind power generator” and the Japanese utility model registration number 3002361 (registered on Jul. 13, 1994) entitled “water power windmill”. These conventional technologies are configured in such a way that any danger of strong wind can be avoided by adjusting the angles of each blade when the blades of the horizontal shaft wind power generator rotates based on wind velocity. In order to adjust the angles of each blade based on strong and weak levels of wind, a hinge is used. When the angles of each blade change, the whole angles of the rotor and the nacelle will change. The wide area blade is advantageous if wind is weak, but disadvantageous if wind is strong. To this end, the angle of the blade is changed so as to prevent any disadvantage at strong wind. The hinge may not allow to control force at the changing time of the blade matching with the area of the blade and wind velocity. In particular, in case of the horizontal shaft type blade wherein the shaft of the rotor is horizontal, if the whole angles of each blade change, the angles of the rotation directions of each blade may change, thus causing any problem in terms of safety of blades.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator and a wind power generator having the same wherein it is possible to generate high torque with respect to gentle wind and strong wind in such a way to provide quick and stable rotations to control the area where each blade receives wind pressure based on the level of wind velocity, and the areas of such blades can be stably controlled. These objects of the present invention will be better understood along with the descriptions below.
[0007] To achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator which is able to control the angle of a blade of the wind power generator based on wind velocity, which may include, but is not limited to, a shaft; a housing wherein the shaft is installed rotatable; and a spiral spring the ends of which are fixed at the shaft and the housing, thus storing an elastic energy based on relative rotation between the shaft and the housing, and if the force necessary for the relative rotation is removed, the spiral spring allows the shaft and the housing to relatively rotate in the opposite directions to return to their initial states, and any of the shaft and the housing is fixed at a blade installation part installed in such a way that the blade can rotate by wind pressure, and the other one is fixed at the blade, whereupon the area of the blade which receives wind pressure can be adjusted based on the level of wind velocity with the aid of the elastic force of the spiral spring.
[0008] The shaft is fixed in the longitudinal direction at the blade installation part disposed at the hub while extending in the radial direction about the hub of the wind power generator, and the housing is arranged in such a way that a blade fixing plate fixed at the blade can protrude from a side portion.
[0009] The spiral spring is installed in the inside of the housing while covering the shaft wherein one end of the spiral spring is fixed at the shaft, and the other end thereof is fixed at an inner side surface of the housing, and the shaft is supported rotatable by a bearing installed in the inside of the housing to position at both sides of the spiral spring.
[0010] There are further provided a stopper which is arranged protruding from the shaft; and an engaging piece which is installed in the housing and in a rotation trajectory of the stopper and is hooked by the stopper in such a way that the area which receives wind pressure with respect to the blade does not get out of a predetermined size, and the engaging piece is selectively fixed at any of multiple positions within the rotation trajectory, and the maximum size of the area that the blade receives wind pressure can be adjusted.
[0011] To achieve the above objects, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wind power generator having a blade angle control apparatus, which may include, but is not limited to, a hub which is installed rotatable at a nacelle; a blade installation part which extends in a radial direction about the hub and is fixed in such a way that its rotation can be inhibited; a blade angle control part which is installed at the blade installation part; and a blade which is fixed at the blade angle control part, wherein the blade angle control part is formed of a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator recited in any of claims 1 to 4 .
[0012] The blade angle control part is installed multiple in number in the longitudinal direction at regular intervals at the blade installation part, each of the blade angle control parts being fixed at a side portion of the blade, and the blade installation part includes a blade angle control apparatus which positions at a front side of the blade with respect to wind direction.
[0013] According to the blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator and a wind power generator with the same, the area of each blade which receives wind pressure based on the level of wind velocity can be controlled, and torque can be stably obtained with gentle wind or strong wing. Any damages to components including each blade can be prevented with respect to even strong wind. The blades can quickly and stably rotate with respect to any changes in wind velocity. It is easy to control the change in area of each blade which receives wind pressure based on wind velocity and the rotation timing of each blade, and the present invention can apply to both the horizontal shaft type and the vertical shaft type based on any conditions at installation places and regions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a side view for describing the operation of a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a side cross sectional view illustrating a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a front cross sectional view illustrating a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an inner configuration of a blade installation part while illustrating a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view illustrating a blade installation part while illustrating a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a blade and a blade installation part of a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating a blade and a blade installation part of a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus when viewing in the opposite direction according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 10 is a front cross sectional view for describing the operation of a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating a major compartment of a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment of the resent invention.
[0025] FIG. 12 is a side view illustrating an inner configuration of a blade installation part of a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] The present invention may be changed into various forms and may have various examples, and specific examples are illustrated in the drawings and will be described, which are not intended to limit thereto. Such disclosures should be interpreted as including all modifications, equivalents or substitutes which are included in the technical concepts and ranges of the present invention and may be modified into various forms, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
[0027] The embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same or corresponding components will be given the same reference numbers, and the repeated descriptions thereon will be omitted.
[0028] FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view for describing the operation of a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the blade angle control apparatus 100 of a wind power generator according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus which is able to adjust the angle of each blade 240 of a wind power generator 200 , namely, the pitches thereof and may include, but is not limited to, a shaft 110 , a housing 120 and a spiral spring 130 (as illustrated in FIG. 4 ). Any of the shaft 110 and the housing 120 is fixed at a blade installation part 250 which is installed in such a way that the blade 240 to rotate by wind pressure, and the remaining one is fixed at the blade 240 . To this end, the area of the blade 240 which receives wind pressure can be adjusted based on the level of wind velocity by the elastic force of the spiral spring 130 (in FIG. 4 ). Here, the area of the blade 240 which receives wind pressure may be designed as an area which the blade 240 occupies with respect to the direction which is orthogonal to the wind direction.
[0030] As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the shaft 110 may be installed passing through the housing 120 , whereupon it can be installed relatively rotatable with respect to the housing 120 . Here, the relative rotation between the shaft 110 and the housing 120 means that any of the shaft 110 and the housing 120 is fixed, and the remaining one is rotatable.
[0031] The housing 120 may be installed around the shaft 110 in such a way that the shaft 110 is rotatable and may have a cylindrical shape which can provide an inner space as in the present embodiment, wherein the shaft 110 is installed passing through both sides of the housing 120 .
[0032] The ends of the spiral tape 130 are fixed at the shaft 110 ad the housing 120 , whereupon elastic energy can be stored with the aid of a relative rotation between the shaft 110 and the housing 120 . If force which is necessary for the relative rotation is all or partially lifted, namely, if the stored elastic energy is larger than the force which may apply to the blade 240 by wind pressure, a relative rotation in the opposite direction may occur, which may allow the shaft 110 and the housing 120 to return to their original states.
[0033] The spiral spring 130 may be installed in the inside of the housing 120 in such a way to cover the shaft 110 in a state where one end of the shaft 110 is fixed, and the other end may be fixed at an inner side surface of the housing 120 . For this, the shaft 110 may has a spiral tape fixing part 111 on its outer circumference so that an end defined in the center of the spiral spring 130 is fixedly inserted. In addition, the housing 120 may equip with a spiral spring fixing part (not illustrated) on its inner side surface so that an edge end of the spiral tape 130 can be fixedly inserted.
[0034] The shaft 110 may be supported rotatable by means of a bearing 150 which is installed in the housing 120 so that it can position at both sides of the spiral spring 130 . The bearing 150 may include, but is not limited to, an inner race 151 which is fixed on an outer circumference of the shaft 110 , and an outer race 152 which is engaged rotatable to an outer side of the inner race 151 with the aid of a ball, a roller, etc. and is finally fixed on an inner circumference of the housing 120 using a fixing bolt 121 . Meanwhile, the inner race 151 may be fixed on an outer circumference of the shaft 110 with the aid of a sleeve 112 .
[0035] In the embodiments in FIGS. 6 and 8 , the shaft 110 may be fixed in the longitudinal direction at the blade installation part 250 disposed at a hub 230 , in such a way to extend in a radial direction about the hub 230 of the wind power generator 200 . The housing 120 may be disposed in such a way that a blade fixing plate 140 fixed at the blade 240 protrudes from a side portion. The blade fixing plate 140 may be provided integral with the housing 120 or separate from the housing 120 , so it can vertically fit into the outer circumference of the housing 120 by various methods, for example, a fixing method, a side engaging method, a riveting method, a welding method, etc. Here, the blade installation part 250 may not be provided separate as in the present embodiment, but may be a hub 230 . In this case, the shaft 110 may be directly fixed at the hub 230 so that the blade 240 can be installed directly rotatable at the hub 230 .
[0036] There may be provided a stopper 161 and an engaging piece 162 so as to limit the angle, namely, the pitch with respect to the blade 240 . Here, the stopper 161 may be provided in such a way to protrude from the shaft 110 may be provided in a form of a bar. The engaging piece 162 may be installed in the inside of the housing 120 in such a way to position within a rotation trajectory of the stopper 161 and may be hooked by the stopper 161 in such a way that the area which receive wind pressure does not get out of a predetermined size with respect to the blade 240 which rotates by the elastic force of the spiral tape 130 .
[0037] Referring to FIG. 5 , the engaging piece 162 maybe selectively fixed at any of multiple positions defined on a rotation trajectory of the stopper 161 with the aid of the rotation of the shaft 110 , whereupon the blade 240 may allow to adjust the maximum size of the area which receives wind pressure. For example, the engaging piece 162 may be fixed on the outer race 152 . Here, the outer race 152 may include a plurality of engaging grooves 164 in the circumferential direction, whereupon the engaging piece 162 may be selectively fixed at one of the engaging grooves 164 by means of a fixing bolt 163 . For this reason, the engaging piece 162 may limit the loosening of the spiral spring 130 in such a way to adjust the allowable rotation angle of the stopper 161 . At this time, the stopper 160 may be configured to rotate by 160°˜200° from the initial position, wherein the angle may be 60°˜80°, preferably 70°.
[0038] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the wind power generator 200 which equips with the blade angle control apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include the blade angle control apparatus 100 of a wind power generator. For example, there may be provided a hub 230 which is installed rotatable at the nacelle 220 ; a blade installation part 250 which may extend in the radial direction about the hub 230 and may be fixed at the hub 230 for the sake of inhibition of rotation; a blade angle control part installed at the blade installation part 250 ; and a blade 240 fixed at the blade angle control part, wherein the blade angle control part, as described earlier, may be formed of the blade angle control apparatus 100 of the wind power generator according to the present invention. The wind power generator 200 having the blade angle control apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be a horizontal shaft type wind power generator wherein the shaft of the rotor is disposed horizontal.
[0039] The hub 230 may form the rotor together with the blade 240 and is installed rotatable at the nacelle 220 by a rotary shaft. Here, the nacelle 220 may include a tail wing 221 disposed at a tail portion in such a way to be arranged in a row and may be fixed on the tower 210 . In addition, the nacelle 220 may include a gear box configured to transfer torque of the hub 230 which rotates by the blade 240 having resistance with respect to wind pressure; and a generator driven using torque from the gear box.
[0040] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 , the blade installation part 250 may include a hub fixing part 251 for the sake of fixing at the hub 230 . The blade angle control part, namely, the blade angle control apparatus 100 of a wind power generator may be provided multiple in number at regular intervals at the blade installation part 250 . For this, the blade installation part 250 may include a plurality of accommodation spaces in the longitudinal direction at regular intervals to accommodate the blade angle control apparatus 100 of the wind power generator and may be fixed by a welding method or a protruded engagement method to prevent both ends of the shaft 110 ( FIG. 4 ) from rotating by the shaft fixing part 252 . A blocking plate 253 may be installed at an open side of the accommodation space so as to block the accommodation space. At this time, the blocking plate 253 may be fixed at the housing 120 and may rotate together with the housing 120 and may be sized and shaped to prevent any interference with the rotations of the housing 120 .
[0041] A cover 254 may be engaged at one side of the blade installation part 350 . This cover 254 is provided so as to protect the blade angle control apparatus 100 of the wind power generator as well as internal components and may be configured in such a way that its side is open in the longitudinal direction so as to prevent any interference with the rotations of the blade fixing plate 140 by the rotations of the housing 120 .
[0042] The blade installation part 250 may be formed of a shaft member which is fixed at the hub 230 . Since the blade installation part 125 may position in front of the blade 240 with respect to wind direction, it may form a head portion of the blade 240 . To this end, if the blade 240 positions at a rear side of the blade installation part 250 and receives any resistance due to wind pressure, it may rotate like a tail wing with respect to the blade installation part 250 .
[0043] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9 , each of the blade angle control parts, namely, the blade angle control apparatus 100 of a wind power generator may be fixed at a side portion of the blade 240 . As mentioned earlier, it can be fixed at a side portion of the blade 240 with the aid of the blade fixing plate 140 . The blade 240 may include a plurality of fixing grooves (not illustrated) in the longitudinal direction at regular intervals in such a way that the blade fixing plates 140 can be fixed along the side portion.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 10 , the blade 240 may maintain a state “A” ( FIG. 1 ) wherein the area which receives wind pressure increases due to the elastic force of the spiral spring 130 if wind velocity is relatively low since the elastic force provided by the spiral spring 130 ( FIG. 4 ) of the blade angle control apparatus 100 of the wind power generator is relatively larger than the wind pressure that it receives. If the spiral spring 130 is loosened, the blade 40 may be set to maintain a rotational angle where the blade 240 can generate highest torque with the aid of the stopper 161 and the engaging piece 162 as in FIG. 5 . This may be determined in consideration of the characteristics, for example, the wind velocity and the area or curvature of the blade 240 .
[0045] In addition, the blade 240 may rotate in a state “B” ( FIG. 2 ) where the spiral spring 130 is wound and then the area which receives wind pressure decreases if wind velocity is relatively high since the elastic force that the spiral spring 130 ( FIG. 4 ) provides is relatively smaller than the wind pressure that it receives. To this end, any structural damages to the blade 240 and the rotor can be prevented in such a way to reduce resistance that the blade 240 receives by strong wind, and the blade 240 can generate a predetermined torque even with respect to strong wing. Meanwhile, if the wind velocity decreases, the elastic energy stored in the spiral spring 130 ( FIG. 4 ) is transferred through the shaft 110 and the blade fixing plate 140 to the blade 240 , whereupon the blade 240 will automatically turn to the state “A” ( FIG. 1 ) where the area which receives wind pressure increases.
[0046] The spiral spring 130 may be manufactured to have a predetermined elastic force or a predetermined elastic coefficient with which the blade 240 can rotate in such a way that the area which receives wind pressure decreases. In addition, the blade 240 may be installed to be behind the blade installation part 250 since the blade installation part 250 defines the head thereof, thus operating like the tail wing. To this end, from the rotation-inhibited blade installation part 250 , the rotation angle, namely, the pitch can be easily and quickly changed based on the size of the level of wind velocity with the aid of relative rotation between the shaft 110 and the housing 120 .
[0047] FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating a major compartment of a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment of the resent invention. FIG. 12 is a side view illustrating an inner configuration of a blade installation part of a wind power generator which equips with a blade angle control apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0048] Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12 , the wind power generator 300 which equips with the blade angle control apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a vertical shaft type wind power generator wherein the shaft of the rotor is vertical. A blade 340 may be installed at the upper and lower sides of the blade installation part 350 , which is fixed horizontal at the hub 330 , with the aid of the blade angle control apparatus 100 of a wind power generator. The blade angle control apparatus 100 of the wind power generator may be fixed multiple in number in a row in such a way to inhibit the rotations by means of the shaft fixing part 352 disposed at the blade installation part 350 . Each blade fixing plate 140 may be fixed at a side portion of the blade 340 . The blade angle control apparatus 100 of the wind power apparatus may be installed multiple in number at the blade installation part 350 , each of which apparatuses is fixed at the blade 340 , whereupon the rotational return of the blade 349 can be stably obtained. Meanwhile, a control box 370 may be installed at the blade installation part 350 , and the fixing piece 371 disposed at the control box 370 can be fixed at the blade 340 .
[0049] The blade 340 may include an interference prevention part 341 so as to prevent any interference when rotating upward and downward. The blade 340 may include an assistant wing 360 so as to enhance the driving efficiency with respect to wind power. This assistant wing 360 may be attached to one side surface of the blade 340 with the aid of the wing fixing piece 361 . In addition, the assistant wig 360 may be connected to the wing fixing piece 361 with the aid of the blade angle control apparatus 100 of the wind power generator. For example, in the blade angle control apparatus 100 of the wind power generator, the shaft 110 may be fixed at the wing fixing piece 361 , and the blade fixing plate 140 may be fixed at the assistant wing 360 .
[0050] The wind power generator 300 which equips with the blade angle control apparatus according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention has the same operations as the wind power generator 200 which equips with the blade angle control apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention except for that the rotary shaft of the rotor is arranged horizontal. Like the present embodiment, the number of the blades 340 may be two in dual-leaf structure, and the number thereof is not limited thereto. The number of the blades may be 1 or at least 3.
[0051] The operations of the blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator and the wind power generator having the same will be described mainly referring to the wind power generator 200 which equips with the blade angle control apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0052] The force that the wind power generator 200 receives may change based on wind velocity and the area of the blade 240 , which receives wind pressure. It is hard to artificially control wind velocity. The area of the blade 240 can be controlled with the aid of the blade angle control apparatus 100 of a wind power generator. To this end, in order to enhance power generation efficiency by adjusting the pitch of the blade 240 based on the level of wind velocity, if the wind velocity is low, the area of the blade 240 to which wind pressure applies is increased, and if the wind velocity is high, the area of the blade 240 to which wind pressure applies is decreased. In this way, it is possible to prevent the blade 40 from being bent or broken by strong wind or the gear box or the shaft member or the generator disposed in the wind power generator 200 from being damaged.
[0053] The blade 240 may position at a rear side of the blade installation part 250 with respect to wind direction so that the blade installation part 250 can operate as a head, thus performing the role of a tail wing, while preventing the angle in the rotation direction at the front surface from changing. To this end, a fast and stable rotation can be obtained with respect to any change in the wind velocity when the blade angle control apparatus 100 of the wind power generator is operating, whereupon the wind velocity-based optimum toque can be generated, which results in the maximized power generation efficiency.
[0054] The time when the blade 240 rotates by the elastic force of the spiral spring 130 by the blade angle control apparatus 100 of a wind power generator can be adjusted based on the area and wind velocity of the blade 240 . Even though the wind velocity is low, the area of the blade 240 to which the wind pressure applies can be increased, thus stably generating torque. In this way, the angle of the blade installation part 250 corresponding to the head crown of the blade 240 does not change, and the angle of only the blade 240 which plays a role of the tail wing formed behind the same changes based on the level of wind velocity. The blade 240 can rotate only if the wind velocity is higher than a predetermined level by the elastic force of the spiral spring 130 , thus enhancing the efficiency of wind power generation. In this case, the efficiency can be enhanced based on the kinds of the wind power generator.
[0055] In addition, a plurality of the blade angle control apparatuses 100 of a wind power generator may be configured to supply elastic force to the blade 240 , so the force that the blade 240 withstands wind pressure may correspond to the multiple times of such number. If angle changes at a predetermined wind velocity, the level obtained by multiplying, by the number of the blade angle adjusting apparatuses 100 of a wind power generator, the force required when further winding the spiral spring 130 in a state where the blade 240 is stopped by the stopper 161 and the engaging piece 162 may be smaller than or be same as the value obtained by multiplying the wind velocity by the area (m 2 ) of the blade 240 which receives wind pressure.
[0056] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described examples are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.
[0057] To achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator which is able to control the angle of a blade of the wind power generator based on wind velocity, which may include, but is not limited to, a shaft; a housing wherein the shaft is installed rotatable; and a spiral spring the ends of which are fixed at the shaft and the housing, thus storing an elastic energy based on relative rotation between the shaft and the housing, and if the force necessary for the relative rotation is removed, the spiral spring allows the shaft and the housing to relatively rotate in the opposite directions to return to their initial states, and any of the shaft and the housing is fixed at a blade installation part installed in such a way that the blade can rotate by wind pressure, and the other one is fixed at the blade, whereupon the area of the blade which receives wind pressure can be adjusted based on the level of wind velocity with the aid of the elastic force of the spiral spring.
[0058] The shaft is fixed in the longitudinal direction at the blade installation part disposed at the hub while extending in the radial direction about the hub of the wind power generator, and the housing is arranged in such a way that a blade fixing plate fixed at the blade can protrude from a side portion.
[0059] The spiral spring is installed in the inside of the housing while covering the shaft wherein one end of the spiral spring is fixed at the shaft, and the other end thereof is fixed at an inner side surface of the housing, and the shaft is supported rotatable by a bearing installed in the inside of the housing to position at both sides of the spiral spring.
[0060] There are further provided a stopper which is arranged protruding from the shaft; and an engaging piece which is installed in the housing and in a rotation trajectory of the stopper and is hooked by the stopper in such a way that the area which receives wind pressure with respect to the blade does not get out of a predetermined size, and the engaging piece is selectively fixed at any of multiple positions within the rotation trajectory, and the maximum size of the area that the blade receives wind pressure can be adjusted.
[0061] To achieve the above objects, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a wind power generator having a blade angle control apparatus, which may include, but is not limited to, a hub which is installed rotatable at a nacelle; a blade installation part which extends in a radial direction about the hub and is fixed in such a way that its rotation can be inhibited; a blade angle control part which is installed at the blade installation part; and a blade which is fixed at the blade angle control part, wherein the blade angle control part is formed of a blade angle control apparatus of a wind power generator recited in any of claims 1 to 4 .
[0062] The blade angle control part is installed multiple in number in the longitudinal direction at regular intervals at the blade installation part, each of the blade angle control parts being fixed at a side portion of the blade, and the blade installation part includes a blade angle control apparatus which positions at a front side of the blade with respect to wind direction.
[0063] The present invention may industrially apply to the wind power generator.
[0000]
[Legends of Reference numbers]
110: Shaft
111: Spiral spring fixing part
112: Sleeve
120: Housing
121: Fixing bolt
130: Spiral spring
140: Blade fixing plate
141: Fixing hole
150: Bearing
151: Inner race
152: Outer race
161: Stopper
162: Engaging piece
163: Fixing bolt
164: Engaging groove
210: Tower
220: Nacelle
221: Tail wing
230: Hub
240: Blade
250: Blade installation part
251: Hub fixing part
252: Shaft fixing part
253: Blocking plate
254: Cover
330: Hub
340: blade
341: Interference prevention part
350: Blade installation part
352: Shaft fixing part
360: Assistant wing
361: Wing fixing piece
370: Control box
371: Fixing piece
|
An apparatus for controlling a blade angle of a wind power generator according to wind velocity, and a wind power generator having the same, the apparatus comprising: a shaft; a housing provided to enable the rotation of the shaft; and a spring having ends fixed respectively to the shaft and the housing to store elastic energy through the relative rotation of the shaft and the housing, and enables the relative rotation in the reverse direction so as to restore the shift and the housing to the original states when the power necessary for the relative rotation is released, wherein one of the shat and the housing is fixed at a blade provision unit provided to rotate the blade by using wind pressure and the other is fixed at the blade.
| 5
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority to foreign French patent application No. FR 1005090, filed on Dec. 23, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a self-driven articulation designed both automatically to deploy elements that it connects and to lock these elements in the deployed position. The invention also relates to an articulated assembly made up of various elements joined together by at least one articulation.
The invention applies more particularly, although not exclusively, to the field of space and notably to the manufacture of solar panels for satellites which panels are made up of various elements articulated together and which are deployed once they arrive in space. Numerous other applications can be imagined, both in the field of space and on earth.
BACKGROUND
Such an articulation is, for example, described in patent applications FR 2 635 077 and FR 2 902 763. This articulation takes the form of a mechanical system that is self-driven allowing it to open and therefore allowing the elements connected to it to be deployed. The articulation comprises two articulation fittings made to rotate under the action of at least one flexible element. The articulation is held without play by means of rolling strips that cross around the articulation fittings and are kept under tension by two rollers fitted with flexible tracks, each belonging to one of the articulation fittings. The articulation comprises a device for keeping it in what is known as the stored position, this for example being achieved by means of an explosive bolt or bolt cutter positioned in the region of the solar panels to which the articulation is attached.
The flexible element is for example formed by a Carpentier joint which applies a driving torque to cause the articulation to pass from its storage position into a position known as the deployed position. The drive torque is very uneven over the travel of the articulation and this leads to a speed of opening that is likewise uneven.
Moreover, in order to be certain of achieving the deployed position, it is necessary for the flexible element used to generate the torque that deploys the articulation to be oversized. For example, it is necessary to take into consideration the resistive torques due, for example, to the electrical cables situated between the panels and the friction inherent to any articulation. This oversizing means that energy is restored at the end of deployment in the form of an impact against the end stops of the articulation. The energy absorbed by the end stops is dependent on the speed of impact, and therefore difficult to predict. The oversizing of the driving element of the articulation leads to an oversizing of the articulation end stops and of the elements connected by the articulation which likewise experience impacts at the end of deployment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention seeks to alleviate all or some of the abovementioned problems by proposing a self-driven articulation in which the speed of opening is regulated thus making it possible to reduce the effect of impact at the end of opening even if the drive torque is significantly overrated.
To this end, the subject of the invention is a self-driven articulation intended to be mounted between two adjacent elements, comprising two articulation fittings made to rotate under the action of at least one passive drive element, which articulation comprises means for regulating the speed at which it deploys.
According to one particular embodiment, a first of the two articulation fittings comprises a first surface intended to roll without slipping at a point against a second surface belonging to a second of the two articulation fittings as the articulation turns. The means for regulating the speed at which the articulation deploys comprise a flexible duct compressed between the two surfaces at a moving point known as the rolling point. The duct comprises a restriction situated between two zones of the duct which are separated by the rolling point, and the duct contains a fluid the pressure of which increases ahead of the rolling point as the articulation fittings rotate.
Another subject of the invention is an articulated assembly made up of various elements joined together by an articulation according to the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and other advantages will become apparent from reading the detailed description of one embodiment given by way of example, which description is illustrated by the attached drawing in which:
FIG. 1 depicts one example of an articulation according to the invention, the articulation being in the “storage” position;
FIG. 2 depicts the articulation of FIG. 1 in the “deployed” position;
FIG. 3 schematically depicts the deployment dynamics of the articulation in the storage configuration;
FIG. 4 schematically depicts the deployment dynamics of the articulation in the deployed configuration;
FIG. 5 schematically depicts a first embodiment of means for regulating the speed at which the articulation deploys;
FIG. 6 schematically depicts a second embodiment of means for regulating the speed at which the articulation deploys;
FIGS. 7A and 7B depict means for controlling the speed regulation as a function of temperature, which means are suited to the first embodiment;
FIGS. 8A and 8B depict means for controlling the speed regulation as a function of temperature, which means are suited to the second embodiment;
FIGS. 9 to 12 depict another embodiment of an articulation according to the invention.
For the sake of clarity, in the various figures the same elements will bear the same references.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
An articulation 10 according to the invention comprises two articulation fittings 12 and 14 consisting, for example, of two machined cylindrical metal blocks. The articulation fittings 12 and 14 may be made lighter in weight by cavities when the application justifies so-doing, as is notably the case in the field of space. Each of the articulation fittings 12 and 14 is designed to be fixed to a corresponding element E 1 , E 2 by any suitable means such as screws or rivets at anchor points 15 .
The articulation may be fitted with rolling bearings, ball swivels or plain bearings to allow the two articulation fittings 12 and 14 to move relative to one another.
Each articulation fitting 12 and 14 comprises at least one flexible cylindrical surface, 22 and 24 , respectively, which surfaces are intended to roll one against the other as the articulation moves. In the example depicted, the diameters of the cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 are the same.
It is possible to produce the articulation with surfaces of any shape. One of the two surfaces is advantageously cylindrical so that it can roll over the other of the two surfaces. The term “cylindrical” is to be understood in the broadest sense. The radius of the cylinder may vary, for example as in the case of a cam or of a scroll, so as to form a substantially cylindrical shape.
The flexible cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 roll over one another to allow the elements E 1 and E 2 to move between two extreme positions which are offset by 180° from one another. When the elements E 1 and E 2 are flat elements, the first of these positions is known as the furled or storage position, which corresponds to the scenario in which the elements E 1 and E 2 are folded one against the other and parallel to one another, while the second position, known as the deployed position, corresponds to the scenario in which these elements are open and lying in the same plane. FIGS. 1 and 3 correspond to the storage position and FIGS. 2 and 4 correspond to the deployed position.
In order to keep the flexible cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 in permanent contact with one another as they roll against each other, the articulation 10 additionally comprises flexible metal strips 26 and 28 the ends of which are fixed to each of the articulation fittings so as to roll over the surfaces 22 and 24 . These strips are rigid in their plane and flexible outside of the plane. They are made, for example, of stainless steel. They are known as rolling strips or guide strips.
By way of example, the articulation 10 comprises two central adjacent rolling strips 26 , positioned in the central part of the articulation fittings 12 and 14 and rolled in the same direction over the cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 on each side of a mid plane common to these articulation fittings. A first end of each of the rolling strips 26 is fixed directly to the articulation fitting 12 . This attachment is performed for example using screws 18 . From this end, the strips 26 pass between the cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 so that they are successively in contact with the surface 22 and then with the surface 24 . A movement of the articulation 10 in the direction of deployment therefore has the effect of unrolling the strips from one articulation fitting and at the same time rolling them up on the opposite articulation fitting.
In the example illustrated, the articulation 10 comprises two other rolling strips 28 , fixed to the exterior parts of the articulation fittings 12 and 14 , near each of the strips 26 (which are themselves fixed to the interior parts of the articulation fittings 12 , 14 ), likewise symmetrical with respect to a mid plane of the articulation fittings. The rolling strips 28 are wound in opposite directions to the strips 26 over the articulation fittings so that the strips 26 and 28 cross one another over cylindrical parts of the articulation fittings 12 and 14 .
The drive for the articulation 10 is, for example, afforded by means of elastic belts, not visible in the various figures, and which cause automatic deployment of the articulation and lock it in the deployed position. One exemplary embodiment of such elastic belts is described in patent application FR 2 635 077.
According to the invention, the articulation 10 comprises means for regulating the speed at which it deploys. These means for example are formed of a flexible duct 30 which may be secured to one of the articulation fittings, in this instance the fitting 14 , and compressed by the other articulation fitting 12 . The duct 30 is therefore secured to the cylindrical surface 24 and the compression of the duct 30 occurs at rolling point 32 of the two cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 .
The duct 30 comprises a restriction 34 situated between two zones 36 and 38 of the duct 30 which are separated by the rolling point 32 . In order to have good control over the dimensions of the restriction at the rolling point 32 , a groove 33 may be machined in both of the cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 . The duct 30 contains a fluid the pressure of which increases ahead of the rolling point 32 as the articulation fittings 12 and 14 rotate. The difference in pressure between the two zones 36 and 38 increases with the speed at which the rolling point 32 shifts along the duct 30 . This difference in pressure generates a restrictive torque in the rotation of the two cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 . Hence, the more the rotational speed increases, the more the resistive torque increases, thus allowing the speed at which the two articulation fittings 12 and 14 rotate relative to one another to be regulated.
The fluid is, for example, liquid, and the speed is regulated by throttling the fluid in the restriction 34 . The liquid chosen is one that is capable of remaining liquid in all the storage and operating conditions of the articulation 10 . In the field of space, an alcohol based liquid that can be used in a temperature range of the order of −100° C. to +100° C. may be chosen. A fluid laden with microparticles or nanoparticles may also be used for its thickening and damping properties. For example, ferromagnetic particles, particles of titanium dioxide, or carbon nanotubes may be used.
The restriction 34 may be a simple reduction in cross section realized in the duct 30 . It is also possible to place within the duct a foam or a filter that generates a pressure drop as the fluid moves in the duct 30 .
FIG. 5 schematically depicts a first embodiment of means for regulating the speed of deployment of the articulation 10 . In this first embodiment, the restriction 34 is formed by the compression of the duct 30 at the rolling point 32 so that fluid can pass therethrough under stress. Ends 40 and 42 of the duct 30 are blocked. As the two articulation fittings 12 and 14 rotate on one another, which rotation is depicted by arrows 44 in the case of the fitting 12 and 46 in the case of the fitting 14 , the pressure of the fluid increases in the zone 38 as compared with that of the zone 36 . The fluid tends to balance out the pressures in the two zones 36 and 38 by flowing through the restriction 34 . A characteristic dimension of the restriction 34 , in this instance its bore section, is given by the distance that separates the axes of rotation of the two cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 or by the depth of the cylindrical groove 33 when this groove is made in both of the cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 .
FIG. 6 schematically depicts a second embodiment of means for regulating the speed of deployment of the articulation 10 . In this second embodiment, the restriction 34 is separate from the rolling point 32 which, in the example depicted, completely nips the duct 30 and does not allow the fluid to pass. The two zones 36 and 38 are located between the restriction 34 and the rolling point 32 . The duct 30 forms a closed circuit. The fluid is driven through the duct 30 by the shifting of the rolling point 32 and this shifting is depicted by arrows 48 .
FIGS. 5 and 6 depict the duct 30 nipped between the cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 at the rolling point 32 . Near this point the duct 30 is straight. Alternatively, the duct 30 may be secured to and wound around one of the cylindrical surfaces, as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4 .
The torque resisting the rotation of the two cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 relative to one another is dependent on viscosity of the fluid. This viscosity changes with the temperature of the fluid. This is particularly a sensitive issue in the field of space where the amount of heat may be significant. In general, the viscosity is higher at low temperatures than at higher temperatures. The speed of the articulation 10 therefore increases with an increase in temperature. In order to reduce the effects that variations in temperature have on the speed regulation, the articulation 10 may comprise means for varying a characteristic dimension of the restriction 34 as a function of a variation in the viscosity of the fluid.
FIGS. 7A and 7B depict one example of these means suited to the first embodiment depicted in FIG. 5 . More specifically, the two cylindrical surfaces 22 and 24 are formed of rollers 52 and 54 respectively, each secured to two wheels 56 and 58 in the case of the roller 52 and 60 and 62 in the case of the roller 54 . On one side of the rollers 52 and 54 the wheels 56 and 60 roll one over the other and on the other side of the rollers 52 and 54 the wheels 58 and 62 roll one over the other. The wheels 56 and 58 have the same diameter which is greater than that of the roller 52 . Likewise, the wheels 60 and 62 have the same diameter which is greater than that of the roller 54 . These differences in diameter make it possible to create a space 64 between the two rollers 52 and 54 in which space the duct 30 is nipped to form the restriction 34 . By choosing, for the rollers 52 and 54 on the one hand and for the wheels 56 to 62 on the other, materials the respective thermal expansion coefficients of which differ, it is possible to vary the separation of the rollers 52 and 54 , the dimensions of the space 64 and, therefore, the characteristic dimension of the restriction 34 . For example, the material chosen for the rollers 52 and 54 is one that has a thermal expansion coefficient that is higher than that of the material of the wheels 56 to 62 . Thus, at low temperature, as depicted in FIG. 7B , the characteristic dimension of the restriction 34 is smaller than it is at high temperature as depicted in FIG. 7A .
FIGS. 8A and 8B depict another example of means for varying a characteristic dimension of the restriction 34 which is suited to the second embodiment depicted in FIG. 6 . More specifically, the restriction 34 may be partially obstructed by a needle valve 70 . The needle valve is assembled at a first end 72 of a support 74 secured to the duct 30 . The restriction 34 for its part is assembled with a second end 76 of the support 74 . As before, by choosing for the needle valve 70 a material the thermal expansion coefficient of which is higher than that of the support, the tip 78 of the needle valve 70 is made to shift and blocks off the restriction 34 to a greater or less extent according to the variations in the temperature of the fluid, as depicted at high temperature in FIG. 8 in which the characteristic dimension of the restriction 34 is small by comparison with FIG. 8B which is at a lower temperature.
FIGS. 9 to 12 depict another embodiment of an articulation comprising means for regulating the speed at which it deploys.
The duct 30 is secured to the cylindrical surface 24 . In this example, a rolling wheel 80 rolls without slipping on the cylindrical surface 24 . The rolling wheel 80 has a circular cross section and a diameter smaller than that of the cylindrical surface 24 . In this example, it is possible to use a rolling wheel that is not of circular cross section, such as a variable radius cam for example. FIGS. 9 to 12 depict the articulation in various positions starting out from the storage position in FIG. 9 as far as the deployed position in FIG. 12 .
|
A self-driven articulation designed for automatically deploying the elements that it connects including two articulation fittings made to rotate under the action of at least one passive drive element. The articulation includes at least one flexible duct for regulating the speed at which it deploys.
| 8
|
This application claims benefit from provisional patent application No. 61/402,742, filed Sep. 3, 2010.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns tools for forced entry of a building or a vehicle, primarily for forcing open doors and windows, the tools typically being used by law enforcement and military tactical teams, search and rescue teams and fire fighters.
Breaching tools are known, including those produced by Sweden Entry Tools of Malmo, Sweden. The tools are usually at least several feet long and are heavy enough to act as levers to pry open a door or other entry using a short head or prying end which is generally at right angles to the length of the tool. Sometimes the tools have been formed into a chisel shape at the other end, the end opposite the tool head, with some curvature to the chisel, also for prying purposes.
The breaching tool of the invention has a principal purpose of quickly and efficiently breaking through windows of buildings and automobiles and safely clearing glass fragments for entry. Another purpose is breaching of doors, primarily wood and plastic doors.
The tool has a tail end with a claw for pulling nails and other fasteners, and a head end that includes a sledge hammer at a lower side and “rake” at an upper side configured to scrape out broken glass from a frame of a car or building window. The rake element, which preferably comprises a series of teeth set in a curve or arc of about 90°, has a pointed end that can be used to penetrate doors.
In one aspect of the invention the subject breaching tool forms part of a kit with another breaching tool marketed by the assignee of this invention.
It is among the objects of the invention to provide a tool for efficient breaching of building and vehicle windows in emergency situations, and also allowing breaching of doors. These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, considered along with the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view showing a breaching tool of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a breaching tool.
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the breaching tool.
FIG. 4 is an end view of the tool as viewed from the tail end of the tool.
FIG. 5 is a end view as viewed from the head end of the tool.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the tool.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The tool 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6 is a special duty breaching tool, particularly adapted for use as a sledge hammer, as a “rake” for cleaning out glass from a window or a door frame after breaking the glass, and for removal of fasteners. The sledge hammer function is useful with other breaching tools such as disclosed in copending provisional application Ser. No. 61/402,741, filed on the same day as this application. The disclosure of the copending application is hereby incorporated by reference.
As shown in the drawings, the tool 10 may be about 0.7 meter in length, or about 28 inches (or a range of about 26 to 29 inches), and includes a chisel tail end 12 which is curved as shown, preferably with a claw 14 for pulling nails and other fasteners. The forked tip providing the claw 14 does not interfere with the use of the chisel end 12 for other functions such as entering and prying via a narrow opening or slot, such as at the edge of a window or door, or breaking a wood frame or otherwise prying using the chisel. A tool shaft or handle 15 is secured to the tail end 12 (as by welding) and preferably has a knurled gripping surface as indicated.
At the head end of the tool, secured to the handle 15 , is a sledge head or sledge hammer 16 , shown in a position which can be considered the bottom side of the tool. The sledge hammer can be used to breach some doors, break glass from windows of dwellings, other buildings or vehicles, or to drive other breaching tools into position for breaching a door. The weight of the tool may be about 6.5 pounds, or in a range of about 5 to 7.5 pounds, and a large proportion of this weight is in the sledge head 16 .
Also at the head end of the tool is a “rake” 18 , preferably in the configuration shown. The rake has a pointed end 20 and a series of teeth 22 , preferably in an internally curving or arcuate array as shown. The front or exterior surface of the rake 18 may be convexly curved as shown.
The tool 10 makes quick work of breaching windows or glass doors. The glass can be smashed using the sledge 16 or the pointed end 20 of the rake 18 , or simply by pushing the head end of the tool through the glass. The teeth 22 of the rake allow for quickly cleaning out broken glass along the edges of the window or door, including laminated car or truck window glass or hardened window glass. The end 20 of the rake also helps penetrate plastic and wooden doors and some metal doors. With the upper end of the rake extending approximately at a 90° angle from the length of the tool, this provides a perpendicular striking force from the grip or shaft 15 , thus maximizing power when striking the surface of a window.
As seen in the drawings, the tool 10 can have formed on the handle 15 loop eyes 24 for attachment of a sling to carry the tool.
The handle 15 , sledge hammer 16 and rake 18 can be efficiently secured together by a hole (not clearly shown) in the back side of the sledge hammer into which the handle end is fitted, and the hammer being an upper side 26 with a slot 28 into which the rake is fitted. The handle is welded to the sledge hammer and the rake, and the rake is also welded to the sledge hammer.
The described tool can make up a kit with another breaching tool of the assignee of this invention, preferably the second embodiment described in copending provisional application Ser. No. 61/402,741, incorporated herein by reference. Together with the tool of the copending application, which can be about five pounds in weight, the tool of the invention makes up a complete door breaching kit, light and small enough to carry in a patrol car. The kit consisting of the two tools can be used for virtually any kind of door including ingoing and outgoing wooden and steel doors. In addition, the break and rake function provided by the tool 10 allows fast and easy penetration of windows of cars and buildings with cleaning of edge glass. The kit provides for fast and efficient entry of almost all doors and windows.
Dimensions of a preferred embodiment of the tool 10 are as follows:
Tool length: Approximately 0.7 meter (about 26 to 29 inches) Tool weight: Approximately 6.5 pounds (about 5 to 7.5 pounds) Lateral dimensions of sledge hammer: Approx. 52-60 mm wide by 50-55 mm front to back Extension of rake upwardly from center of handle to tip 20 : Approximately 124-130 mm Spacing between teeth 22 : Approximately 10-15 mm
The above described preferred embodiments are intended to illustrate the principles of the invention, but not to limit its scope. Other embodiments and variations to these preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
|
A breaching tool for use by law enforcement or emergency personnel has at one end of its handle a sledge hammer and a multi-toothed rake effective to scrape and clean broken glass from a window frame of a building or an automobile. At an opposite or rear end of the handle a tapered chisel tail, preferably with a claw for pulling nails or other fasteners.
| 1
|
CROSS REFERENCCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/495,534, filed Jan. 31, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,291,340, issued Sep. 18, 2001, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/012,685, filed Jan. 23, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,081,034, issued Jun. 27, 2000, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/509,708, filed Jul. 31, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,723,382, issued Mar. 3, 1998; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/228,795, filed Apr. 15, 1994, now abandoned, which is a continuation of now abandoned U.S. application Ser. No. 07/898,059, filed Jun. 12, 1992.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to integrated circuit manufacturing technology and, more specifically, to structures for making low resistance contact through a dielectric layer to a diffusion region in an underlying silicon layer. The structures include an amorphous titanium nitride barrier layer that is deposited via chemical vapor deposition.
2. State of the Art
The compound titanium nitride (TiN) has numerous potential applications because it is extremely hard, chemically inert (although it readily dissolves in hydrofluoric acid), an excellent conductor, possesses optical characteristics similar to those of gold, and has a melting point around 3000° C. This durable material has long been used to gild inexpensive jewelry and other art objects. However, during the last ten to twelve years, important uses have been found for TiN in the field of integrated circuit manufacturing. Not only is TiN unaffected by integrated circuit processing temperatures and most reagents, it also functions as an excellent barrier against diffusion of dopants between semiconductor layers. In addition, TiN also makes excellent ohmic contact with other conductive layers.
In a common application for integrated circuit manufacture, a contact opening is etched through an insulative layer down to a diffusion region to which electrical contact is to be made. Titanium metal is then sputtered over the wafer so that the exposed surface of the diffusion region is coated. The titanium metal is eventually converted to titanium silicide, thus providing an excellent conductive interface at the surface of the diffusion region. A titanium nitride barrier layer is then deposited, coating the walls and floor of the contact opening. Chemical vapor deposition of tungsten or polysilicon follows. In the case of tungsten, the titanium nitride layer provides greatly improved adhesion between the walls of the opening and the tungsten metal. In the case of the polysilicon, the titanium nitride layer acts as a barrier against dopant diffusion from the polysilicon layer into the diffusion region.
Titanium nitride films may be created using a variety of processes. Some of those processes are reactive sputtering of a titanium nitride target; annealing of an already deposited titanium layer in a nitrogen ambient; chemical vapor deposition at high temperature and at atmospheric pressure, using titanium tetrachloride, nitrogen and hydrogen as reactants; and chemical vapor deposition at low-temperature and at atmospheric pressure, using ammonia and Ti(NR 2 ) 4 compounds as precursors. Each of these processes has its associated problems.
Both reactive sputtering and nitrogen ambient annealing of deposited titanium result in films having poor step coverage, which are not useable in submicron processes. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes have an important advantage in that conformal layers of any thickness may be deposited. This is especially advantageous in ultra-large-scale-integration circuits, where minimum feature widths may be smaller than 0.5 μm. Layers as thin as 10 Å may be readily produced using CVD. However, TiN coatings prepared using the high-temperature atmospheric pressure CVD (APCVD) process must be prepared at temperatures between 900-1000° C. The high temperatures involved in this process are incompatible with conventional integrated circuit manufacturing processes. Hence, depositions using the APCVD process are restricted to refractory substrates such as tungsten carbide. The low-temperature APCVD, on the other hand, though performed within a temperature range of 100-400° C. that is compatible with conventional integrated circuit manufacturing processes, is problematic because the precursor compounds (ammonia and Ti(NR 2 ) 4 ) react spontaneously in the gas phase. Consequently, special precursor delivery systems are required to keep the gases separated during delivery to the reaction chamber. In spite of special delivery systems, the highly spontaneous reaction makes full wafer coverage difficult to achieve. Even when achieved, the deposited films tend to lack uniform conformality, are generally characterized by poor step coverage, and tend to deposit on every surface within the reaction chamber, leading to particle problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,008, which issued in 1974, suggested that tetrakis dimethylamino titanium, tetrakis diethylamino titanium, or tetrakis diphenylamino titanium might be decomposed within a temperature range of 400-1,200° C. to form a coating on titanium-containing substrates. It appears that no experiments were performed to demonstrate the efficacy of the suggestion, nor were any process parameters specifically given. However, it appears that the suggested reaction was to be performed at atmospheric pressure.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,911, issued to R. G. Gordon, et al., a chemical vapor deposition process is disclosed for creating thin, crystalline titanium nitride films using tetrakis-dimethylamido-titanium and ammonia as precursors.
In the J. Appl. Phys. 70(7) October 1991, pp 3,666-3,677, A. Katz and colleagues describe a rapid-thermal, low-pressure, chemical vapor deposition (RTLPCVD) process for depositing titanium nitride films, which, like those deposited by the process of Gordon, et al., are crystalline in structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention constitutes a contact structure incorporating an amorphous titanium nitride barrier layer formed via low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) utilizing tetrakis-dialkylamido-titanium, Ti(NMe 2 ) 4 , as the precursor. Although the barrier layer compound is primarily amorphous titanium nitride, its stoichiometry is variable, and it may contain carbon impurities in amounts which are dependent on deposition and post-deposition conditions. The barrier layers so deposited demonstrate excellent step coverage, a high degree of conformality, and an acceptable level of resistivity. Because of their amorphous structure (i.e., having no definite crystalline structure), the titanium nitride layer acts as an exceptional barrier to the migration of ions or atoms from a metal layer on one side of the titanium carbonitride barrier layer to a semiconductor layer on the other side thereof, or as a barrier to the migration of dopants between two different semiconductor layers which are physically separated by the barrier layer.
The contact structure is fabricated by etching a contact opening through a dielectric layer down to a diffusion region to which electrical contact is to be made. Titanium metal is deposited over the surface of the wafer so that the exposed surface of the diffusion region is completely covered by a layer of the metal. Sputtering is the most commonly utilized method of titanium deposition. At least a portion of the titanium metal layer is eventually converted to titanium silicide, thus providing an excellent conductive interface at the surface of the diffusion region. A titanium nitride barrier layer is then deposited using a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) process, coating the walls and floor of the contact opening. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of polycrystalline silicon, or of a metal, such as tungsten, follows, and proceeds until the contact opening is completely filled with either polycrystalline silicon or the metal. In the case of the polysilicon, which must be doped with N-type or P-type impurities to render it conductive, the titanium nitride layer acts as a barrier against dopant diffusion from the polysilicon layer into the diffusion region. In the case of CVD tungsten, the titanium nitride layer protects the junction from reactions with precursor gases during the CVD deposition process, provides greatly improved adhesion between the walls of the opening and the tungsten metal, and prevents the diffusion of tungsten atoms into the diffusion region.
Deposition of the titanium nitride barrier layer takes place in a low-pressure chamber (i.e. a chamber in which pressure has been reduced to less than 100 torr prior to deposition), and utilizes a metal-organic tetrakis-dialkylamido-titanium compound as the sole precursor. Any noble gas, as well as nitrogen or hydrogen, or a mixture of two or more of the foregoing may be used as a carrier for the precursor. The wafer is heated to a temperature within a range of 200-600° C. Precursor molecules which contact the heated wafer are pyrolyzed to form titanium nitride containing variable amounts of carbon impurities, which deposits as a highly conformal film on the wafer.
The carbon content of the barrier film may be minimized by utilizing tetrakis-dimethylamido-titanium, Ti(NMe 2 ) 4 , as the precursor, rather than compounds such as tetrakis-diethylamido-titanium or tetrakis-dibutylamido-titanium, which contain a higher percentage of carbon by weight. The carbon content of the barrier film may be further minimized by performing a rapid thermal anneal step in the presence of ammonia.
The basic deposition process may be enhanced to further reduce the carbon content of the deposited titanium nitride film by introducing one or more halogen gases, or one or more activated species (which may include halogen, NH 3 , or hydrogen radicals) into the deposition chamber. Halogen gases and activated species attack the alkyl-nitrogen bonds of the primary precursor and convert displaced alkyl groups into volatile compounds.
As heretofore stated, the titanium carbonitride films formed by the instant chemical vapor deposition process are principally amorphous compounds. Other processes currently in use for depositing titanium nitride-containing compounds as barrier layers within integrated circuits result in titanium nitride having crystalline structures. As atomic and ionic migration tends to occur at crystal grain boundaries, an amorphous film is a superior barrier to such migration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block schematic diagram of a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition reactor system;
FIG. 2 is an X-ray spectrum (i.e., a plot of counts per second as a function of 2-theta);
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a contact opening having a narrow aspect ratio that has been etched through an insulative layer to an underlying silicon substrate, the insulative layer and the contact opening having been subjected to a blanket deposition of titanium metal;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the contact opening of FIG. 3 following the deposition of an amorphous titanium nitride film;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the contact opening of FIG. 4 following an anneal step; and
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the contact opening of FIG. 5 following the deposition of a conductive material layer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The integrated circuit contact structure that is the focus of this disclosure is unique because of the use of a predominantly amorphous titanium or titanium carbonitride barrier layer therein. The layer is deposited using a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) process that is the subject of previously filed U.S. patent applications as heretofore noted.
The LPCVD process for depositing highly conformal titanium nitride and titanium carbonitride barrier films will now be briefly described in reference to the low-pressure chemical vapor deposition reactor system depicted in FIG. 1 . The deposition process takes place in a cold wall chamber 11 . A wafer 12 , on which the deposition will be performed, is mounted on a susceptor plate 13 , which is heated to a temperature within a range of 200-600° C. by a heat lamp array 14 . For the instant process, a carrier gas selected from a group consisting of the noble gases and nitrogen and hydrogen is bubbled through liquid tetrakis-dialkylamido-titanium 15 (the sole metal-organic precursor compound) in a bubbler apparatus 16 .
It should be noted that tetrakis-dialkylamido-titanium is a family of compounds, of which tetrakis-dimethylamido-titanium, tetrakis-diethylamido-titanium and tetrakis-dibutylamido-titanium have been synthesized. Because of its lower carbon content per unit of molecular weight, tetrakis-dimethylamido-titanium is the preferred precursor because it results in barrier films having lower carbon content. However, any of the three compounds or any combination of the three compounds will result in highly conformal barrier layers when pyrolyzed (decomposition by heating) in a CVD deposition chamber. These barrier layers are characterized by an amorphous structure, and by step coverage on vertical wall portions near the base of submicron contact openings having depth-to-width aspect ratios of 3:1 that range from 80-90 percent of the horizontal film thickness at the top of the opening.
Still referring to FIG. 1, the carrier gas, at least partially saturated with a vaporized precursor compound, is transported via a primary intake manifold 17 to a premix chamber 18 . Additional carrier gas may be optionally supplied to premix chamber 18 via supply tube 19 . Carrier gas, mixed with the precursor compound, is then ducted through a secondary intake manifold 20 to a shower head 21 , from which they enter the chamber 11 . The precursor compound, upon coming into contact with the heated wafer, pyrolyzes and deposits as a highly conformal titanium carbonitride film on the surface of the wafer 12 . The reaction products from the pyrolysis of the precursor compound are withdrawn from the chamber 11 via an exhaust manifold 22 . Incorporated in the exhaust manifold 22 are a pressure sensor 23 , a pressure switch 24 , a vacuum valve 25 , a pressure control valve 26 , a blower 27 , and a particulate filter 28 , which filters out solid reactants before the exhaust is vented to the atmosphere. During the deposition process, the pressure within chamber 11 is maintained at a pressure of less than 100 torr and at a pressure of less than 1 torr by pressure control components 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , and 27 . The process parameters that are presently deemed to be optimum, or nearly so, are a carrier gas flow through secondary intake manifold 20 of 400 standard cubic centimeters per minute (scc/m), a deposition chamber temperature of 425° C., and a flow of carrier gas through bubbler apparatus 16 of 100 scc/m, with the liquid precursor material 15 being maintained at a constant temperature of approximately 40° C.
Thus, the carrier gas (or gases) and the vaporized precursor compound are then gradually admitted into the chamber until the desired pressure and gas composition is achieved. The reaction, therefore, takes place at a constant temperature, but with varying gas partial pressures during the initial phase of the process. This combination of process parameters is apparently responsible for the deposition of titanium carbonitride having a predominantly amorphous structure as the precursor compound undergoes thermal decomposition. The X-ray spectrum of FIG. 2 is indicative of such an amorphous structure. Both the peak at a 2-theta value of 36, which is characteristic of titanium nitride having a (111) crystal orientation, and the peak at a 2-theta value of 41, which is characteristic of titanium nitride having a (200) crystal orientation, are conspicuously absent from the spectrum. Such a spectrum indicates that there is virtually no crystalline titanium nitride in the analyzed film. Incidentally, the peak at a 2-theta value of 69 is representative of silicon.
Although the compound deposited on the wafer with this process may be referred to as titanium carbonitride (represented by the chemical formula TiC x N y ), the stoichiometry of the compound is variable, depending on the conditions under which it is deposited. The primary constituents of films deposited using the new process and tetrakis-dimethylamido-titanium as the precursor are titanium and nitrogen, with the ratio of nitrogen atoms to carbon atoms in the film falling within a range of 5:1 to 10:1. In addition, upon exposure to the atmosphere, the deposited films absorb oxygen. Thus the final film may be represented by the chemical formula TiC x N y O z . The carbon and oxygen impurities affect the characteristics of the film in at least two ways. Firstly, the barrier function of the film is enhanced. Secondly, the carbon and oxygen impurities dramatically raise the resistivity of the film. Sputtered titanium nitride has a bulk sheet resistivity of approximately 75 μohm-cm, while the titanium carbonitride films deposited through the CVD process disclosed herein have bulk sheet resistivities of 2,000 to 50,000 μohm-cm. In spite of this dramatic increase in bulk resistivity, the utility of such films as barrier layers is largely unaffected, due to the characteristic thinness of barrier layers used in integrated circuit manufacture. A simple analysis of the contact geometry for calculating various contributions to the overall resistance suggests that metal (e.g., tungsten) plug resistance and metal-to-silicon interface resistance play a much more significant role in overall contact resistance than does the barrier layer.
There are a number of ways by which the basic LPCVD process may be enhanced to minimize the carbon content of the deposited barrier film.
The simplest way is to perform a rapid thermal anneal step in the presence of ammonia. During such a step, much of the carbon in the deposited film is displaced by nitrogen atoms.
The basic deposition process may be enhanced to further reduce the carbon content of the deposited titanium nitride film by introducing an activated species into the deposition chamber. The activated species attacks the alkyl-nitrogen bonds of the primary precursor, and converts displaced alkyl groups into volatile compounds. The activated species, which may include halogen, NH 3 , or hydrogen radicals, or a combination thereof, are generated in the absence of the primary precursor at a location remote from the deposition chamber. Remote generation of the activated species is required because it is not desirable to employ a plasma CVD process, as Ti(NR 2 ) 4 is known to break down in plasma, resulting in large amounts of carbon in the deposited film. A high carbon content will elevate the bulk resistivity of the film to levels that are unacceptable for most integrated circuit applications. The primary precursor molecules and the activated species are mixed, preferably, just prior to being ducted into the deposition chamber. It is hypothesized that as soon as the mixing has occurred, the activated species begin to tear away the alkyl groups from the primary precursor molecules. Relatively uncontaminated titanium nitride deposits on the heated wafer surface.
Alternatively, the basic deposition process may be enhanced to lower the carbon content of the deposited titanium nitride films by introducing a halogen gas, such as F 2 , Cl 2 or Br 2 , into the deposition chamber. The halogen gas molecule attacks the alkyl-nitrogen bonds of the primary precursor compound molecule and converts the displaced alkyl groups into a volatile compound. The halogen gas is admitted to the deposition chamber in one of three ways. The first way is to admit halogen gas into the deposition chamber before the primary precursor compound is admitted. During this “pre-conditioning” step, the halogen gas becomes adsorbed on the chamber and wafer surfaces. The LPCVD deposition process is then performed without admitting additional halogen gas into the deposition chamber. As a first alternative, the halogen gas and vaporized primary precursor compound are admitted into the deposition chamber simultaneously. Ideally, the halogen gas and vaporized primary precursor compound are introduced into the chamber via a single shower head having separate ducts for both the halogen gas and the vaporized primary precursor compound. Maintaining the halogen gas separate from the primary precursor compound until it has entered the deposition chamber prevents the deposition of titanium nitride on the shower head. It is hypothesized that as soon as the mixing has occurred, the halogen molecules attack the primary precursor molecules and begin to tear away the alkyl groups therefrom. Relatively uncontaminated titanium nitride deposits on the heated wafer surface. As a second alternative, halogen gas is admitted into the chamber both before and during the introduction of the primary precursor compound.
As heretofore stated, the titanium nitride or titanium carbonitride films deposited by the described LPCVD process are predominantly amorphous compounds. Other processes currently in use for depositing titanium nitride-containing compounds as barrier layers within integrated circuits result in titanium nitride having crystalline structures. As atomic and ionic migration tends to occur at crystal grain boundaries, an amorphous film is a superior barrier to such migration.
Referring now to FIG. 3, which is but a tiny cross-sectional area of a silicon wafer undergoing an integrated circuit fabrication process, a contact opening 31 having a narrow aspect ratio has been etched through a borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) layer 32 to a diffusion region 33 in an underlying silicon substrate 34 . A titanium metal layer 35 is then deposited over the surface of the wafer. Because titanium metal is normally deposited by sputtering, it deposits primarily on horizontal surfaces. Thus, the portions of the titanium metal layer 35 on the walls and at the bottom of the contact opening 31 are much thinner than the portion that is outside of the opening on horizontal surfaces. The portion of titanium metal layer 35 that covers diffusion region 33 at the bottom of contact opening 31 will be denoted 35 A. At least a portion of the titanium metal layer 35 A will be converted to titanium silicide in order to provide a low-resistance interface at the surface of the diffusion region.
Referring now to FIG. 4, a titanium nitride barrier layer 41 is then deposited utilizing the LPCVD process, coating the walls and floor of the contact opening 31 .
Referring now to FIG. 5, a high-temperature anneal step in an ambient gas such as nitrogen, argon, ammonia, or hydrogen is performed either after the deposition of the titanium metal layer 35 or after the deposition of the titanium nitride barrier layer 41 . Rapid thermal processing (RTP) and furnace annealing are two viable options for this step. During the anneal step, the titanium metal layer 35 A at the bottom of contact opening 31 is either partially or completely consumed by reaction with a portion of the upper surface of the diffusion region 33 to form a titanium silicide layer 51 . The titanium silicide layer 51 , which forms at the interface between the diffusion region 33 and titanium metal layer 35 A, greatly lowers contact resistance in the contact region.
Referring now to FIG. 6, a low-resistance conductive layer 62 of metal or heavily-doped polysilicon may be deposited on top of the titanium nitride barrier layer 41 . Tungsten or aluminum metal is commonly used for such applications. Copper or nickel, though more difficult to etch than aluminum or tungsten, may also be used.
Although only several embodiments of the inventive process have been disclosed herein, it will be obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art that modifications and changes may be made thereto without affecting the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.
|
A contact structure incorporating an amorphous titanium nitride barrier layer formed via low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) utilizing tetrakis-dialkylamido-titanium, Ti(NMe 2 ) 4 , as the precursor. The contact structure is fabricated by etching a contact opening through an dielectric layer down to a diffusion region to which electrical contact is to be made. Titanium metal is deposited over the surface of the wafer so that the exposed surface of the diffusion region is completely covered by a layer of the metal. At least a portion of the titanium metal layer is eventually converted to titanium silicide, thus providing an excellent conductive interface at the surface of the diffusion region. A titanium nitride barrier layer is then deposited using the LPCVD process, coating the walls and floor of the contact opening. Chemical vapor deposition of polycrystalline silicon or of a metal follows.
| 7
|
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is tools and methods for shifting a sleeve into at least one position between travel end points and incorporating a signal to the surface that such a position has been reached as well as an emergency release feature for the tool.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Sliding sleeves are used as downhole valves. They are frequently disposed in a recess in a tubular that defines opposed travel stops that coincide with two positions for the valve. The sleeve typically has a recess at opposed ends so that a known shifting tool can grab it and move the sleeve between stops. The surrounding tubular can have a port and the sleeve can have a second port. When the sleeve is against one stop the port in the tubular can be obstructed. When the sleeve is at the opposite stop, the sleeve port aligns with the tubular port for the open position.
Recently, designs have developed that require a valve member like a sleeve to be in more than two positions defined by its travel stops. In one such application a tubular port needs to be closed in one position, fully open in another and in a third position for alignment of a filter media with the port. In the open position a surrounding formation can be fractured with minimal flow resistance at the wide open port. In the third position, the formation fluids can be produced through the same tubing port with a sand control material in the flow path. In one such design, the sliding sleeve has two ports with one port containing the screen material. A design of this type is shown in PCT/US2005/011869. The problem arises in how the surface personnel can know when the sleeve has obtained an interim position between its travel stops.
One way this has been addressed in the past is to mount the sleeve on a j-slot and move it mechanically or hydraulically through the pattern in the j-slot to define any number of desired positions. This design adds complexity and cost in that in the hydraulic version a ball has to catch on a seat and pressure is cycled a given number of times to get the right position. After that the ball and seat need to get blown out so other procedures further downhole can take place. The drift diameter through the tool is reduced to make room for the pin in slot arrangement.
Another way to do this is using a control line to move a piston that is linked to the sleeve. A finite amount of hydraulic fluid is pumped that corresponds to a given displacement of the piston. However this method has uncertainties relating to the amount of fluid pumped being a small quantity through a long control line which can be subject to thermal effects or even a compressible gas bubble that can through off the amount of the intended movement. Additionally, the drag force of seals or the momentum of the hydraulic piston can also result in a different amount of movement than intended.
The present invention provides a tool and a method for shifting a sleeve to an interim position or positions between travel stops and giving feedback to the surface that the required amount of movement has taken place. In the event of a failure to release an emergency release option is available. The tool resets after a normal release and can be re-engaged if desired. The tool is operable in either direction depending on how its component parts are oriented. These and other details of the present invention will be more readily understood by those skilled in the art from a review of the description of the preferred embodiment and the associated drawings that appear below with the understanding that the appended claims represent the full scope of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A tool for shifting a sleeve into at least one intermediate position between stops has a shifting key that only can move the sleeve a finite amount before it is forced out of contact with the sleeve. An overpull key is released for engagement with the sleeve before the shifting key is forced out. The overpull key resists movement until a noticeable predetermined force is applied at which point the overpull key is freed from the sliding sleeve for a normal release. If any key fails to release, an emergency release is provided that independently displaces the key so that the tool can be removed. The tool can be operated in either an uphole or a downhole direction to shift the sleeve depending on the orientation of the keys. Embodiments using a single key type are contemplated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 a - 1 d represent the run in position with the shifting key secured in the sleeve;
FIG. 2 is the view along lines 2 - 2 of FIG. 1 c;
FIG. 3 is the view of FIG. 1 c but rotated 45° to show the overpull key;
FIG. 4 is the view of FIG. 1 c with the shifting key engaged for moving the sleeve;
FIG. 5 is the view of FIG. 4 rotated 45° to show the overpull key connected to the sleeve;
FIG. 6 is the view of FIG. 4 with the sleeve shifted so that the shifting key is forced out of the sliding sleeve;
FIG. 7 is the view of FIG. 6 to show the overpull key still registered with the sleeve;
FIG. 8 is the view of FIG. 6 showing that the shifting key can't reenter the sleeve after overpulling with the overpull key;
FIG. 9 is the view of FIG. 8 rotated 45° showing the overpull keys retracted from the sleeve;
FIG. 10 is the view of FIG. 1 c showing the emergency release of the shifting key; and
FIG. 11 is the view of FIG. 10 rotated 45°.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A portion of a tubular string 13 starts in FIG. 1 b and terminates at 15 in FIG. 1 d . Those skilled in the art will recognize that string 13 shown in FIG. 1 b can go from the well surface to further down in the well below 15 but only the portion of interest in understanding the invention is illustrated. That portion has one or more ports 17 which are straddled by seals 19 and 21 . A sleeve 23 has a lower end 25 against shoulder 27 inside string 13 as shown in FIG. 1 d . A fishing neck 29 is close to lower end 25 to allow a shifting tool to latch there to move the sleeve 23 in a downhole direction or to the right when sleeve 23 is positioned off the stop or shoulder 27 . Sleeve 23 has an upper end 29 and an adjacent fishing neck 31 where keys 36 and 50 can selectively engage as will be described below. Sleeve 23 has an array of ports 33 that are wide open and can be aligned with ports 17 for the wide open position of the ports 17 . In FIG. 1 c the ports 17 are closed because the sleeve 23 has a blank part straddling the seals 19 and 21 . There is a second array of ports 35 that are also capable of being aligned with ports 17 . Ports 35 have a sand control medium 37 in them. When ports 35 line up with ports 17 , well fluids can be produced through the string 13 to the surface with effective sand control. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the preferred embodiment uses a specific tool to illustrate a situation where the sleeve needs to go into more than two positions and one of those positions corresponds to the sleeve 23 not being against the shoulder 27 or the opposite shoulder 39 .
To hold the sleeve 23 in the run in position of FIG. 1 c there is a tab 41 that extends into a groove 43 in string 13 . Further uphole, another groove 45 is positioned to catch the tab 41 to hold ports 35 of sleeve 23 aligned with ports 17 of string 13 , as will be explained below.
Referring now to the shifting tool that is lowered into sleeve 23 , inner mandrel 10 starts in FIG. 1 a and ends at 11 in FIG. 1 d . Secured to mandrel 10 at thread 47 is bottom sub 48 which covers a pin 46 designed to keep threaded connection 47 from coming undone. Release sleeve 44 is secured at thread 47 . Sleeve 44 spans over key retainer 40 creating a chamber 49 in which spring 42 is located. The downhole end of spring 42 bears on shoulder 51 of release sleeve 44 while the uphole end of spring 42 bears on end 53 of key retainer 40 . Key retainer 40 has multiple openings 55 shown in FIGS. 1 c , 2 and 3 and which are circumferentially offset from adjacent such opening by preferably 45°. Extending through openings 55 in an alternating pattern shown in FIG. 2 are the shifting keys 36 and the overpull keys 50 . A spring 38 biases each shifting key 36 radially out through opening 55 and another spring 52 biases each overpull key 50 through its respective window 55 . Near the downhole end of the shifting keys 36 is a taper 57 and near the downhole end of the overpull keys 50 is a taper 59 . In both instances these tapers allow the keys 36 and 50 to be pushed down against their respective springs and snap out for engagement into fishing neck 31 of sleeve 23 as will be explained below. As shown in FIG. 1 c simply lowering the mandrel 10 into the string 13 will make the shifting keys 36 retract and snap out into a gripping relation with the sleeve 23 . The overpull keys are initially held radially retracted by retainer sleeve 34 as shown if FIG. 3 . This sleeve 34 is irregularly shaped so it doesn't overlay shifting keys 36 for run ( FIG. 1 c ) in but it does overlay overpull keys 50 for run in ( FIG. 3 ). Sleeve 34 lays on sleeve 32 and is held in place by also abutting key retainer 40 and outer sleeve 14 held at thread 61 . Inner sleeve 32 is held to key retainer 40 at thread 63 . An upper end tab 65 on inner sleeve 32 abuts tab 67 of sleeve 30 that overlays sleeve 32 . Mandrel 10 has a tab 69 against which tab 67 is abutted. Tab 69 supports ring 28 on which rests a collapsing split sleeve 26 . Sleeve 26 has a series of grooves 71 in which rest a series of projections 73 of sleeve assembly 24 , which may be in one or more pieces.
Mandrel 10 has threaded to it sleeve 20 and that connection is secured by pin 22 . Spacer 18 rests on sleeve 20 and spring 16 is on spacer 18 . A top sub 12 is secured to outer sleeve 14 and retains the spring 16 . Outer sleeve 14 has a shoulder 75 in FIG. 1 b against which sleeve assembly 24 can abut when not locked into its position in FIG. 1 b by the collapsing split sleeve 26 that is shown abutting sleeve 20 that is secured to mandrel 10 .
The components having been described, the operation of the tool will now be explained. The mandrel 10 is lowered to a shifting sleeve 23 in the string 13 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that more than one sleeve 23 can be shifted in a given trip into the well as one of the features of the invention is that the tool resets after a sleeve shift so that it can be latched to other sleeves. While moving a sleeve 13 to an intermediate position between travel stops 25 and 39 is illustrated, the invention is applicable to moving other types of downhole equipment to one or more intermediate positions between fixed stops. Lowering the mandrel 10 allows the leading taper 57 to engage sleeve 23 so as to compress spring 38 to retract shifting keys 36 to allow them to pass into sleeve 23 and snap out into fishing neck 31 , as shown in FIG. 1 c . At this time the overpull keys 50 are held radially retracted by sleeve 34 as shown in FIG. 3 .
A pull on mandrel 10 with shifting keys 36 engaged brings up sleeve 44 close to shifting keys 36 , as shown in FIG. 4 , while compressing spring 42 . In the FIG. 4 position, sleeve 44 does not yet push on tapered surface 57 . At the same time, the pulling up of the mandrel 10 retracts sleeve 34 from overpull keys 50 to allow their springs 52 to push them out into fishing neck 31 , as shown in FIG. 5 . This happens because picking up mandrel 10 lifts tab 67 against ring 28 which pushes up connected rings 24 and 26 that in turn pick up outer sleeve 14 to which sleeve 34 is attached. This upward movement of mandrel 10 can continue until sleeve 34 shoulders against surface 77 of sleeve 32 as shown in FIG. 5 . At that time the overpull keys 50 are also engaged in fishing neck 31 as are the shifting keys.
Further pulling on mandrel 10 will now bring up key retainer 40 and with it keys 36 and 50 now both pulling uphole on sleeve 23 . Tab 41 will jump out of groove 43 as the sleeve 23 begins to move. After a predetermined movement the tapered uphole end 79 of shifting keys 36 will strike travel stop 39 to force the shifting keys 36 out of fishing neck 31 so that they let go of sleeve 23 and compress springs 38 , as shown in FIG. 6 . In the FIG. 6 position of the sliding sleeve 23 the keys 36 cannot get another grip on sleeve 23 at fishing neck 31 . At the same time in FIG. 7 the overpull keys 50 are still engaged to sleeve 23 at fishing neck 31 . The overpull keys have an uphole shoulder 80 that no-goes against shoulder 39 on string 13 as shown in FIG. 7 . An overpull force can now be applied as a surface signal. Note that tab 41 is now in groove 81 to hold sleeve 23 in the position where ports 35 and 17 are lined up and to keep it from inadvertently moving if bumped by other tools going into the well at a later time after the shifting tool is removed.
When the overpulling is done, the mandrel 10 is set down and as shown in FIG. 8 , the shifting keys 36 cannot go into fishing neck 31 . Setting down weight also allows spring 42 to expand to bring down sleeve 34 back over the overpull keys 50 to hold them radially retracted so as to prevent them from getting a grip on fishing neck 31 . At this point an upward pull on mandrel 10 releases the tool and confirms that sleeve 23 shifted the requisite distance to get ports 35 with screens 37 in them into alignment with ports 17 in the string 13 . Other sleeves in the wellbore can now be shifted in the same manner in a single trip as the tool is now back to its run in position.
If for any reason keys 36 or keys 50 fail to release in the manner described above, the emergency release provisions in the tool allow for its removal. With keys 36 or 50 not releasing, further pulling on mandrel 10 puts an increasing compressive force on split sleeve 26 that ultimately forces it radially inwardly and away from sleeve 26 so that the projections 73 are no longer registered with recesses 71 . After that the mandrel 10 can come up against spring 16 taking up with it sleeve 44 that will ride up ramps 57 and 59 of the keys and push them all radially inwardly and out of registry with fishing neck 31 . At that point mandrel 10 is released and the tool can be removed from the string 13 . It should be noted that once the release occurs springs 42 and 16 relax again to put the tool into the run in position. Projections 73 register again with grooves 71 and the emergency release feature resets as well. FIGS. 10 and 11 show the sleeve 44 moved up to cover the keys 36 and 50 so that the tool can be removed. The tool can be repositioned to operate another sleeve or taken out of the hole to be examined for any malfunction.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention has the capability of shifting multiple sleeves or other tools in the same trip where each tool needs to be shifted a finite distance not defined by a downhole fixed travel stop. The tool is capable of giving a surface signal to indicate that the desired shifting has happened. As a confirmation, the shifting keys will not re-engage a given sleeve after it has been shifted to an intermediate position or positions between fixed travel stops. An emergency release is available and it resets after it operates. The keys go back to the run in position after a normal shift and release or after an emergency release. The keys can be oriented in an opposite direction and the tool will function to shift with a downhole force rather than an uphole pull as described. While a handoff between shifting keys and overpull keys has been described, a modification that allows the shifting keys to also serve as overpull keys is contemplated with the shifting keys releasing grip of the sleeve 23 as described above and then getting a second grip in the string 13 that does not release until a predetermined force is applied. This can involve catching a recess in string 13 where an elevated force is needed to release from it. Alternatively, more than 1 repositioning of a given sleeve is possible as well as finding multiple positions between stops moving the sleeve in either direction
|
A tool for shifting a sleeve into at least one intermediate position between stops has a shifting key that only can move the sleeve a finite amount before it is forced out of contact with the sleeve. An overpull key is released for engagement with the sleeve before the shifting key is forced out. The overpull key resists movement until a noticeable predetermined force is applied at which point the overpull key is freed from the sliding sleeve for a normal release. If any key fails to release, an emergency release is provided that independently displaces the key so that the tool can be removed. The tool can be operated in either an uphole or a downhole direction to shift the sleeve depending on the orientation of the keys. Embodiments using a single key type are contemplated.
| 4
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a minute pressure control system, wherein either constant positive pressure or constant negative pressure is switched on and off prior to being combined together.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A pressure control system for controlling the pressure of an object, ranging from a negative pressure to a positive pressure, is known in the art. It is a well-known art in this system that either a constant positive pressure or a constnt negative pressure is alternately applied to the controllable object in response to the deviation between a preset pressure and an actual pressure. Therefore, a specific feedback loop therefor is needed, causing the system to be complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to control the pressure of an object without feedback loop.
It is another object of this invention to switch on and off either a constant positive pressure or a constant negative pressure in accordance with a preset value.
It is a further object of this invention to control on-off switching of a constant pressure in response to a train of pulses.
It is a still further object of this invention to absorb pressure pulsation resulting from on-off switching of the constant pressure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one emobidment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a time chart showing on-off ratio variations (a) to (c) of the air nozzle used in this embodiment;
FIG. 3 is an electric wiring diagram illustrating a digital control circuit used in the embodiment; and
FIG. 4 is a time chart showing signal waveforms (d) to (h) appearing at respective points (d) to (h) in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention is described hereinunder with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.
Referring first to FIG. 1, numeral 1 designates an air compressor for generating the pressurized air of a constant positive pressure, 2 and 3 air regulators coupled in series for stabilizing the pressurized air by lowering the pressure to an arbitrary constant pressure and 4 an air nozzle constituting switching means for switching on and off air flow of the positive pressure in response to on-off ratio variation.
Connected to the air nozzle 4 is a digital control circuit 5 constituting control means for generating a train of pulses which determines on-off repetition period of the air nozzle 4 to be constant and arbitrarily determines the on-off ratio of the air nozzle 4 depending upon a given preset value.
In parallel to a positive pressure path, an air choke valve 6 for presetting air flow amount to an arbitrary value and a negative pressure generator 7 are coupled. The generator 7 utilizes the phenomenon that when air flows through the straight portion of a T-shaped pipe, a constant minute negative pressure develops at the bypassing portion thereof.
Numeral 8 designates a surge tank, connected to the air nozzle 4 and negative pressure generator 7, for absorbing pulsation of the air provided through the air nozzle, preventing the short-circuit between the positive pressure and the negative pressure and absorbing minute pressure fluctuation of a controllable object 10. A U-shaped pipe 9 is coupled to the surge tank 8 and filled half way with water for reading the pressure of the controllable object 10 and opened to the atmosphere at one end thereof.
The controllable object 10, in this embodiment, is a carburetor float chamber of a gasoline engine, wherein air-to-fuel ratio between air amount and gasoline amount is varied by controlling the float chamber pressure.
FIG. 2 is a time chart showing on-off ratio variations (a) to (c) of the air nozzle 4 at three kinds of conditions.
Referring next to FIG. 3 showing the digital control circuit 5, numeral 11 designates an oscillator for generating a train of pulses of a fixed frequency, 12 a binary counter for dividing the frequency of the pulses from the oscillator 11 to the one suitable for the system.
Connected to the "Q 2 " terminal of the binary counter 12 are an 8-bit binary counter 13 which is comprized of two-series-connected 4-bit binary counters 13a and 13b and generates a pulse at the "borrow" terminal after counting 256 clock pulses, an 8-bit preset counter 14 which is comprised of two series-connected 4-bit preset binary counters 14a and 14b. The preset counter 14 discriminates the count value in such a manner that it reads in the preset data from the "ABCD" terminal upon receipt of "0" level signal at the "load" terminal, counts down the preset data in response to each clock pulse applied to the "down" terminal upon receipt of "1" level signal at the "load" terminal and generates a discrimination pulse at the "borrow" terminal when the preset data becomes zero.
Numeral 15 designates an 8-bit presetter comprised of two 4-bit switching elements 15a and 15b for providing the "ABCD" terminal of the preset counter 14 with the preset data. Numeral 16 designates an RSD flip-flop which memorizes "0" level pulse generated at the "borrow" terminal of the binary counter 13 and feeds the "borrow" terminal signal of the preset counter 14 to the "Q" terminal in the timed relationship with the rising edge of the clock pulse which is earlier by one cycle period than that of the binary counter 13 and the preset counter 14.
Connected to the RSD flip-flop 16 is an amplifier which is comprised of a buffer amplifier 17 for current-amplifying the output Q signal of the RSD flip-flop 16, a transistor 18 for current amplifying, a power transistor 19 for driving a load 23, resistors 20 and 21 for respectively supplying the transistors 18 and 19 with base currents and a series resistor 22 for speeding up the operation of the load 23. The load 23 is an electromagnetic coil of the air nozzle 4 shown in the overall construction of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a time chart showing waveforms at various points of the digital control circuit 5 of FIG. 3, wherein (d) shows clock pulses at the output Q 1 of the binary counter 12 or a point d, (e) clock pulses at the output Q 2 of a point e which is reversed in synchronism with the falling edge of the output Q 1 , (f) output signals at the "borrow" terminal of the binary counter 13 or a point f, (g) discrimination signals at the "borrow" terminal of the preset counter 14 or a point g and (h) signals at the output Q of the RSD flip-flop 16 or a point h.
Operation according to the above construction is described next. The pressurized air generated by the air compressor 1 is regulated to the constant pressure by the air regulator 2 and parallelly applied to the air regulator 3 and the air choke valve 6. Keeping the amount of air flowing into the negative pressure generator 7 to be constant by the choke valve 6 causes the generator 7 to generate at the bypassing portion thereof the minute constant negative pressure, which is supplied in turn to the one pressure inlet of the surge tank 8. The air kept at the constant positive pressure by the air regulator 3 is supplied to the other pressure inlet of the surge tank 8 through the air nozzle 4 which controls the air flow amount in accordance with the on-off ratio thereof commanded by the digital control circuit 5.
It is assumed herein that the pressure range required by the controllable object 10 is ± 50 mm water column. For this assumption, the digital control circuit 5 is first switched off to fully close the air nozzle 4 and the choke valve 6 is so adjusted that water column difference of the U-shaped pipe 9 becomes 50 mm in the negative pressure side. The digital control circuit 5 is then switched on to set the on-off ratio of the air nozzle 4 to be 50% as shown in the time chart (a) of FIG. 2 and the air regulator 3 is so adjusted that the water column difference of the U-shaped pipe 9 becomes approximately zero.
Under this adjustment, the digital control circuit 5 with one preset valve adjusted toward the negative pressure side so controls the on-off ratio of the air nozzle 4 as to shorten the switching-on time interval as shown in (b) of FIG. 2. Air supply amount from the air regulator 3 to the surge tank 8, as a result, becomes less than that of the case of the on-off ratio 50% to accomplish the required pressure in the negative pressure side.
In case of the other preset value adjusted toward the positive pressure side, the switching-on time interval of the air nozzle 4 is lengthened as shown in (c) of FIG. 2 to accomplish the required pressure in the positive pressure side.
Operation of the digital control circuit 5 is explained with reference to the wiring diagram shown in FIG. 3 and the time chart shown in FIG. 4. The binary counter 13 generates "0" level pulse at the "borrow" terminal at the time when it finishes counting 256 clock pulses applied to the "down" terminal. This signal waveform at the point f is shown in (f) of FIG. 4. The "borrow" output of the binary counter 13 is applied to the RSD flip-flop 16, the output Q of which is set to "1" level. This signal waveform at the point h is shown in (h) of FIG. 4.
The preset counter 14, on the other hand, starts downcounting at the time when signal level at the "load" terminal becomes "1" and generates "0" level pulse at the "borrow" terminal when the data becomes zero. This signal waveform at the point g is shown in (g) of FIG. 4. The "borrow" output of the preset counter 14 is applied to the "D" terminal of the RSD flip-flop 16 and then fed to the output Q to render the signal level to "0" in synchronization with the rising edge of the clock pulse (d) of FIG. 4 which is earlier by one cycle period than the clock pulse (e) of FIG. 4 applied to the binary counter 13 and the preset counter 14.
After one cycle time during which the binary counter 13 counts 256 pulses, the binary counter 13 generates "0" level pulse again at the "borrow" terminal and the output Q of the RSD flip-flop 16 is set to "1". With the repetition of this operation, the on-off ratio of the air nozzle 4 under the constant repetition period is determined depending upon the command value of the presetter 15. The output of the RSD flip-flop drives, by the transistors 18 and 19, the electromagnetic coil 23 of the air nozzle 4 via the buffer amplifier 17.
The digital control circuit 5 thus produces the train of pulses, the one-off ratio thereof being modulated in proportion to the preset value, and the air nozzle 4 switches on and off the transmission of the positive pressure in response thereof, the pressure in the controllable object 10 therefore is maintained to the preset pressure value.
Although the above described pressure control ranging fully ± 50 mm water column cannot be attained because of the dead zone of the air nozzle 4, it can be attained by primarily setting the preset value a little wider.
In the experiment according to this construction, minute pressure control ranging from under ± 10 mm water column to ± 200 mm water column is proved to be possible with the precision higher than 5% with respect to the preset value.
According to the above-described embodiment, a system is provided in which the constant negative pressure generated at the bypassing portion by passing the constant amount of air through the straight portion of the T-shaped pipe is supplied with some amount of air metered by the on-off ratio of the air nozzle 4 controlled by the digital control circuit 5 and the surge tank 8 is provided to absorb pressure pulsation of the air nozzle 4, to prevent negative pressure inlet and positive pressure inlet from short-circuiting by positioning apart to each other and to prevent pulsation of the controllable object. Thus the system is constructed so simply without the specific feedback loop that it becomes compact, light weight and inexpensive.
Further the pressure resolving power does not change even if pressure control range is set narrower because it depends only upon the on-off ratio resolving power of the air nozzle 4 and the pressure resolving power is arbitrarily made higher if the digital control circuit 5 is provided with more control bits.
Owing to the advantage that the minute pressure is controlled precisely ranging from the negative pressure to the positive pressure, this system can be applied, for instance, to the pressure control of the carburetor float chamber of the gasoline engine for controlling engine air-to-fuel ratio with precision and ease. Upon this application, detection signal derived from analysis of engine exhaust emission components may be fed back to the digital control circuit 5.
Although one system is described in the above embodiment in which the surge tank 8 is constantly supplied with the minute negative pressure generated by the T-shaped pipe negative pressure generator 7 and intermittently supplied with the positively-pressurized air through the air nozzle 4, the other system may be provided in which the negative pressure is switched on and off instead.
And although the digital control circuit 5 is used as a control means for switchng on and off the air nozzle 4, analogue control circuit capable of pulse width modulation corresponding to the preset value for varying on-off ratio under the constant frequency may be used.
Further other fluid may be used instead in the air.
|
A minute pressure control system which combines constant positive pressure and constant negative pressure together to control pressure in a controllable object is disclosed. An electronic control circuit generates a train of pulses modulated in accordance with a preset value. The two constant pressures, either one thereof being switched on and off in response to the pulses, are applied to a surge tank to be combined together therein. The surge tank absorbs pressure pulsation resulting from on-off switching application of the pressure and controls the pressure in the controllable object such as a half-closed chamber to the value preset by the electronic control circuit.
| 8
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for influencing a pre-drained fibrous web on a screen, in which the fibrous web temporarily undergoes a surface compression by a second screen, and an apparatus for performing such a method.
In conventional methods of this type, a surface compression is exerted on a pre-drained fibrous web lying on a longitudinal screen by means of a dandy roll consisting of either a screen roller alone or a screen roller disposed within a closed, circulating screen. This surface compression either applies a watermark to the fibrous web or reorients the uppermost fiber layer to achieve a greater uniformity. The disadvantage of these methods is that the zone in which the surface compression takes place cannot be freely varied; the restrictions thereon being determined, first of all by the operational speed of the machine and secondly, by the diameter of the dandy roll. An additional disadvantage of the known method is that the setting of the reoriented fibers takes place solely by the screen roller or the screen rotating together therewith separating from the fibrous web. By this means, however, the desired reorientation is partially reversed or cancelled. Furthermore, especially at high machine speeds, difficulties arise in that a portion of the water initially remains in the fabric of the dandy roll or the screen and is then thrown off in the form of droplets. These droplets then strike the newly reoriented fibrous web and again change the attained fiber positions.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The basic object of the invention is to create a method for influencing the pre-drained fibrous web on a screen, particularly to reorient the uppermost fiber layer of such a web, which maintains the effect achieved by the pressure handling of the fibrous web better than the known methods. This object is achieved by a method with the characteristics of the present invention.
A reliable setting of the fibers is achieved by means of the fact that during the time period in which the fibrous web is subjected to a surface compression at least a portion of the water forced from the fibrous web is removed, at least part of which passes through the second screen. The variable duration of the surface compression thereby makes it possible to adapt to different machine speeds, resulting in the method according to the invention being usable and fully effective even at the highest machine speeds.
A final advantage is that the method according to the invention is not limited to reorienting the uppermost fiber layer to make it more uniform or to form a watermark. The removal of the water through the second screen, to which of course a simultaneous removal of water in the opposite direction can be added, i.e., through the first screen, together with the variable intensity of the water removal allow the method according to the invention to also be used to advantage when additional material such as fibers or additive substances are to be applied to or introduced into the uppermost fiber layer.
Particularly good results can be achieved when the surface compression is applied to the upper side of the fibrous web and at least a portion of the pressed out water is forcibly removed from the top side of the web.
In a preferred embodiment the water is removed separately from the air, because this produces a better result than when the water and air are drawn off together.
A further object of the invention is to create an apparatus to perform the method according to the invention. This object is achieved with an apparatus having the characteristics of this invention because the water aspirating device arranged together with the screen roller within the second screen is capable, with the aid of its screen contact surface, to continue the compression of the fibrous web coming from the screen roller and thereby draw the water pressed out of the web through the second screen to the necessary degree.
Preferably the aspirating device includes a suction box which is especially suitable for the water removal, and separate removal lines for water and air which make it possible to achieve an especially good and trouble-free setting of the fibers. If water is to be removed in the opposite direction as well, i.e., through the first screen, then it can be arranged by simply placing a conventional draining element opposite the water aspirating device.
In a preferred embodiment both the screen roller and the water aspirating device are mounted on a support device so as to be adjustable relative to the second screen. This is preferably done in such a manner that even the distance between the water aspirating device and the screen roller can be changed. The surface compression exerted on the fibrous web by the water aspirating device can then be adjusted independently of the surface compression produced by the screen roller, by which the duration of the influence on the web can also be changed. This time period is also dependent on the distance between the water aspirating device and the screen roller which can also be changed. The apparatus can therefore easily be adapted to various requirements, for which both a separate adjustment of the screen roller and the water aspirating device and a common adjustment therefor may be necessary. These adjustment possibilities are also advantageous with regard to reproducibilty of result. An especially simply designed embodiment of the support device is provided by the inclusion of a rocker arm which is provided with a pivoting device and can be set in various pivot positions. The screen roller is preferably movably mounted in this rocker arm. To adjust the screen roller, the rocker arm is moved; and if necessary, the screen roller is also moved relative to the rocker arm. The water aspirating device is thus connected with the rocker arm by means of a holding device which allows for a change in its position relative to the rocker arm and if necessary relative to the screen roller, so that the screen roller and the aspirating device can also be adjusted independently of each other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention is described in greater detail below with the aid of an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing. The single drawing is a side view of the exemplary embodiment according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
An apparatus for influencing the uppermost layer of a pre-drained fibrous web, lying on a horizontally guided longitudinal screen in a conventional manner (not shown), includes a frame indicated in general by the reference numeral 1. Frame 1 is provided in order that the apparatus for influencing the fibrous web may be disposed above the longitudinal screen and the fibrous web lying thereon. This frame 1 overlaps the top of the longitudinal screen and, as shown in the exemplary embodiment, it is connected to the table or to a foundation which supports the longitudinal screen. Two supports 2 and 3 are provided at each end--front and rear--of the frame 1, which support an upper frame 4 whose two side rails run at least approximately parallel to the lateral edges of the longitudinal screen.
A support frame 5 having a horizontal axis running laterally to the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal screen is pivotably mounted to the two supports 2 positioned downstream relative to the longitudinal screen. The ends of the two side rails extend beyond the end of the support frame 5 lying opposite the pivot axis thereof. These two parallel extensions are formed by two arms 6 which are rigidly connected with the support frame 5 and, as shown in the drawing, extend downward at an angle from the support frame 5, pressing between the two supports 3. These arms 6 also carry mounts 7 for a screen roller 8 on respective sleds 22. The axis of this screen roller 8 lies parallel to the pivot axis of the rocker arm formed by the support frame 5 and the arms 6. The sleds 22, which can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the arms 6, are moved by and held in the selected position by respective spindles which are driven by a motor 23.
One end of respective straps 9, which have axes parallel to the pivot axis of the support frame 5 are hingedly connected to the ends of the two side rails of the support frame 5 extended by the arms 6. The other end of these straps 9 is hingedly connected to a pivot frame 10 which is pivotably mounted in the upper frame 4. The pivot axis of the pivot frame 10 lies parallel to the pivot axis of the support frame 5 and is near one of the cross beams. A pneumatic working cylinder 11 engages the underside of the pivot frame 10 in the vicinity of the other cross beam near the two side rails. The angular position of the pivot frame 10 can be adjusted by this pneumatic working cylinder 11 to any desired value within the pivot range. The rocker arm, which consists of the support frame 5 and the arms 6, can therefore be pivoted with the aid of the pneumatic working cylinder 11, thus making it possible to vary the compression of the screen roller 8 against the fibrous web lying on the longitudinal screen.
A suction box 12 is arranged in the area between the two arms 6 on one side and the rear supports 2 on the other. The underside of this suction box 12, i.e., the side facing the longitudinal screen, is defined by a base plate 13 which includes numerous water discharge openings and the underside thereof forms the contact surface for a second screen 14. As shown in the drawing, the deepest portion of the slightly cylindrically curved contact surface lies approximately in the center of the base plate 13. From this point the contact surface rises toward the screen roller 8, i.e., opposite the direction of movement of the longitudinal screen, in such a manner that the plane defined by this section of the contact surface lies tangential to the screen roller 8. Accordingly, the other section of the contact surface of the base plate 13 rises somewhat toward the end opposite the screen roller 8.
The suction box 12 has separate discharge lines 15 and 16 for water and air. Furthermore, the suction box 12 is supported from the support frame 5 by means of threaded bolts 17 so as to be height-adjustable. The threaded bolts 17, as shown in the drawing, are respectively disposed on each side of the suction box 12, respectively, near the front and rear edge of its lid, so that not only a height adjustment, but also an inclination adjustment of the suction box 12 is possible with the aid of the threaded bolts 17, which are engaged in respective adjustment bushings in the support frame 5.
The second screen 14 is an endless longitudinal screen which is guided approximately vertically downward to the screen roller 8 and is then diverted into an approximately horizontal direction. The second screen 14 thus runs over the underside of the base plate 13, having the result that until it reaches the lowermost point on the underside of the base plate 13 it follows a slightly descending path and thereafter follows a slightly ascending path. A driven roller 18 supported by the rear supports 2 diverts the second screen 14 back upward to a first diverting roller 19 which is disposed above the upper frame 4 and is supported thereby. This first diverting roller 19 can be power-pivoted upward about a pivot axis 20, which is spaced from the rotational axis of said roller 19, to tighten the second screen 14. Finally, the second screen 14 passes over a second diverting roller 21, which diverts it back toward the screen roller 8.
If, for example, with the aid of this apparatus, one wishes to improve the uniformity of the uppermost fiber layer of a fibrous web lying on the longitudinal screen of the paper machine, the pneumatic working cylinder 11 adjusts the rocker arm and the screen roller 8 carried thereby to a position where the fibrous web experiences a certain compression from the screen roller 8 and the second screen 14 guided thereover. This has the result that a water film is formed on both sides of the web, which exhibits a significantly lower material density than the fibrous web has before it is subjected to the surface compression between the second screen 14 and the longitudinal screen. The reduction of material density gives the fibers of the upper surface of the web so much freedom of movement that they can be reoriented.
The suction box 12 is adjusted in such a manner that the surface compression exerted on the fibrous web is maintained between the screen roller 8 and the base plate 13 of the suction box 12 as well as in the area of this base plate 13. Therefore, the water forced from the fibrous web under the influence of the surface compression cannot reenter the web after leaving the screen roller 8. The water is partially aspirated upward through the base plate 13 by means of the suction box 12, having the result that the fibers of the uppermost layer, which have been reoriented, become fixed or set to such an extent that they can no longer change their position, even when the surface compression ceases after the web has passed beyond the area beneath the base plate 13.
By pivoting the rocker arm formed by the support frame 5 and the frame 6, the screen roller 8 and the suction box 12 can be simultaneously raised or lowered, whereby also the screen roller 8 and the suction box 12 can easily be brought into the same position relative to the longitudinal screen after being raised that they occupied prior thereto, thus making the adjustment of the apparatus significantly easier. The suction effect of the suction box 12 can be varied in order to upwardly aspirate the water from the web with the necessary intensity.
To the extent that is necessary or appropriate to aspirate the water downward as well, in the area beneath the base plate 13 the longitudinal screen is guided over at least one conventional draining element, which removes the water in a downward direction with an adjustable force.
Although only the preferred embodiment is specifically illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention.
|
A method and apparatus are disclosed for influencing the fibers in the uppermost layer of a fibrous web lying on a screen, for example, in applying a watermark or evening the surface of the web, wherein a surface compression is exerted on the web by a screen roller and a second screen guided around the screen roller. The surface compression is maintained over a variable time period and causes a water film to appear on the upper surface of the web, in which the fiber density is much less than in the web prior to the surface compression. This water layer is forcibly aspirated from the web and the fibers therein thus experience a reorientation and become set in desired positions.
| 3
|
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to installing piles in soil, in particular, to helical piles that are driven into soil by rotation of a shaft.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A helical pile is a segmented deep foundation system with helical load-bearing plates usually welded to a central steel shaft. The helical plates usually have a uniform pitch and are spaced far enough apart so that they function independently as individual bearing elements. Installation typically involves driving the shaft in rotation by means of a hydraulic motor. Shaft segments (with or without load-bearing plates) may be added until a desired soil depth or load-bearing capacity is reached.
[0003] The central steel shafts that carry the helical bearing plates are typically square or round (i.e., circular) in cross-section. Round and square shaft segments may be used in combination, for example, in areas where soft/loose soils are located above the bearing strata (i.e., hard/dense soils) for the bearing plates. The round shaft, which has a greater section modulus, will resist columnar buckling in the soft/loose soil. The square shaft will allow adequate penetration of the helices into the hard/dense material to achieve proper load-bearing capacity without “spin-out,” i.e., loss of thrust of the helices in the soft/loose material. Shaft segments typically are joined with complicated, costly fabricated transition couplings. Bolts, which fasten the shaft segments to the coupling, bear at least some of the axial compression load.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The invention provides an improved transition coupling for helical soil pile assemblies that transfers axial compression loads between the coupled shaft segments with little or no axial compression loading on the bolts that fasten the parts together.
[0005] According to one aspect, the invention is directed to a coupling for connecting a hollow end of a rotatable cylindrical first shaft to an end of a second shaft, the coupling comprising a body having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end. The body comprises a socket having a side wall adapted to closely receive the end of the second shaft. The socket extends axially into the body from the second end to a socket bottom facing toward the second end and adapted to axially abut the end of the second shaft. The body also comprises at least one shoulder between the first end and the second end extending laterally outward from the body and facing toward the first end. The body further comprises a cylindrical portion adapted to fit closely within the hollow end of the first shaft. The cylindrical portion extends axially from the first end toward the second end up to the shoulder, which is adapted to abut the end of the first shaft. At least one pair of aligned transverse holes in the body is adapted to receive a fastener.
[0006] According to another aspect, the invention is directed to a coupling for connecting a hollow end of a rotatable cylindrical first shaft to an end of a second shaft, the coupling comprising a body having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end. The body comprises a socket having a side wall adapted to closely receive the end of the second shaft. The socket extends axially into the body from the second end to a socket bottom adapted to axially abut the end of the second shaft. The body also comprises a cylindrical portion extending axially from the first end toward the second end and beyond the socket bottom, and a first pair of aligned transverse holes in the side wall of the socket, which is adapted to receive a fastener. Preferably, the first pair of aligned transverse holes are in the cylindrical portion, which preferably has a second pair of aligned transverse holes adapted to receive another fastener.
[0007] Coupling embodiments can be configured to join two cylindrical shafts or to join two shafts having distinctly different cross-sections, such as a cylindrical shaft and a square shaft. As to all coupling embodiments, it is preferred that the body be formed as one piece by any suitable process, such as casting, forging, machining, etc., and that it taper inwardly near and toward the second end, through which the socket extends.
[0008] The invention also is directed to a helical soil pile assembly that incorporates any of the coupling embodiments outlined above.
[0009] Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0010] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in detail below, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a helical soil pile assembly incorporating a coupling according to a first embodiment of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the coupling of FIG. 1 ;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the coupling of FIG. 1 ;
[0014] FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the coupling of FIG. 1 ;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view in longitudinal cross-section of the coupling of FIG. 1 taken along line 5 - 5 in FIG. 3 ;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view in longitudinal cross-section of the assembly of FIG. 1 taken along line 6 - 6 in FIG. 1 ;
[0017] FIG. 7 is an exploded view in longitudinal cross-section of the assembly of FIG. 1 ;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a helical soil pile assembly incorporating a coupling according to a second embodiment of the invention;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the coupling of FIG. 8 ;
[0020] FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the coupling of FIG. 8 ;
[0021] FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the coupling of FIG. 8 taken at 90° to FIG. 10 ;
[0022] FIG. 12 is an end elevational view of the coupling of FIG. 8 ;
[0023] FIG. 13 is a side elevational view in longitudinal cross-section of the coupling of FIG. 8 taken along line 13 - 13 in FIG. 10 ;
[0024] FIG. 14 is a side elevational view in longitudinal cross-section of the assembly of FIG. 8 taken along line 14 - 14 in FIG. 8 ;
[0025] FIG. 15 is a partial side elevational view of the assembly of FIG. 8 taken at 90° to FIG. 14 , with a portion of the cylindrical shaft broken away;
[0026] FIG. 16 is an exploded view in longitudinal cross-section of the assembly of FIG. 8 ;
[0027] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a helical soil pile assembly incorporating a coupling according to a third embodiment of the invention;
[0028] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the coupling of FIG. 17 ;
[0029] FIG. 19 is a side elevational view of the coupling of FIG. 17 ;
[0030] FIG. 20 is a side elevational view of the coupling of FIG. 17 taken at 90° to FIG. 19 ;
[0031] FIG. 21 is an end elevational view of the coupling of FIG. 17 ;
[0032] FIG. 22 is a side elevational view in longitudinal cross-section of the coupling of FIG. 17 taken along line 22 - 22 in FIG. 19 ;
[0033] FIG. 23 is a side elevational view in longitudinal cross-section of the assembly of FIG. 17 taken along line 23 - 23 in FIG. 17 ; and
[0034] FIG. 24 is a partial side elevational view of the assembly of FIG. 17 taken at 90° to FIG. 23 , with a portion of the upper cylindrical shaft broken away.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0035] FIG. 1 depicts a helical soil pile assembly 10 that incorporates a coupling 20 according to a first embodiment of the invention. Coupling 20 joins a round (cylindrical) shaft 12 to a square shaft 14 , to which at least one helical load-bearing plate 16 may be welded. Alternatively, shaft 14 may be an extension shaft devoid of load-bearing plates. As explained below, a bolt 48 , and preferably an additional bolt 52 , secure the parts together.
[0036] Referring to FIGS. 2-5 , coupling 20 comprises a hollow body 22 preferably formed as one piece, preferably of iron or steel. The body is symmetrical about two mutually orthogonal planes that intersect along its central longitudinal axis. The body has a cylindrical portion 24 that extends from one end of the body to an annular shoulder 26 , which extends laterally outward. The body also has a nose portion 28 that extends from shoulder 26 to the other end of the body, tapering inwardly. The taper facilitates soil penetration during installation, minimizing soil disturbance. A substantially square socket 30 extends axially into body 22 through nose portion 28 , beyond shoulder 26 and into cylindrical portion 24 . The side wall of socket 30 comprises two pairs of opposite side walls 32 and terminates in an inner end defined by a shoulder 34 that faces toward the open end of the socket. A pair of aligned transverse holes 36 extend through socket 30 in cylindrical portion 24 . Preferably, another pair of aligned transverse holes 38 extend through cylindrical portion 24 remote from socket 30 .
[0037] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate how coupling 20 is joined to a round shaft 12 and a square shaft 14 . Cylindrical portion 24 is sized to fit closely within a round shaft 12 , with the end 40 of round shaft 12 abutting shoulder 26 . Round shaft 12 has a pair of aligned transverse holes 42 near its end 40 , and another pair of transverse holes 44 spaced further from end 40 . Socket 30 is sized to closely receive a square shaft 14 , with the end of shaft 14 abutting shoulder 34 . Square shaft 14 has a transverse hole 46 near its end. When the three parts are assembled, holes 42 in round shaft 12 align with holes 36 in body 22 and with hole 46 in square shaft 14 . A bolt 48 placed through these aligned holes is secured by a nut 50 to fasten all three parts together. In addition, transverse holes 44 in round shaft 12 align with transverse holes 38 in body 22 . A bolt 52 placed through these aligned holes is secured by a nut 54 to further secure the coupling 20 to round shaft 12 . In use, axial compression loads applied to the assembly 10 are borne almost exclusively by shoulders 26 and 34 , minimizing axial stress on fastening bolts 48 , 52 .
[0038] FIG. 8 depicts a helical soil pile assembly 58 that incorporates a coupling 60 according to a second embodiment of the invention. Coupling 60 joins a round shaft 12 to a square shaft 14 , to which at least one helical load-bearing plate 16 may be welded. Alternatively, shaft 14 may be an extension shaft devoid of load-bearing plates. As explained below, bolts 84 , 88 secure the parts together.
[0039] Referring to FIGS. 9-13 , coupling 60 comprises a hollow body 62 preferably formed as one piece, preferably of iron or steel. The body is symmetrical about two mutually orthogonal planes that intersect along its central longitudinal axis. The body has a cylindrical portion 64 that extends from one end of the body to a pair of diametrically opposed arcuate shoulders 66 , which extend laterally outward. The body also has a nose portion 68 that extends from shoulders 66 to the other end of the body, tapering inwardly. The taper facilitates soil penetration during installation, minimizing soil disturbance. Two diametrically opposed flats 69 on nose portion 68 separate shoulders 66 from one another. A substantially square socket 70 extends axially into body 62 through nose portion 68 , beyond shoulders 66 . The side wall of socket 70 comprises two pairs of opposite side walls 72 and terminates in an inner end defined by a shoulder 74 that faces toward the open end of the socket. A pair of aligned transverse holes 76 extend through socket 70 in nose portion 64 , opening on flats 69 . A plurality (preferably three) pairs of aligned transverse holes 78 extend through cylindrical portion 64 remote from socket 70 . Preferably, holes 76 in nose portion 68 are wider than holes 78 in cylindrical portion 64 so as to accommodate wider bolts.
[0040] FIGS. 14-16 illustrate how coupling 60 is joined to a round shaft 12 and a square shaft 14 . Cylindrical portion 64 is sized to fit closely within a round shaft 12 , with the end 80 of round shaft 12 abutting shoulders 66 . Round shaft 12 has three pairs of aligned transverse holes 82 . Socket 70 is sized to closely receive a square shaft 14 , with the end of shaft 14 abutting shoulder 74 . Square shaft 14 has a transverse hole 86 near its end. When the three parts are assembled, holes 82 in round shaft 12 align with holes 78 in body 62 . A bolt 84 placed through each of these three sets of aligned holes is secured by a nut 87 to fasten round shaft 12 and coupling 60 together. In addition, hole 86 in square shaft 14 aligns with transverse holes 76 in nose portion 68 . A bolt 88 placed through aligned holes 76 , 86 is secured by a nut 90 to fasten square shaft 14 and coupling 60 together. When tightened, nut 90 and the head of bolt 88 bear against respective flats 69 . In use, axial compression loads applied to the assembly 58 are borne almost exclusively by shoulders 66 and 74 , minimizing axial stress on fastening bolts 84 , 88 .
[0041] FIG. 17 depicts a helical soil pile assembly 98 that incorporates a coupling 100 according to a third embodiment of the invention. Coupling 100 joins a round shaft 12 to a round shaft 13 , to which at least one helical load-bearing plate 16 may be welded. Alternatively, shaft 13 may be an extension shaft devoid of load-bearing plates. As explained below, bolts 126 , 130 secure the parts together.
[0042] Referring to FIGS. 18-22 , coupling 100 comprises a hollow body 102 preferably formed as one piece, preferably of iron or steel. The body is symmetrical about two mutually orthogonal planes that intersect along its central longitudinal axis. The body has a cylindrical portion 104 that extends from one end of the body to a pair of diametrically opposed arcuate shoulders 106 , which extend laterally outward. The body also has a nose portion 108 that tapers inwardly. The taper facilitates soil penetration during installation, minimizing soil disturbance. Two diametrically opposed flats 109 on and adjacent nose portion 108 separate shoulders 106 from one another. A cylindrical socket 110 extends axially into body 102 through nose portion 108 , approximately up to the region of shoulders 106 . The cylindrical side wall 112 of socket 110 terminates in an inner end defined by an annular shoulder 114 that faces toward the open end of the socket. Two pairs of aligned transverse holes 116 extend through socket 110 , opening on flats 109 . A plurality (preferably two) pairs of aligned transverse holes 118 extend through cylindrical portion 104 remote from socket 110 . Preferably, holes 118 in cylindrical portion 104 are wider than holes 116 in nose portion 108 so as to accommodate wider bolts.
[0043] FIGS. 23 and 24 illustrate how coupling 100 is joined to two round shafts 12 and 13 . Cylindrical portion 104 is sized to fit closely within round shaft 12 , with the end 120 of shaft 12 abutting shoulders 106 . Shaft 12 has two pairs of aligned transverse holes 122 . Socket 110 is sized to closely receive shaft 13 , with the end of shaft 13 abutting annular shoulder 114 . Shaft 13 has two pairs of aligned transverse holes 124 near its end. When the three parts are assembled, holes 122 in shaft 12 align with holes 118 in body 102 . A bolt 126 placed through each of these two sets of aligned holes is secured by a nut 128 to fasten shaft 12 and coupling 100 together. In addition, holes 124 in shaft 13 align with transverse holes 116 through socket 110 . A bolt 130 placed through each of these two sets of aligned holes is secured by a nut 132 to fasten shaft 13 and coupling 100 together. When tightened, nuts 132 and the heads of bolts 130 bear against respective flats 109 . In use, axial compression loads applied to the assembly 98 are borne almost exclusively by shoulders 106 and 114 , minimizing axial stress on fastening bolts 126 , 130 .
[0044] While various embodiments and have been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made. For example, any of the couplings described above can be provided with a differently configured socket: the couplings of FIGS. 1 and 8 could be provided with a cylindrical socket to accommodate a round shaft; and the coupling of FIG. 17 could be provided with a square socket to accommodate a square shaft. Alternatively, the sockets in these couplings could be configured to accommodate shafts that are neither square nor round. Other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
|
An improved transition coupling for a helical soil pile assembly transfers a compression load between two coupled shaft segments with little or no compression loading on the bolts that fasten the parts together. The coupling body has a shaft-receiving socket that extends axially into the body from one end to a socket bottom that axially abuts the end of one of the shafts. The body also has at least one shoulder between its ends that extends laterally outward and faces toward the end remote from the socket. A cylindrical portion of the body, which fits closely within the hollow end of the other shaft, extends axially toward the socket end up to the shoulder, which is adapted to abut the end of that shaft. At least one pair of aligned transverse holes in the body is adapted to receive a fastener.
| 8
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/233,759, filed Jan. 20, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,865.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to draw latches for latching together two closure members. The latch is referred to as a “draw latch” because it forcibly draws together the two members on which the latch members are mounted. Such members may be components of a cabinet, a case, a housing for a machine, or any type of enclosure. In many cases, the closure members will be co-planar panels. But in other cases, the two closure members will be angularly disposed, such as at an angle to each other, for example, at right angles, or when used to close a “pop-open” style window in an automobile.
Draw latches are essentially toggle latches having three links and three pivot points. One of the pivot points is disengageable so that the latch may be unlatched to separate the closure members.
The present invention relates particularly to a draw latch of the toggle type. A unique aspect of this invention is special features that allow the latch to be held firmly in place by secondary catching features in a fully open position and/or a fully closed position.
Numerous draw latches are in the prior art, including U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,206 to Frame et al., the complete specification of which is incorporated by reference herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The draw latch of the present invention is for latching together two closure members. The draw latch has an open and a closed position and has a keeper secured to one of the closure members, a bracket attached to the other of the closure members, and a housing having a first end and a second end with the first end of the housing pivotally and detachably connected to the keeper, and a clevis having a first and a second end. The first end of the clevis is pivotally secured to the bracket, and the second end of the clevis is pivotally secured to the second end of the housing.
The housing has a secondary catch means to secure the draw latch in the open position. In addition to or instead of the secondary catch means to hold the latch in the open position, the housing may have a second secondary catch means to secure the draw latch in the closed position.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved draw latch that has a secondary catch means to secure the latch in either an open and/or a closed position.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved draw latch that has a secondary catch means to secure the latch in either an open and/or a closed position, where the secondary catch means is a detent in the housing.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a perspective, partially cutaway view of the draw latch of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the latch in the closed position.
FIG. 2 is a perspective, partially cutaway view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the closed position.
FIG. 3 is a perspective, partially cutaway view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the open position.
FIG. 4 is a perspective, partially cutaway view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the open position.
FIG. 5 is a perspective partially cutaway view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the closed position.
FIG. 6 is a perspective, partially cutaway view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the open position.
FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the open position.
FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the open position.
FIG. 9 is a rear elevation view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the open position.
FIG. 10 is a perspective, partially cutaway view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the open position.
FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the open position.
FIG. 12 is a rear elevation view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the open position.
FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the open position.
FIG. 14 is a perspective, partially cutaway view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the closed position.
FIG. 15 is a side elevation view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the closed position.
FIG. 16 is a bottom view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the closed position.
FIG. 17 is a rear elevation view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the closed position.
FIG. 18 is a perspective partially cutaway view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the closed position.
FIG. 19 is a side elevation view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the closed position.
FIG. 20 is a bottom view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the closed position.
FIG. 21 is a rear elevation view of the draw latch of FIG. 1, with the latch in the closed position.
FIG. 22 is a side view of the latch, depicted as mounted on a closure member, being moved in the direction of the arrow toward a fully latched position to draw together and to latch two closure members which are at right angles to one another.
FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention, showing the latch in its open position.
FIG. 24 is a side cross sectional view of a second embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention, showing the latch in its open position.
FIG. 25 is a bottom view of a second embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention, showing the latch in its closed position.
FIG. 27 is a side cross sectional view of a second embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention, showing the latch in its closed position.
FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention, showing the latch in its open position.
FIG. 29 is a side cross sectional view of a third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention, showing the latch in its open position.
FIG. 30 is a bottom view of a third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a cover for a second and third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 32 is a bottom view of a cover for a second and third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 33 is a perspective view of a base for a second embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 34 is a side view of a base for a second embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 35 is a bottom view of a base for a second embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 36 is a perspective view of a base for a third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 37 is a side view of a base for a third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 38 is a bottom view of a base for a third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 39 is a perspective view of a levis for a second and third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 40 is a top view of a clevis for a second and third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 41 is a perspective view of a keeper for a second and third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
FIG. 42 is a side view of a keeper for a second and third embodiment of a draw latch according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now in detail to the drawings wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, there is shown in FIGS. 1 through 21 a draw latch 10 in a open or closed position in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. The illustrative device is shown generally comprising a base bracket 20 , a clevis 30 , and a housing 40 . The keeper 50 is shown for example in FIG. 22 (also clearly depicted as item 21 in U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,206, incorporated herein by reference). The keeper 50 is attached to one closure member 60 as is known in the art, for example, as a keeper for a flip-out style automobile window. Base bracket 20 is secured to another closure member 70 , for example, by rivets 23 through holes 22 . A first end 32 of clevis 30 is pivotally attached to base bracket 20 such that it is free to swing in an arc of, for example, about 180 degrees. The second end 34 of clevis 30 is pivotally attached to housing 40 in a manner known in the art, as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,206.
All of the component parts of the draw latch 10 of the present invention are preferably molded of engineering plastic with the resilience necessary for assembly and use of the components.
As seen in FIG. 22, the draw latch 10 is shown about to be moved, for example, by manually applying a light force to the end of the housing 40 in the direction of the arrow A toward a fully latched position. The tip of the hooked nose portion 42 at the lower end of the housing 40 is in detachable engagement with the keeper 50 and the inner radius 44 of the hook portion 42 is about to engage the corresponding outer radius of lip 52 of keeper 50 .
When the latch 10 is moved from a position which is on the open side of the “on-center” position to the “over-center” fully latched position, the second end 34 of the clevis 30 bears against the inner radius of the upper end of the housing 40 . Thus, in the fully latched position, the pivoting joints are positioned in an over center arrangement characteristic of toggle mechanisms.
To unlatch the latch 10 , an outward force is applied manually to the upper end 46 of the housing 40 , as by placing the fingers under the flange 48 .
As indicated, important new features of the present invention are the features which hold the latch in an open position and/or a closed position. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 4 where the draw latch of the present invention is held in the open position, it can be seen that an internal surface of the housing 40 has a keyhole shaped slot 41 . This slot acts as a detent such that the main longitudinal shaft of the clevis 30 snaps into place in the keyhole slot 41 to retain the housing 40 in an open position.
Additionally, and/or alternatively, another feature adds additional security to hold the latch in the closed position, or acts to hold the latch in a closed position even if a second closure member to which a keeper is attached is not in position. As seen in FIGS. 18 and 21 where the latch is in the closed position (and also in FIGS. 10 and 12 where the latch is in the open position), outwardly protruding detent surface 25 on the base bracket 20 mates with a groove 45 extending along the inner surface of the housing 40 such that when the handle 40 is in a fully closed position, whether or not the handle 40 has engaged a keeper, the handle snaps into position and is held in place by the mating detent surface 25 and groove 45 .
FIGS. 23-27, 31 - 35 , and 39 - 42 illustrate a second embodiment of the latch 10 . As in the first embodiment, the second embodiment includes a base bracket 20 , a clevis 30 , a housing 40 , and a keeper 50 .
Referring to FIGS. 31-32, the housing 40 is illustrated. The housing includes a hooked nose portion 42 , defining an inner radius 44 . The housing's rear includes a slot 41 , dimensioned and configured to contain a clevis 30 , and a flange 48 , dimensioned and configured to permit grasping the flange 48 to raise the housing 40 . The rear portion of the housing 40 preferably also defines means for pivotally securing a clevis 30 , preferably holes 45 , which may include ramped surfaces 47 to facilitate snapping the clevis 30 into place. A rib 100 protrudes from the inside of the top of housing 10 , illustrated in FIG. 32 .
The base bracket 20 is best illustrated in FIGS. 33-35. The base bracket 20 defines at least one hole 22 , dimensioned and configured to receive mounting means such as the rivets 23 , described above. The base bracket 20 also includes means for pivotally securing the clevis 30 , preferably by defining an opening 24 , having a hole or depression 26 on either side. A ramped surface 27 may extend from the top of the base bracket 20 to the holes 26 , facilitating snapping in the clevis 30 . A slot 28 , communicating with the opening 24 , is located at the rear of the base bracket 20 and is dimensioned and configured to receive the clevis 30 . A rib 29 preferably protrudes into the opening 23 . The base bracket 20 may also include a ramped front surface 108 .
The rear of the base bracket 20 may include a secondary catch for retaining the clevis, which preferably includes a pair of arms 102 , defining a vertical slot 104 therebetween. The vertical slot 104 narrows at its top opening 106 . The vertical slot 104 is dimensioned and configured to receive the clevis 30 , but to allow the clevis 30 to pass through the top opening 106 only by flexing the arms 102 outward.
Referring to FIGS. 39-40, a clevis 30 is illustrated. The clevis 30 includes a first end 32 , dimensioned and configured to pivotally attach to a base bracket 20 , and a second end 34 , dimensioned and configured to pivotally attach to the housing 40 . A main longitudinal shaft 36 connects the ends 32 , 34 . The first end 32 and second end 34 each include means for pivotally securing the clevis 30 , which are preferably pegs 33 . The pegs 33 preferably have a ramped surface 35 or curved surface 37 to facilitate snapping the clevis 30 into a base bracket 20 or housing 40 . The first end may include a channel 39 a dimensioned and configured to mate with the rib 29 of the base bracket 20 . Likewise, the second end 34 may include a channel 39 b, dimensioned and configured to mate with the rib 100 of the housing 40 . The interaction between the ribs 29 , 100 and the channels 39 a , 39 b creates friction, thereby securing the latch in any desired position.
Referring to FIGS. 41-42, a keeper 50 is illustrated. The keeper 50 includes a lip 52 , dimensioned and configured to mate with the hooked nose portion 42 of the housing 40 . The keeper also preferably includes a ramped surface 110 , dimensioned and configured to abut the ramped front surface 108 of the base bracket 20 when the latch 10 is closed. The keeper 50 may include at least one mounting hole 112 .
The operation of the second embodiment of the latch 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 23-27. Referring to FIGS. 26-27, the latch is illustrated in the closed position, wherein the hooked nose portion 42 of the housing 40 engages the lip 52 of the keeper. FIG. 27 clearly illustrates how the clevis' first end 32 is higher than the second end 34 . The off center positioning of the clevis 30 will cause the force exerted on the housing 40 by the keeper 50 to maintain the latch 10 in its closed position. Secondly, the friction between the ribs 29 , 100 and the channels 39 a , 39 b maintains the latch 10 in the closed position. Lastly, the arms 102 surrounding the shaft 36 of the clevis also retain the latch 10 in its closed position. In this position, the ramped surface 108 of the base bracket 20 and the ramped surface 110 of the keeper 50 abut each other.
The latch is opened by raising the housing's rear flange 48 , thereby removing the clevis 20 from the arms 102 . The latch 10 is moved to the position illustrated in FIGS. 23-25. In this position, the housing 40 has become disengaged from the keeper 50 , thereby allowing the panel to which the keeper is secured to separate from the panel to which the base bracket 20 is secured. The latch 10 is retained in this position, or in any other position desired, by the friction between the ribs 29 , 100 and the channels 39 a , 39 b.
To close the latch 10 , the hooked nose portion 42 of the housing 40 is hooked over the lip 52 of the keeper, and the housing's flange 48 is rotated downward. The keeper 50 and base bracket 20 are thereby drawn together as the latch 10 is returned to the closed position described above.
A third embodiment of the latch is illustrated in FIGS. 28-32 and 36 - 41 . This third embodiment of the latch 10 differs from the second embodiment only in that the base bracket 20 does not include the arms 102 . As in the second embodiment, the third embodiment includes a base bracket 20 , a clevis 30 , a housing 40 , and a keeper 50 .
Referring to FIGS. 31-32, the housing 40 is illustrated. The housing includes a hooked nose portion 42 , defining an inner radius 44 . The housing's rear includes a slot 41 , dimensioned and configured to contain a clevis 30 , and a flange 48 , dimensioned and configured to permit grasping the flange 48 to raise the housing 40 . The rear portion of the housing 40 preferably also defines means for pivotally securing a clevis 30 , preferably holes 45 , which may include ramped surfaces 47 to facilitate snapping the clevis 30 into place. A rib 100 protrudes from the inside of the top of housing 10 , illustrated in FIG. 32 .
The base bracket 20 is best illustrated in FIGS. 36-38. The base bracket 20 defines at least one hole 22 , dimensioned and configured to receive mounting means such as the rivets 23 , described above. The base bracket 20 also includes means for pivotally securing the clevis 30 , preferably by defining an opening 24 , having a hole or depression 26 on either side. A ramped surface 27 may extend from the top of the base bracket 20 to the holes 26 , facilitating snapping in the clevis 30 . A slot 28 , communicating with the opening 24 , is located at the rear of the base bracket 20 and is dimensioned and configured to receive the clevis 30 . A rib 29 preferably protrudes into the opening 23 . The base bracket 20 may also include a ramped front surface 108 .
Referring to FIGS. 39-40, a clevis 30 is illustrated. The clevis 30 includes a first end 32 , dimensioned and configured to pivotally attach to a base bracket 20 , and a second end 34 , dimensioned and configured to pivotally attach to the housing 40 . A main longitudinal shaft 36 connects the ends 32 , 34 . The first end 32 and second end 34 each include means for pivotally securing the clevis 30 , which are preferably pegs 33 . The pegs 33 preferably have a ramped surface 35 or curved surface 37 to facilitate snapping the clevis 30 into a base bracket 20 or housing 40 . The first end may include a channel 39 a dimensioned and configured to mate with the rib 29 of the base bracket 20 . Likewise, the second end 34 may include a channel 39 b, dimensioned and configured to mate with the rib 100 of the housing 40 . The interaction between the ribs 29 , 100 and the channels 39 a , 39 b creates friction, thereby securing the latch in any desired position.
Referring to FIGS. 41-42, a keeper 50 is illustrated. The keeper 50 includes a lip 52 , dimensioned and configured to mate with the hooked nose portion 42 of the housing 40 . The keeper also preferably includes a ramped surface 110 , dimensioned and configured to abut the ramped front surface 108 of the base bracket 20 when the latch 10 is closed. The keeper 50 may include at least one mounting hole 112 .
The operation of the second embodiment of the latch 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 26 and 28 - 30 . Referring to FIG. 26, the latch is illustrated in the closed position, wherein the hooked nose portion 42 of the housing 40 engages the lip 52 of the keeper. Like the second embodiment of FIG. 27, the clevis' first end 32 is higher than the second end 34 . The off center positioning of the clevis 30 will cause the force exerted on the housing 40 by the keeper 50 to maintain the latch 10 in its closed position. Secondly, the friction between the ribs 29 , 100 and the channels 39 a , 39 b maintains the latch 10 in the closed position. In this position, the ramped surface 108 of the base bracket 20 and the ramped surface 110 of the keeper 50 abut each other.
The latch is opened by raising the housing's rear flange 48 . The latch 10 is moved to the position illustrated in FIGS. 28-30. In this position, the housing 40 has become disengaged from the keeper 50 , thereby allowing the panel to which the keeper is secured to separate from the panel to which the base bracket 20 is secured. The latch 10 is retained in this position, or in any other position desired, by the friction between the ribs 29 , 100 and the channels 39 a , 39 b.
To close the latch 10 , the hooked nose portion 42 of the housing 40 is hooked over the lip 52 of the keeper, and the housing's flange 48 is rotated downward. The keeper 50 and base bracket 20 are thereby drawn together as the latch 10 is returned to the closed position described above.
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the above described embodiment of the invention without departing from the broad inventive concepts thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but is intended to cover all modifications which are within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
|
A draw latch for latching together two closure members having an open and a closed position and having a keeper, a base bracket, a housing, and a clevis, the keeper secured to one of the closure members, the a base bracket attached to the other of the closure members, the a housing having a first end and a second end, the first end of the housing pivotally and detachably connected to the keeper, the a clevis having a first and a second end, the first end of the clevis pivotally secured to the base bracket, and the second end of the clelvis pivotally secured to the second end of the housing; and the draw latch having secondary catches to secure the draw latch in the open and/or closed position.
| 8
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a configuration and a method for making electrical contact between a flexible printed circuit board disposed on a supporting element and a contact spring which is pushed onto the flexible printed circuit board in a direction running parallel or obliquely with respect to the surface of the printed circuit board.
If contact with a flexible printed circuit board can only be brought about by laterally “pushing on” a spring contact of a component onto the printed circuit board owing, for example, to limitations of installation space or structural space or because of mounting conditions which are predefined by the configuration, there is the risk of slipping, displacement, twisting or displacement of the flexible printed circuit board by the contact-making operation. Furthermore, owing to the high degree of surface sensitivity of a flexible printed circuit board it is not always easy to manufacture such a “push-on” spring contact on a flexible printed circuit board without damaging it. In particular in cases in which a high pressing-on force of the spring contact onto the flexible printed circuit board is required, the two aspects of positional stability and freedom from damage of the flexible printed circuit board during manufacture of the “push-on” spring contact can be ensured only with difficulty.
Application examples of such a push-on spring contact of a flexible printed circuit board under difficult conditions are found in motor vehicle construction. Owing to the restricted amount of space, electrical components (for example solenoid valves in a hydraulic assembly of a transmission) must sometimes be electrically coupled to a flexible printed circuit board in the fashion described by a push-on spring contact. Owing to the high degree of thermal and mechanical stresses in a motor vehicle—vibration accelerations of up to 33 g can occur—high pressing-on forces must be applied for contact to be reliably formed.
It is already known to advantageously influence the frictional characteristics and reduce the risk of damage during the contact-making step by plating the contact-making elements (i.e. spring contact and conductor track) with tin.
German Patent DE 41 10 386 C2 discloses a configuration for making electrical contact with a flexible printed circuit board which is disposed in a supporting element and in which a contact spring is pushed onto the flexible printed circuit board in a direction running parallel to the plane of the printed circuit board. In order to protect against damage, a sliding element, on which the contact spring slides when it is pushed into its end position, is disposed on the supporting element so as to be incapable of being displaced.
In a further known contact-making configuration (see Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 27 26 231 A1) contact is made with conductor tracks of a flexible printed circuit board by crimp contacts which slide along contact springs when the flexible printed circuit board is plugged into a housing of a plug-type connector.
Published, European Patent Application EP 0 969 557 A1 discloses a contact configuration for connecting a flexible printed circuit board to a contact spring, the flexible printed circuit board having a reinforcing layer underneath at the end onto which the contact spring is pushed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide protection against folding and displacement for a flexible printed circuit board in a contact-making region that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices and methods of this general type, which permits contact to be made with the flexible printed circuit board without difficulty. In particular, the intention is that even when high pressing-on forces are required, the positional stability and freedom from damage of the flexible printed circuit board will be ensured.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a configuration for making electrical contact between a flexible printed circuit board disposed on a supporting element and a contact spring which is pushed onto the flexible printed circuit board in a direction running parallel or obliquely with respect to a plane of the printed circuit board. The configuration contains a sliding element disposed between the flexible printed circuit board and the contact spring so as to be incapable of being displaced with respect to the supporting element and on which the contact spring slides into an end position when pushed on.
Accordingly, the basic idea of the invention consists in providing, by the sliding element being disposed between the contact spring and the flexible printed circuit board, a device which absorbs a component of the displacement, sliding or twisting forces and which runs parallel to the plane of the printed circuit board. This prevents the forces that are exerted by the contact spring during a push-on contact-making operation from being able to act on the printed circuit board, ensuring the positional stability and freedom from damage of the printed circuit board.
One preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized by the fact that the sliding element is supported on a contact-making housing mounted on the supporting element, and is secure against displacement. In addition, or alternatively, the sliding element can, however, also be secured against displacement by attachment elements, for example claws or the like, which are disposed on its side facing the supporting element and interact directly with the supporting element.
The sliding element is preferably embodied in the form of a dimensionally stable metal tongue that has a run-in slope in the front region. When the contact spring is pushed onto the slide element, it slides into its end position, the run-in slope minimizing the initial pushing-on force required to bend the spring contact.
A first possibility is that the contact spring rests on the sliding element in its end position, i.e. the electrical contact between the contact spring and printed circuit board is made by the sliding element. Alternatively, according to a second possibility, it can, however, also be provided that the sliding element is shaped in such a way that it extends as far as a contact point provided on the flexible printed circuit board, the contact spring coming to rest in its end position directly on the contact point of the flexible printed circuit board. In this case, the sliding element serves as a pushing-on aid and can be removed after the contact-making operation has taken place.
The configuration according to the invention can advantageously be used when making contact with an electrical component, for example a solenoid valve of a hydraulic assembly of a transmission, in a motor vehicle. It has become apparent that the protection against folding and displacement according to the invention permits contact to be made in a fashion that is reproducible and free of damage while the pressing-on forces of the contact spring are sufficiently high.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the contact-making housing has a stop element running at a distance from the supporting element and serves to deflect the contact spring in a direction of the supporting element.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is further provided, in accordance with the invention, an assembly, containing an electrical component of a motor vehicle, a supporting element, a flexible printed circuit board mounted on the supporting element, a contact spring connected to the electrical component, and a sliding element disposed between the flexible printed circuit board and the contact spring so as to be incapable of being displaced with respect to the supporting element and on which the contact spring slides into an end position when pushed on.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is additionally provided, in accordance with the invention, a method for making electrical contact between a flexible printed circuit board disposed on a supporting element and a contact spring. The method includes mounting a sliding element on the flexible printed circuit board so as to be incapable of being displaced with respect to the supporting element; and pushing the contact spring in a direction running parallel or obliquely with respect to a plane of the flexible printed circuit board, in such a way that the contact spring is guided into an end position by the sliding element.
In accordance with a further mode of the invention, there is the step of forming the sliding element as an electrically conductive sliding element and after the contact spring is pushed into the end position, the sliding element remains between a contact point on the flexible printed circuit board and the contact spring.
In accordance with another mode of the invention, there is the step of removing the sliding element after the pushing on of the contact spring into the end position.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in protection against folding and displacement for a flexible printed circuit board in a contact-making region, 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.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, sectional view of a configuration according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a first variant of the configuration shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a second variant of the configuration shown in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 4 is a perspective, exploded view of the first variant illustrated in FIG. 2 .
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown an electrical component 1 which is electrically connected to a flexible printed circuit board 3 via a contact spring 2 . The flexible printed circuit board 3 is applied as a lamination (bonded) to a supporting plate 4 and extends as far as an edge 4 . 1 of the supporting plate 4 .
In its component-side region 2 . 1 , the contact spring 2 has an S-shaped profile that merges with a hook-shaped contact-making section 2 . 3 via a bend 2 . 2 . The hook-shaped contact-making section 2 . 3 presses onto an upper side of a metal tongue 5 , which with its underside comes into contact with a non-illustrated, exposed conductor track of the flexible printed circuit board 3 and makes electrical contact with it. The metal tongue 5 is composed of a dimensionally stable material with good electrical conductivity, for example copper. In its front edge region, it has a run-in slope 5 . 1 that runs at an incline corresponding to a chamfer 4 . 2 formed on the edge 4 . 1 of the supporting plate 4 .
At its opposite rear end, the metal tongue 5 has a transitional region or bent portion 5 . 2 which runs upward inclined at an acute angle with respect to the supporting plate 4 and merges with a securing section 5 . 3 that runs parallel to the supporting plate 4 . The securing section 5 . 3 is located in a horizontal groove 6 . 1 of a base 6 that is permanently connected to the supporting plate 4 .
The method of operation of the metal tongue 5 according to the invention when the contact spring 2 is pushed onto the assembly formed from the supporting plate 4 , flexible printed circuit board 3 and metal tongue 5 is now described.
The electrical component 1 which is initially separate from the supporting plate 4 is moved onto the supporting plate 4 in a direction of an arrow P. In the process, an upper side 1 . 1 of the component 1 comes into contact with an underside 4 . 3 of the supporting plate 4 and is pushed further along the latter in the direction P of the arrow. The hook-shaped contact-making section 2 . 3 then meets the run-in slope 5 . 1 of the metal tongue 5 and is bent upward by it, supported on the chamfer 4 . 2 . As the contact spring 2 is bent up and continues to slide into the position shown in FIG. 1, shearing forces in the direction of the arrow P caused by friction occur. Owing to the dimensional stability of the metal tongue 5 and its positionally stable securement in the region of the securing section 5 . 3 , the shearing forces are virtually completely absorbed by the metal tongue 5 , i.e. a displacement movement of the metal tongue 5 does not occur owing to the pushing-on operation of the contact spring 2 . This ensures that pressing-on forces oriented exclusively in the normal direction with respect to the plane of the supporting plate 4 act between the flexible circuit board 3 and the supporting plate 4 and cannot lead to any damage to the flexible printed circuit board 3 .
The pressing-on or contact-making force acting in the end position can, when desired, be changed by the dimensioning of the S-shaped spring region 2 . 1 and is also dependent on further influencing variables such as the selection of material for the contact spring 2 , the thickness of the supporting plate 4 etc. In addition, in order to achieve a certain degree of mechanical decoupling of the electrical component 1 from the supporting plate 4 , the S-shaped region 2 . 1 of the contact spring 2 is used to avoid stresses owing to thermal expansions and relative movement (fretting corrosion) between the flexible printed circuit board 3 and the spring contact 2 .
FIG. 2 shows a first variant of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 . Identical or identically acting parts are designated by the same reference numerals. The first variant differs from the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1 solely in the fact that the upper region of the base 6 continues into a stop element 6 . 2 that extends parallel to and at a distance from the supporting plate 4 above the flexible printed circuit board 3 with which contact is to be made. The stop element 6 . 2 has, at its free end, an oblique face region 6 . 3 which extends outwardly and which engages on the hook-shaped contact-making section 2 . 3 of the contact spring 2 during the pushing-on operation and deflects it toward the supporting plate 4 . In a way corresponding to the oblique face region 6 . 3 , the entire stop element 6 . 2 can also run at an incline with respect to the supporting plate 4 .
In the variant illustrated in FIG. 2, the contact-making force is set by the dimensioning of the hook-shaped contact-making section 2 . 3 and the distance between the supporting plate 4 and the stop 6 . 2 . If appropriate, it is possible to achieve here pressing-on forces that are higher and more persistent over the long term than in the case of the example shown in FIG. 1 . The method of operation of the metal tongue 5 is, however, the same and also has the result that parallel forces are not transmitted to the flexible printed circuit board 3 but are rather introduced into the base 6 and absorbed by it.
A second variant of the configuration according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3 . The metal tongue 5 is provided at its lateral edges with, in each case, two claws 5 . 4 that dig into the supporting plate 4 and prevent the metal tongue 5 from slipping. The claws 5 . 4 can be provided in addition to the base 6 that also acts as a restraining element, or it is also possible for the metal tongue 5 to be secured in position according to the invention solely by the claws 5 . 4 (or attachment devices which interact directly with the supporting plate 4 in a similar way).
FIG. 4 shows the first variant according to the invention (illustrated in FIG. 2) in an exploded view. Special profiling of the metal tongue 5 in the region of its central longitudinal axis enables the liability of the contact-making with the flexible printed circuit board 3 to be increased further. A bead-shaped profiling 5 . 4 is achieved by impressing a corresponding notch on the upper side of the metal tongue 5 .
FIG. 4 also shows that the contact spring 2 can be embodied as a double spring element.
In a refinement of the invention that is not illustrated, the metal tongue 5 can be removed after the contact spring 2 has been pushed into its end position. In this case, the metal tongue 5 extends directly as far as the contact point on the flexible printed circuit board 3 , in such a way that the contact spring 2 ultimately slips over a rear edge of the metal tongue 5 onto the contact point and remains there in its end position. Further displacement of the electrical component 1 must then be prevented by structural measures.
|
A configuration is described for making electrical contact between a flexible printed circuit board disposed on a supporting element and a contact spring has a sliding element which is disposed between the flexible printed circuit board and the contact spring so as to be incapable of being displaced with respect to the supporting element. When the contact spring is pushed onto the supporting element, the contact spring on the sliding element slides into its end position.
| 7
|
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
A. A fixture adapted to hold an integrated circuit chip mounted on a flexible beam lead is described and claimed in Application Ser. No. 671,238 filed Mar. 29, 1976 entitled Fixture for an Integrated Circuit Chip, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,479 issued Feb. 8, 1977, which patent is assigned to the same assignee as this invention.
B. A mechanism for serially removing fixtures stored in one magazine of this invention and for inserting the removed fixture into another such magazine is described and claimed in application Ser. No. 712,565 filed Aug. 9, 1976, entitled Transfer Mechanism by K. Boyd Tippetts and assigned to the assignee of this invention.
C. A machine for assembling into a magazine of this invention a plurality of fixtures holding integrated circuit chips of the proper type and in the correct number from a plurality of such magazines is described and claimed in application Ser. No. 712,563 filed Aug. 9, 1976, entitled Sequencer by K. Boyd Tippetts and John L. Kowalski and assigned to the assignee of this application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is in the field of magazines for receiving, storing and supplying fixtures. The magazines are adapted to be mounted on a machine which can serially extract fixtures stored in one magazine through an opening in the bottom of the device through which fixtures can be inserted, and can insert serially such fixtures into a second such magazine through an equivalent opening in the bottom of the second magazine so that a plurality of such fixtures can be accumulated in a second such magazine. These magazines, after fixtures have been inserted into them and while fixtures are stored within them, protect the fixtures, and the devices mounted on the fixtures during subsequent manufacturing steps. The magazines readily facilitate automating the removal of fixtures stored in them by appropriate machines as part of the process of manufacturing electronic circuits, such as are used in computers.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The development of integrated circuit (IC) chips, particularly medium and large scale IC chips, has created a need for improved manufacturing processes which lend themselves to automating the mounting of IC chips and their lead frames to substrates as part of the process of manufacturing electrical circuits. The mounting of such a chip and its lead frame in a fixture for testing and to facilitate mounting chips on a substrate is known. However, in automating the process of manufacturing such substrates, it is desirable to assemble a plurality of fixtures into a holder or magazine which magazine has a capability of having such fixtures inserted into the magazine by machine and subsequently removed by a machine as steps in the process of manufacturing electrical circuits which are characterized by a high density of active electrical elements per unit area and are particularly suitable for use in computers and the like.
The closest known relevant prior art is that which has been developed with respect to holders, or magazines, for film slides, i.e., fixtures for holding segments of developed photographic film for use with a projector to project an enlarged image onto a screen, for example. However, none of the prior art magazines are adapted to be serially bottom loaded by a machine and serially unloaded by a machine from the bottom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a magazine for a plurality of fixtures. It is formed from a hollow tube having four walls the inner surfaces of which are substantially planar. A pair of ribs are formed on the inner surface of each of the walls and the cross sectional area of the space defined by the ribs is such that fixtures readily fit within it and can be moved vertically in the magazine without binding or encountering large frictional forces. The bottom of the magazine is comprised of a pair of rails which are spaced apart to form an opening providing access to the space within the tube while supporting or retaining within the magazine fixtures previously loaded into it. An opening is formed in one of the walls of the tube immediately above the rails. It is through this opening that fixtures can be inserted one at a time or serially. This opening extends across the full width of the wall and its height is such that one and only one fixture can be inserted at a time into the magazine. Similarly, one and only one fixture can be withdrawn through this opening at a time. Another opening is formed in the opposite wall of the magazine so that an extractor can contact the lowest fixture stored in the magazine, the fixture in direct contact with the rails, for removal of the fixture from the magazine through the opening in which it was inserted. The rails are secured to the bottom of some of the walls of the rectangular hollow tube and are shaped so that portions serve as ledges which facilitate removably mounting the magazines of this invention on suitable machines for loading and unloading.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, although variations and modifications may be affected without departing from the spirit and scope of novel concepts of the disclosure, and in which:
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a magazine having exploded therefrom a fixture of the type the magazine is adapted to have loaded into it, stored in it and removed from it;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the magazine;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation of the lower portion of the back wall of the magazine;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the lower portion of a side wall of the magazine;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the lower portion of the front wall of the magazine; and
FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a fixture of the type that the magazine is adapted to have inserted into it, stored in it and subsequently removed therefrom.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Magazine, or holder, 10 includes a hollow rectangular tube 12 as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. Tube 12 has a back wall 14, a front wall 16 and a pair of side walls 18, 20. The inner surfaces or faces 14a, 16a, 18a and 20a of walls 14, 16, 18 and 20, are substantially planar.
On each of the inner surfaces 14a, 16a, 18a and 20a of walls 14, 16, 18 and 20, there are formed a pair of ribs, with a pair of ribs 22 being formed on surface 14a, a pair of ribs 24 being formed on 16a, ribs 26 on 18a, and ribs 28 on 20a. The ribs of each pair of ribs 22, 24, 26, 28, are substantially parallel to one another and are parallel to the intersections of the inner surfaces 14a, 16a, 18a and 20a of walls 14, 16, 18 and 20. The cross section of each of the ribs forming rib pairs 22, 24, 26, 28 is substantially that of a segment of a circle as illustrated in FIG. 2.
A pair of rails 30, 32 is fixedly attached to side walls 18, 20 of tube 12. The rails in one embodiment are secured to the bottom surface of side walls 18, 20 and to lower portions of back wall 14 of tube 12. The top surfaces 34, 35 and bottom surfaces 36, 37 of rails 30, 32 are substantially planar and parallel to one another. Rails 30, 32 are mounted on tube 12 so that they are parallel to one another, are spaced apart, and so that their top surfaces 34, 35 substantially lie in a plane perpendicular to the inner surfaces 14a, 16a, 18a, 20a of walls 14, 16, 18, 20. The rear portions or ends, 38, 40 of rails 30, 32 extend or project beyond the outer surface 14b of back wall 14 to form rear ledges 42, 44. The front portions or ends 46, 48 of rails 30, 32 extend beyond the inner surface 16a of front wall 16 and substantially terminate in the plane of the outer surface 16b of front wall 16 as can best be seen in FIG. 4. The upper corners of the front ends 46, 48 of rails 30, 32 are removed to form steps 50, 52. External grooves 54, 55 are formed around the outer surfaces of rails 30, 32 to increase the area of contact between rails 30, 32 and side walls 18, 20 and back wall 14, to more securely attach rails 30, 32 to tube 12 particularly when both tube 12 and the rails 30, 32 are formed from separate pieces of metal.
The planes defined by the top surfaces 18c, 20c of side walls 18, 20, the top surfaces 34, 35 of rails 30, 32 and the rib planes 22a, 24a, 26a, 28a which are substantially tangent to ribs 22, 24, 26 and 28 define a space or volume within tube 12 which is a rectangular parallelipiped. A plurality, up to 200 in a preferred embodiment, of fixtures 58, of the type described and claimed in the application referred to in paragraph A of the list of cross referenced applications supra, can be stacked in this space in tube 12. In FIG. 6 it can be seen that the major outer surface of fixtures 58 such as top surface 58a, bottom surface 58b, and vertical surfaces 58c, d, e and f also form, or define, a rectangular parallelpiped. The height of the rectangular parallelpiped defined by fixture 58 is the distance between top surface 58a and bottom surface 58b.
In front wall 16, a rectangular loading and unloading slot, or opening 60, is formed. The width of slot 60 is substantially equal to the width of front wall 16 so that slot 60 extends completely across front wall 16. The clearance, or height of opening 60 between the bottom edge 62 of wall 16 and the top surfaces 34, 35 of rails 30, 32 is at least equal to the height of fixture 58 and less than twice the height of fixture 58. Opening 60 thus permits a plurality of fixtures 58 to be either loaded into or removed from magazine 10 through slot 60 one at a time. To facilitate the insertion of a fixture 58 into slot 60, the upper corners 64, 66 of rails 30, 32, which extend above the bottom edges 68, 70 of side walls 18, 20 are beveled, or champfered, as can be seen in FIG. 4.
An extractor slot 72 is formed in back wall 14. It has a rectangular cross section with its width being substantially equal to the distance between rails 30, 32 as can be seen in FIG. 3 and its height being, at a minimum, just enough to permit a mechanical extractor, which is not illustrated, to reliably engage a vertical surface such as surface 58e of fixture 58. The maximum height of the extractor slot 72 is not critical.
A hand loading slot 74 can be formed in one of the walls 14, 16, 18 or 20 of tube 12. In the preferred embodiment slot 74 is formed in the upper part of back wall 14. The width of slot 72 is less than the distance between ribs 22 formed on the inner surface 14a of back wall 14, and slot 72 extends from the top of wall 14 a substantial part of the length or height of wall 14, which corresponds to the height of hollow tube 10 as can be seen in FIG. 1. Enough of wall 14 is retained above extractor slot 72 to make certain that tube 12 has sufficient rigidity to protect fixtures 58 stored within it from physical damage. Hand loading slot 74 is a convenience that permits fixtures 58 to be hand loaded into or removed from the top of magazine 10. To minimize the risk of the fixtures catching on the upper portion of ribs 22, 24, 26 and 28, they are beveled as can best be seen in FIG. 1.
The top of magazine 10 as illustrated is not covered. It can be covered if an opening at the top of wall 14 is provided which is big enough so that the loading and unloading by hand of a reasonable number of fixtures 58, at one time can readily be accomplished. The pair of rails 30, 32 and their bottom surfaces 36, 37 provide a stable base for magazine 10 so that it is feasible to stand magazines 10 vertically on a substantially flat surface. Ledges 42, 44 on the back portions of the rail 30, 32 and steps 50, 52 formed in the front portions of rails 30, 32 make it possible to removably fasten magazine 10 on a fixture or machine while still permitting ready access to slot or opening 60 so that fixtures 58 can be inserted serially into magazine 10 through opening 60 or removed serially from magazine 10 through opening 60.
In a preferred embodiment, fixture 58 has a substantially square top surface 58a, and the cross section of the parallelpiped defined by the rib planes 22a, 24a, 26a, 28a is likewise square and is dimensioned so that a plurality of fixtures 58 will easily fit, or can be stacked, within it. The clearance between the outer surfaces 58c, d, e, and f of fixture 58 and ribs 22, 24, 26 and 28 in a preferred example is substantially 40.0×10 -3 inches. Ribs 22, 24, 26, 28 also make it possible for fixtures 58 to be readily inserted into magazine 10 even if partially misaligned. Further, the clearance between the ribs and a stack of fixtures 58 located within magazine readily permits movement of fixtures 58 vertically within tube 12 of magazine 10.
Ribs 22, 24, 26, 28 also reduce the friction between a stack of fixtures 34 in magazine 10 and the interior of the tubular portion 12 so that movement of a stack of fixtures 58 within magazine 10 as magazine 10 is loaded and unloaded is not prevented by fixtures 58 becoming immovably bound or locked within magazines 10. Extractor slot 72 is made sufficiently wide to facilitate a mechanical extractor engaging the lowest fixture 58 of a stack of fixtures 58 located within the magazine 10. A key slot 76 is formed in the front portion 46 of rail 30 so that the orientation of the magazine is readily determined.
In a preferred embodiment the internal dimensions of tube 12 is 2×2×12.5 inches and tube 12 is preferably made out of extruded aluminum. Rails 30, 32 are also preferably made out of aluminum and are brazed to the tube 12 to form magazine 10. It is readily apparent that the magazine can be made from structural plastics such as a polycarbonate or an acetal resin, marketed under the names Lexon and Delrin respectively.
From the foregoing it is believed clear that the magazine of my invention is capable of having fixtures, which fixtures are adapted to hold a segment of film on which an integrated circuit chip is mounted loaded into and unloaded from it; and to protect such fixtures from damage in the typical industrial environment found in a facility for manufacturing complex electronic devices.
It should be obvious that various modifications can be made to my invention as disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the present invention.
|
A magazine into which a plurality of fixtures holding integrated circuit chips can be inserted serially by a machine and from which the fixtures can be removed serially by a machine. The fixtures are loaded through an opening in the bottom of the magazine and are removed from the magazine through the same opening. The magazine provides protection to the fixtures and chips held by the fixtures during storage and handling encountered in the typical manufacturing environment for electronic systems. The magazine facilitates automating the processes of accumulating fixtures holding integrated circuits of a given type and of assembling in one magazine the desired number of fixtures holding integrated circuit chips of the appropriate types preparatory to mounting the chips on a multilayer substrate.
| 7
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present invention is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/840,125 filed 24 Apr. 2001 which in turn is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/634,920 filed 9 Aug. 2000. Ser. No. 09/634,920 is related and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/190,057 filed 17 Mar. 2000 and to provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/147,488 filed 9 Aug. 1999. Each application is incorporated herein by reference.
[[0002]] This application was made with Government support from NHLBI under Grant Nos. RO1-HL46401, RO1-HL33843, RO1-HL51618, P50-HL52338 and MO1-RR000064. The federal government may have certain rights in this invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) is a cardiovascular disorder characterized by prolongation of the QT interval on electrocardiogram and presence of syncope, seizures and sudden death, usually in young, otherwise healthy individuals (Jervell and Lange-Nielsen, 1957; Romano et al., 1963; Ward, 1964). The clinical features of LQTS result from episodic ventricular tachyarrhythmias, such as torsade de pointes and ventricular fibrillation (Schwartz et al., 1975; Moss et al., 1991). Two inherited forms of LQTS exist. The more common form, Romano-Ward syndrome (RW), is not associated with other phenotypic abnormalities and is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait with variable penetrance (Roman et al., 1963; Ward, 1964). Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome (JLN) is characterized by the presence of deafness, a phenotypic abnormality inherited as an autosomal recessive trait (Jervell and Lange-Nielsen, 1957). LQTS can also be acquired, usually as a result of pharmacologic therapy.
[0004] In previous studies, we mapped LQTS loci to chromosomes 11p15.5 (LQT1) (Keating et al., 1991), 7 q35-36 (LQT2) (Jiang et al., 1994) and LQT3 to 3p21-24 (Jiang et al., 1994). A fourth locus (LQT4) was mapped to 4q25-27 (Schott et al., 1995). Five genes have been implicated in Romano-Ward syndrome, the autosomal dominant form of LQTS. These genes are KVLQT1 (LQT1) (Wang Q. et al., 1996a), HERG (LQT2) (Curran et al., 1995), SCN5A (LQT3) (Wang et al., 1995a), and two genes located at 21q22-KCNE1 (LQT5) (Splawski et al., 1997a) and KCNE2 (LQT6) (Abbott et al., 1999). Mutations in KVLQT1 and KCNE1 also cause the Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome, a form of LQTS associated with deafness, a phenotypic abnormality inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion.
[0005] KVLQT1, HERG, KCNE1 and KCNE2 encode potassium channel subunits. Four KVLQT1 α-subunits assemble with minK (β-subunits encoded by KCNE1, stoichiometry is unknown) to form I K channels underlying the slowly activating delayed rectifier potassium current in the heart (Sanguinetti et al., 1996a; Barhanin et al., 1996). Four HERG α-subunits assemble with MiRP1 (encoded byKCNE2, stoichiometry unknown) to form I Kr channels, which underlie the rapidly activating, delayed rectifier potassium current (Abbott et al., 1999). Mutant subunits lead to reduction of I Ks or I Kr by a loss-of-function mechanism, often with a dominant-negative effect (Chouabe et al., 1997; Shalaby et al., 1997; Wollnik et al., 1997; Sanguinetti et al., 1996b). SCN5A encodes the cardiac sodium channel that is responsible for I Na , the sodium current in the heart (Gellens et al., 1992). LQTS-associated mutations in SCN5A cause a gain-of-function (Bennett et al., 1995; Dumaine et al., 1996). In the heart, reduced I Ks or I Kr or increased I Na leads to prolongation of the cardiac action potential, lengthening of the QT interval and increased risk of arrhythmia. KVLQT1 and KCNE1 are also expressed in the inner ear (Neyroud et al., 1997; Vetter et al., 1996). Others and we demonstrated that complete loss of I Ks causes the severe cardiac phenotype and deafness in JLN (Neyroud et al., 1997; Splawski et al., 1997b; Tyson et al., 1997; Schulze-Bahr et al., 1997).
[0006] Presymptomatic diagnosis of LQTS is currently based on prolongation of the QT interval on electrocardiogram. Genetic studies, however, have shown that diagnosis based solely on electrocardiogram is neither sensitive nor specific (Vincent et al., 1992; Priori et al., 1999). Genetic screening using mutational analysis can improve presymptomatic diagnosis. However, a comprehensive study identifying and cataloging all LQTS-associated mutations in all five genes has not been achieved. To determine the relative frequency of mutations in each gene, facilitate presymptomatic diagnosis and enable genotype-phenotype studies, we screened a pool of 262 unrelated individuals with LQTS for mutations in the five defined genes. The results of these studies are presented in the Examples below.
[0007] The present invention relates to alterations in the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 and KCNE2 genes and methods for detecting such alterations.
[0008] The publications and other materials used herein to illuminate the background of the invention or provide additional details respecting the practice, are incorporated by reference, and for convenience are respectively grouped in the appended List of References.
[0009] The present invention is directed to alterations in genes and gene products associated with long QT syndrome and to a process for the diagnosis and prevention of LQTS. LQTS is diagnosed in accordance with the present invention by analyzing the DNA sequence of the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 gene of an individual to be tested and comparing the respective DNA sequence to the known DNA sequence of the normal gene. Alternatively, these genes of an individual to be tested can be screened for mutations which cause LQTS. Prediction of LQTS will enable practitioners to prevent this disorder using existing medical therapy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention relates to alterations in the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 and KCNE2 genes and methods for detecting such alterations. The alterations in the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 and KCNE2 genes include mutations and polymorphisms. Included among the mutations are frameshift, nonsense, splice, regulatory and missense mutations. Any method which is capable of detecting the alterations described herein can be used. Such methods include, but are not limited to, DNA sequencing, allele-specific probing, mismatch detection, single stranded conformation polymorphism detection and allele-specific PCR amplification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the predicted topology of KVLQT1 and the locations of LQTS-associated mutations. KVLQT1 consists of six putative transmembrane segments (S1 to S6) and a pore (Pore) region. Each circle represents an amino acid. The approximate location of LQTS-associated mutations identified in our laboratory are shown with filled circles.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of HERG mutations. HERG consists of six putative transmembrane segments (S1 to S6) and a pore (Pore) region. Location of LQTS-associated mutations are shown with filled circles.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of SCN5A and locations of LQTS-associated mutations. SCN5A consists of four domain (DI to DIV), each of which has six putative transmembrane segments (S1 to S6) and a pore (Pore) region. Location of LQTS-associated mutations identified in our laboratory are shown with filled circles.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of minK and locations of LQT-associated mutations. MinK consists of one putative transmembrane domain (S1). The approximate location of LQTS-associated mutations identified in our laboratory are shown with filled circles.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the predicted topology of MiRP1 and locations of arrhythmia-associated mutations. MiRP1 consists of one putative transmembrane domain (S1). The approximate location of arrhythmia-associated mutations identified in our laboratory are shown with filled circles.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] The present invention relates to alterations in the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 and KCNE2 genes and methods for detecting such alterations. The alterations in the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 and KCNE2 genes include mutations and polymorphisms. Included among the mutations are frameshift, nonsense, splice, regulatory and missense mutations. Any method which is capable of detecting the mutations and polymorphisms described herein can be used. Such methods include, but are not limited to, DNA sequencing, allele-specific probing, mismatch detection, single stranded conformation polymorphism detection and allele-specific PCR amplification.
[0017] KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 and KCNE2 mutations cause increased risk for LQTS. Many different mutations occur in KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 and KCNE2. In order to detect the presence of alterations in the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 and KCNE2 genes, a biological sample such as blood is prepared and analyzed for the presence or absence of a given alteration of KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2. In order to detect the increased risk for LQTS or for the lack of such increased risk, a biological sample is prepared and analyzed for the presence or absence of a mutant allele of KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2. Results of these tests and interpretive information are returned to the health care provider for communication to the tested individual. Such diagnoses may be performed by diagnostic laboratories or, alternatively, diagnostic kits are manufactured and sold to health care providers or to private individuals for self-diagnosis.
[0018] The presence of hereditary LQTS may be ascertained by testing any tissue of a human for mutations of the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 gene. For example, a person who has inherited a germline HERG mutation would be prone to develop LQTS. This can be determined by testing DNA from any tissue of the person's body. Most simply, blood can be drawn and DNA extracted from the cells of the blood. In addition, prenatal diagnosis can be accomplished by testing fetal cells, placental cells or amniotic cells for mutations of the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 gene. Alteration of a wild-type KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 allele, whether, for example, by point mutation or deletion, can be detected by any of the means discussed herein.
[0019] There are several methods that can be used to detect DNA sequence variation. Direct DNA sequencing, either manual sequencing or automated fluorescent sequencing can detect sequence variation. Another approach is the single-stranded conformation polymorphism assay (SSCP) (Orita et al., 1989). This method does not detect all sequence changes, especially if the DNA fragment size is greater than 200 bp, but can be optimized to detect most DNA sequence variation. The reduced detection sensitivity is a disadvantage, but the increased throughput possible with SSCP makes it an attractive, viable alternative to direct sequencing for mutation detection on a research basis. The fragments which have shifted mobility on SSCP gels are then sequenced to determine the exact nature of the DNA sequence variation. Other approaches based on the detection of mismatches between the two complementary DNA strands include clamped denaturing gel electrophoresis (CDGE) (Sheffield et al., 1991), heteroduplex analysis (HA) (White et al., 1992) and chemical mismatch cleavage (CMC) (Grompe et al., 1989). None of the methods described above will detect large deletions, duplications or insertions, nor will they detect a regulatory mutation which affects transcription or translation of the protein. Other methods which might detect these classes of mutations such as a protein truncation assay or the asymmetric assay, detect only specific types of mutations and would not detect missense mutations. A review of currently available methods of detecting DNA sequence variation can be found in a recent review by Grompe (1993). Once a mutation is known, an allele specific detection approach such as allele specific oligonucleotide (ASO) hybridization can be utilized to rapidly screen large numbers of other samples for that same mutation. Such a technique can utilize probes which are labeled with gold nanoparticles to yield a visual color result (Elghanian et al., 1997).
[0020] A rapid preliminary analysis to detect polymorphisms in DNA sequences can be performed by looking at a series of Southern blots of DNA cut with one or more restriction enzymes, preferably with a large number of restriction enzymes. Each blot contains a series of normal individuals and a series of LQTS cases. Southern blots displaying hybridizing fragments (differing in length from control DNA when probed with sequences near or including the HERG locus) indicate a possible mutation. If restriction enzymes which produce very large restriction fragments are used, then pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is employed.
[0021] Detection of point mutations may be accomplished by molecular cloning of the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 alleles and sequencing the alleles using techniques well known in the art. Also, the gene or portions of the gene may be amplified, e.g., by PCR or other amplification technique, and the amplified gene or amplified portions of the gene may be sequenced.
[0022] There are six well known methods for a more complete, yet still indirect, test for confirming the presence of a susceptibility allele: 1) single stranded conformation analysis (SSCP) (Orita et al., 1989); 2) denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) (Wartell et al., 1990; Sheffield et al., 1989); 3) RNase protection assays (Finkelstein et al., 1990; Kinszler et al., 1991); 4) allele-specific oligonucleotides (ASOs) (Conner et al., 1983); 5) the use of proteins which recognize nucleotide mismatches, such as the E. coli mutS protein (Modrich, 1991); and 6) allele-specific PCR (Ruano and Kidd, 1989). For allele-specific PCR, primers are used which hybridize at their 3′ ends to a particular KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 mutation. If the particular mutation is not present, an amplification product is not observed. Amplification Refractory Mutation System (ARMS) can also be used, as disclosed in European Patent Application Publication No. 0332435 and in Newton et al., 1989. Insertions and deletions of genes can also be detected by cloning, sequencing and amplification. In addition, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) probes for the gene or surrounding marker genes can be used to score alteration of an allele or an insertion in a polymorphic fragment. Such a method is particularly useful for screening relatives of an affected individual for the presence of the mutation found in that individual. Other techniques for detecting insertions and deletions as known in the art can be used.
[0023] In the first three methods (SSCP, DGGE and RNase protection assay), a new electrophoretic band appears. SSCP detects a band which migrates differentially because the sequence change causes a difference in single-strand, intramolecular base pairing. RNase protection involves cleavage of the mutant polynucleotide into two or more smaller fragments. DGGE detects differences in migration rates of mutant sequences compared to wild-type sequences, using a denaturing gradient gel. In an allele-specific oligonucleotide assay, an oligonucleotide is designed which detects a specific sequence, and the assay is performed by detecting the presence or absence of a hybridization signal. In the mutS assay, the protein binds only to sequences that contain a nucleotide mismatch in a heteroduplex between mutant and wild-type sequences.
[0024] Mismatches, according to the present invention, are hybridized nucleic acid duplexes in which the two strands are not 100% complementary. Lack of total homology may be due to deletions, insertions, inversions or substitutions. Mismatch detection can be used to detect point mutations in the gene or in its mRNA product. While these techniques are less sensitive than sequencing, they are simpler to perform on a large number of samples. An example of a mismatch cleavage technique is the RNase protection method. In the practice of the present invention, the method involves the use of a labeled riboprobe which is complementary to the human wild-type KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 gene coding sequence. The riboprobe and either mRNA or DNA isolated from the person are annealed (hybridized) together and subsequently digested with the enzyme RNase A which is able to detect some mismatches in a duplex RNA structure. If a mismatch is detected by RNase A, it cleaves at the site of the mismatch. Thus, when the annealed RNA preparation is separated on an electrophoretic gel matrix, if a mismatch has been detected and cleaved by RNase A, an RNA product will be seen which is smaller than the full length duplex RNA for the riboprobe and the mRNA or DNA. The riboprobe need not be the full length of the mRNA or gene but can be a segment of either. If the riboprobe comprises only a segment of the mRNA or gene, it will be desirable to use a number of these probes to screen the whole mRNA sequence for mismatches.
[0025] In similar fashion, DNA probes can be used to detect mismatches, through enzymatic or chemical cleavage. See, e.g., Cotton et al., 1988; Shenk et al., 1975; Novack et al., 1986. Alternatively, mismatches can be detected by shifts in the electrophoretic mobility of mismatched duplexes relative to matched duplexes. See, e.g., Cariello, 1988. With either riboprobes or DNA probes, the cellular mRNA or DNA which might contain a mutation can be amplified using PCR (see below) before hybridization. Changes in DNA of the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 gene can also be detected using Southern hybridization, especially if the changes are gross rearrangements, such as deletions and insertions.
[0026] DNA sequences of the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 gene which have been amplified by use of PCR may also be screened using allele-specific probes. These probes are nucleic acid oligomers, each of which contains a region of the gene sequence harboring a known mutation. For example, one oligomer may be about 30 nucleotides in length, corresponding to a portion of the gene sequence. By use of a battery of such allele-specific probes, PCR amplification products can be screened to identify the presence of a previously identified mutation in the gene. Hybridization of allele-specific probes with amplified KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 sequences can be performed, for example, on a nylon filter. Hybridization to a particular probe under high stringency hybridization conditions indicates the presence of the same mutation in the tissue as in the allele-specific probe.
[0027] The newly developed technique of nucleic acid analysis via microchip technology is also applicable to the present invention. In this technique, literally thousands of distinct oligonucleotide probes are built up in an array on a silicon chip. Nucleic acid to be analyzed is fluorescently labeled and hybridized to the probes on the chip. It is also possible to study nucleic acid-protein interactions using these nucleic acid microchips. Using this technique one can determine the presence of mutations or even sequence the nucleic acid being analyzed or one can measure expression levels of a gene of interest. The method is one of parallel processing of many, even thousands, of probes at once and can tremendously increase the rate of analysis. Several papers have been published which use this technique. Some of these are Hacia et al., 1996; Shoemaker et al., 1996; Chee et al., 1996; Lockhart et al., 1996; DeRisi et al., 1996; Lipshutz et al., 1995. This method has already been used to screen people for mutations in the breast cancer gene BRCA1 (Hacia et al., 1996). This new technology has been reviewed in a news article in Chemical and Engineering News (Borman, 1996) and been the subject of an editorial (Editorial, Nature Genetics, 1996). Also see Fodor (1997).
[0028] The most definitive test for mutations in a candidate locus is to directly compare genomic KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 sequences from patients with those from a control population. Alternatively, one could sequence messenger RNA after amplification, e.g., by PCR, thereby eliminating the necessity of determining the exon structure of the candidate gene.
[0029] Mutations from patients falling outside the coding region of KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 can be detected by examining the non-coding regions, such as introns and regulatory sequences near or within the genes. An early indication that mutations in non-coding regions are important may come from Northern blot experiments that reveal messenger RNA molecules of abnormal size or abundance in patients as compared to control individuals.
[0030] Alteration of KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 mRNA expression can be detected by any techniques known in the art. These include Northern blot analysis, PCR amplification and RNase protection. Diminished mRNA expression indicates an alteration of the wild-type gene. Alteration of wild-type genes can also be detected by screening for alteration of wild-type KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 protein. For example, monoclonal antibodies immunoreactive with HERG can be used to screen a tissue. Lack of cognate antigen would indicate a mutation. Antibodies specific for products of mutant alleles could also be used to detect mutant gene product. Such immunological assays can be done in any convenient formats known in the art. These include Western blots, immunohistochemical assays and ELISA assays. Any means for detecting an altered KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 protein can be used to detect alteration of wild-type KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 genes. Functional assays, such as protein binding determinations, can be used. In addition, assays can be used which detect KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 biochemical function. Finding a mutant KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 gene product indicates alteration of a wild-type KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 gene.
[0031] Mutant KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 genes or gene products can also be detected in other human body samples, such as serum, stool, urine and sputum. The same techniques discussed above for detection of mutant genes or gene products in tissues can be applied to other body samples. By screening such body samples, a simple early diagnosis can be achieved for hereditary LQTS.
[0032] Initially, the screening method involves amplification of the relevant KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 or KCNE2 sequence. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the screening method involves a non-PCR based strategy. Such screening methods include two-step label amplification methodologies that are well known in the art. Both PCR and non-PCR based screening strategies can detect target sequences with a high level of sensitivity. Further details of these methods are briefly presented below and further descriptions can be found in PCT published application WO 96/05306, incorporated herein by reference.
[0033] The most popular method used today is target amplification. Here, the target nucleic acid sequence is amplified with polymerases. One particularly preferred method using polymerase-driven amplification is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The polymerase chain reaction and other polymerase-driven amplification assays can achieve over a million-fold increase in copy number through the use of polymerase-driven amplification cycles. Once amplified, the resulting nucleic acid can be sequenced or used as a substrate for DNA probes.
[0034] When the probes are used to detect the presence of the target sequences, the biological sample to be analyzed, such as blood or serum, may be treated, if desired, to extract the nucleic acids. The sample nucleic acid may be prepared in various ways to facilitate detection of the target sequence; e.g. denaturation, restriction digestion, electrophoresis or dot blotting. The targeted region of the analyte nucleic acid usually must be at least partially single-stranded to form hybrids with the targeting sequence of the probe. If the sequence is naturally single-stranded, denaturation will not be required. However, if the sequence is double-stranded, the sequence will probably need to be denatured. Denaturation can be carried out by various techniques known in the art.
[0035] Analyte nucleic acid and probe are incubated under conditions which promote stable hybrid formation of the target sequence in the probe with the putative targeted sequence in the analyte. The region of the probes which is used to bind to the analyte can be made completely complementary to the targeted region of the genes. Therefore, high stringency conditions are desirable in order to prevent false positives. However, conditions of high stringency are used only if the probes are complementary to regions of the chromosome which are unique in the genome. The stringency of hybridization is determined by a number of factors during hybridization and during the washing procedure, including temperature, ionic strength, base composition, probe length, and concentration of formamide. Under certain circumstances, the formation of higher order hybrids, such as triplexes, quadraplexes, etc., may be desired to provide the means of detecting target sequences.
[0036] Detection, if any, of the resulting hybrid is usually accomplished by the use of labeled probes. Alternatively, the probe may be unlabeled, but may be detectable by specific binding with a ligand which is labeled, either directly or indirectly. Suitable labels, and methods for labeling probes and ligands are known in the art, and include, for example, radioactive labels which may be incorporated by known methods (e.g., nick translation, random priming or kinasing), biotin, fluorescent groups, chemiluminescent groups (e.g., dioxetanes, particularly triggered dioxetanes), enzymes, antibodies and the like. Variations of this basic scheme are known in the art, and include those variations that facilitate separation of the hybrids to be detected from extraneous materials and/or that amplify the signal from the labeled moiety. A number of these variations are well known.
[0037] As noted above, non-PCR based screening assays are also contemplated in this invention. This procedure hybridizes a nucleic acid probe (or an analog such as a methyl phosphonate backbone replacing the normal phosphodiester), to the low level DNA target. This probe may have an enzyme covalently linked to the probe, such that the covalent linkage does not interfere with the specificity of the hybridization. This enzyme-probe-conjugate-target nucleic acid complex can then be isolated away from the free probe enzyme conjugate and a substrate is added for enzyme detection. Enzymatic activity is observed as a change in color development or luminescent output resulting in a 10 3 -10 6 increase in sensitivity. For example, the preparation of oligodeoxynucleotide-alkaline phosphatase conjugates and their use as hybridization probes are well known.
[0038] Two-step label amplification methodologies are known in the art. These assays work on the principle that a small ligand (such as digoxigenin, biotin, or the like) is attached to a nucleic acid probe capable of specifically binding the target gene. Allele specific probes are also contemplated within the scope of this example.
[0039] In one example, the small ligand attached to the nucleic acid probe is specifically recognized by an antibody-enzyme conjugate. In one embodiment of this example, digoxigenin is attached to the nucleic acid probe. Hybridization is detected by an antibody-alkaline phosphatase conjugate which turns over a chemiluminescent substrate. In a second example, the small ligand is recognized by a second ligand-enzyme conjugate that is capable of specifically complexing to the first ligand. A well known embodiment of this example is the biotin-avidin type of interactions. Methods for labeling nucleic acid probes and their use in biotin-avidin based assays are well known.
[0040] It is also contemplated within the scope of this invention that the nucleic acid probe assays of this invention will employ a cocktail of nucleic acid probes capable of detecting the gene or genes. Thus, in one example to detect the presence of KVLQT1 in a cell sample, more than one probe complementary to KVLQT1 is employed and in particular the number of different probes is alternatively 2, 3, or 5 different nucleic acid probe sequences. In another example, to detect the presence of mutations in the KVLQT1 gene sequence in a patient, more than one probe complementary to KVLQT1 is employed where the cocktail includes probes capable of binding to the allele-specific mutations identified in populations of patients with alterations in KVLQT1. In this embodiment, any number of probes can be used.
[0041] Large amounts of the polynucleotides of the present invention may be produced by replication in a suitable host cell. Natural or synthetic polynucleotide fragments coding for a desired fragment will be incorporated into recombinant polynucleotide constructs, usually DNA constructs, capable of introduction into and replication in a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell. Usually the polynucleotide constructs will be suitable for replication in a unicellular host, such as yeast or bacteria, but may also be intended for introduction to (with and without integration within the genome) cultured mammalian or plant or other eukaryotic cell lines. The purification of nucleic acids produced by the methods of the present invention are described, e.g., in Sambrook et al., 1989 or Ausubel et al., 1992.
[0042] The polynucleotides of the present invention may also be produced by chemical synthesis, e.g., by the phosphoramidite method described by Beaucage and Caruthers (1981) or the triester method according to Matteucci and Caruthers (1981) and may be performed on commercial, automated oligonucleotide synthesizers. A double-stranded fragment may be obtained from the single-stranded product of chemical synthesis either by synthesizing the complementary strand and annealing the strand together under appropriate conditions or by adding the complementary strand using DNA polymerase with an appropriate primer sequence.
[0043] Polynucleotide constructs prepared for introduction into a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host may comprise a replication system recognized by the host, including the intended polynucleotide fragment encoding the desired polypeptide, and will preferably also include transcription and translational initiation regulatory sequences operably linked to the polypeptide encoding segment. Expression vectors may include, for example, an origin of replication or autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) and expression control sequences, a promoter, an enhancer and necessary processing information sites, such as ribosome-binding sites, RNA splice sites, polyadenylation sites, transcriptional terminator sequences, and mRNA stabilizing sequences. Such vectors may be prepared by means of standard recombinant techniques well known in the art and discussed, for example, in Sambrook et al. (1989) or Ausubel et al. (1992).
[0044] An appropriate promoter and other necessary vector sequences will be selected so as to be functional in the host, and may include, when appropriate, those naturally associated with the KVLQT1 or other gene. Examples of workable combinations of cell lines and expression vectors are described in Sambrook et al. (1989) or Ausubel et al. (1992); see also, e.g., Metzger et al. (1988). Many useful vectors are known in the art and may be obtained from such vendors as Stratagene, New England Biolabs, Promega Biotech, and others. Promoters such as the trp, lac and phage promoters, tRNA promoters and glycolytic enzyme promoters may be used in prokaryotic hosts. Useful yeast promoters include promoter regions for metallothionein, 3-phosphoglycerate kinase or other glycolytic enzymes such as enolase or glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, enzymes responsible for maltose and galactose utilization, and others. Vectors and promoters suitable for use in yeast expression are further described in Hitzeman et al., EP 73,675A. Appropriate non-native mammalian promoters might include the early and late promoters from SV40 (Fiers et al., 1978) or promoters derived from murine Molony leukemia virus, mouse tumor virus, avian sarcoma viruses, adenovirus II, bovine papilloma virus or polyoma. Insect promoters may be derived from baculovirus. In addition, the construct may be joined to an amplifiable gene (e.g., DHFR) so that multiple copies of the gene maybe made. For appropriate enhancer and other expression control sequences, see also Enhancers and Eukaryotic Gene Expression, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1983). See also, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,691,198; 5,735,500; 5,747,469 and 5,436,146.
[0045] While such expression vectors may replicate autonomously, they may also replicate by being inserted into the genome of the host cell, by methods well known in the art.
[0046] Expression and cloning vectors will likely contain a selectable marker, a gene encoding a protein necessary for survival or growth of a host cell transformed with the vector. The presence of this gene ensures growth of only those host cells which express the inserts. Typical selection genes encode proteins that a) confer resistance to antibiotics or other toxic substances, e.g. ampicillin, neomycin, methotrexate, etc., b) complement auxotrophic deficiencies, or c) supply critical nutrients not available from complex media, e.g., the gene encoding D-alanine racemase for Bacilli . The choice of the proper selectable marker will depend on the host cell, and appropriate markers for different hosts are well known in the art.
[0047] The vectors containing the nucleic acids of interest can be transcribed in vitro, and the resulting RNA introduced into the host cell by well-known methods, e.g., by injection (see, Kubo et al. (1988)), or the vectors can be introduced directly into host cells by methods well known in the art, which vary depending on the type of cellular host, including electroporation; transfection employing calcium chloride, rubidium chloride calcium phosphate, DEAE-dextran, or other substances; microprojectile bombardment; lipofection; infection (where the vector is an infectious agent, such as a retroviral genome); and other methods. See generally, Sambrook et al. (1989) and Ausubel et al. (1992). The introduction of the polynucleotides into the host cell by any method known in the art, including, inter alia, those described above, will be referred to herein as “transformation.” The cells into which have been introduced nucleic acids described above are meant to also include the progeny of such cells.
[0048] Large quantities of the nucleic acids and polypeptides of the present invention may be prepared by expressing the KVLQT1 nucleic acid or portions thereof in vectors or other expression vehicles in compatible prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cells. The most commonly used prokaryotic hosts are strains of Escherichia coli , although other prokaryotes, such as Bacillus subtilis or Pseudomonas may also be used.
[0049] Mammalian or other eukaryotic host cells, such as those of yeast, filamentous fungi, plant, insect, or amphibian or avian species, may also be useful for production of the proteins of the present invention. Propagation of mammalian cells in culture is per se well known. See, Jakoby and Pastan (eds.) (1979). Examples of commonly used mammalian host cell lines are VERO and HeLa cells, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, and W138, BHK, and COS cell lines, although it will be appreciated by the skilled practitioner that other cell lines may be appropriate, e.g., to provide higher expression, desirable glycosylation patterns, or other features. An example of a commonly used insect cell line is SF9.
[0050] Clones are selected by using markers depending on the mode of the vector construction. The marker maybe on the same or a different DNA molecule, preferably the same DNA molecule. In prokaryotic hosts, the transformant may be selected, e.g., by resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline or other antibiotics. Production of a particular product based on temperature sensitivity may also serve as an appropriate marker.
[0051] Prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells transformed with the polynucleotides of the present invention will be useful not only for the production of the nucleic acids and polypeptides of the present invention, but also, for example, in studying the characteristics of KVLQT1 or other polypeptides.
[0052] The probes and primers based on the KVLQT1 or other gene sequences disclosed herein are used to identify homologous KVLQT1 or other gene sequences and proteins in other species. These gene sequences and proteins are used in the diagnostic/prognostic, therapeutic and drug screening methods described herein for the species from which they have been isolated.
[0053] The studies described in the Examples below resulted in the determination of many novel mutations. Previous studies had defined 126 distinct disease causing mutations in the LQTS genes KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 and KCNE2 (Wang Q. et al., 1996a; Curran et al., 1995; Wang et al., 1995a; Splawski et al., 1997a; Abbott et al., 1999; Chouabe et al., 1997; Wollnik et al., 1997; Neyroud et al., 1997; Splawski et al., 1997b; Tyson et al., 1997; Schulze-Bahr et al., 1997; Priori et al., 1999; Splawski et al., 1998; Wang et al., 1995b; Russell et al., 1996; Neyroud et al., 1998; Neyroud et al., 1999; Donger et al., 1997; Tanaka et al., 1997; Jongbloed et al., 1999; Priori et al., 1998; Itoh et al., 1998a; Itoh et al., 1998b; Mohammad-Panah et al., 1999; Saarinen et al., 1998; Ackerman et al., 1998; Berthet et al., 1999; Kanters, 1998; van den Berg et al., 1997; Dausse et al., 1996; Benson et al., 1996; Akimoto et al., 1998; Satler et al., 1996; Satler et al., 1998; Makita et al., 1998, An et al., 1998; Schulze-Bahr et al., 1995; Duggal et al., 1998; Chen Q. et al., 1999; Li et al., 1998; Wei et al., 1999; Larsen et al., 1999a; Bianchi et al., 1999; Ackerman et al., 1999a; Ackerman et al., 1999b; Murray et al., 1999; Larsen et al., 1999b; Yoshida et al., 1999; Wattanasirichaigoon et al., 1999; Bezzina et al., 1999; Hoorntje et al., 1999). The sequence of each wild-type gene has been published. The KVLQT1 can be found in Splawski et al. (1998) and the coding region of the cDNA is shown herein as SEQ ID NO:1 and the encoded KVLQT1 is shown as SEQ ID NO:2. SCN5A was reported by Gellens et al. (1992) and its sequence is provided by GenBank Accession No. NM — 000335. The coding sequence of SCN5A is shown herein as SEQ ID NO:3 and the encoded SCN5A is shown as SEQ ID NO:4. Most of the mutations were found in KVLQT1 (Yoshida et al., 1999) and HERG (Itoh et al., 1998b), and fewer in SCN5A (Wang Q. et al., 1996a), KCNE1 (Jiang et al., 1994) and KCNE2 (Ward, 1964). These mutations were identified in regions with known intron/exon structure, primarily the transmembrane and pore domains. In this study, we screened 262 individuals with LQTS for mutations in all known arrhythmia genes. We identified 134 mutations, 80 of which were novel. Together with 43 mutations reported in our previous studies, we have now identified 177 mutations in these 262 LQTS individuals (68%). The failure to identify mutations in 32% of the individuals may result from phenotypic errors, incomplete sensitivity of SSCP or presence of mutations in regulatory sequences. However, it is also clear that additional LQTS genes await discovery (Jiang et al., 1994; Schott et al., 1995).
[0054] Missense mutations were most common (72%), followed by frameshift mutations (10%), in-frame deletions, nonsense and splice site mutations (5-7% each). Most mutations resided in intracellular (52%) and transmembrane (30%) domains; 12% were found in pore and 6% in extracellular segments. One hundred one of the 129 distinct LQTS mutations (78%) were identified in single families or individuals. Most of the 177 mutations were found in KVLQT1 (75 or 42%) and HERG (80 or 45%). These two genes accounted for 87% of the identified mutations, while mutations in SCN5A (14 or 8%), KCNE1 (5 or 3%) and KCNE2 (3 or 2%) accounted for the other 13%.
[0055] Multiple mutations were found in regions encoding S5, S5/P, P and S6 of KVLQT1 and HERG. The P region of potassium channels forms the outer pore and contains the selectivity filter (Doyle et al., 1998). Transmembrane segment 6, corresponding to the inner helix of KcsA, forms the inner ⅔ of the pore. This structure is supported by the S5 transmembrane segment, corresponding to the outer helix of KcsA, and is conserved from prokaryotes to eukaryotes ((MacKinnon et al., 1998). Mutations in these regions will likely disrupt potassium transport. Many mutations were identified in the C-termini of KVLQT1 and HERG. Changes in the C-terminus of HERG could lead to anomalies in tetramerization as it has been proposed that the C-terminus of eag, which is related to HERG, is involved in this process (Ludwig et al, 1994).
[0056] Multiple mutations were also identified in regions that were different for KVLQT1 and HERG. In KVLQT1, multiple mutations were found in the sequences coding for the S2/S3 and S4/S5 linkers. Coexpression of S2/S3 mutants with wild-type KVLQT1 in Xenopus oocytes led to simple loss of function or dominant-negative effect without significantly changing the biophysical properties of I Ks channels (Chouabe et al., 1997; Shalaby et al., 1997; Wang et al., 1999). On the other hand, S4/S5 mutations altered the gating properties of the channels and modified KVLQT1 interactions with minK subunits (Wang et al., 1999; Franqueza et al., 1999). In HERG, more than 20 mutations were identified in the N-terminus. HERG channels lacking this region deactivate faster and mutations in the region had a similar effect (Chen J. et al., 1999).
[0057] Mutations in KCNE1 and KCNE2, encoding minK and MiRP 1, the respective I Ks and I Kr β-subunits, altered the biophysical properties of the channels (Splawski et al., 1997a; Abbott et al., 1999; Sesti and Goldstein, 1998). A MiRPI mutant, involved in clarithromyocin-induced arrhythmia, increased channel blockade by the antibiotic (Abbott et al., 1999). Mutations in SCN5A, the sodium channel α-subunit responsible for cardiac I Na , destabilized the inactivation gate causing delayed channel inactivation and dispersed reopenings (Bennett et al., 1995; Dumaine et al., 1996; Wei et al., 1999; Wang D W et al., 1996). One SCN5A mutant affected the interactions with the sodium channel β-subunit (An et al., 1998).
[0058] It is interesting to note that probands with KCNE1 and KCNE2 mutations were older and had shorter QTc than probands with the other genotypes. The significance of these differences is unknown, however, as the number of probands with KCNE1 and KCNE2 genotypes was small.
[0059] This catalogue of mutations will facilitate genotype-phenotype analyses. It also has clinical implications for presymptomatic diagnosis and, in some cases, for therapy. Patients with mutations in KVLQT1, HERG, KCNE1 and KCNE2, for example, may benefit from potassium therapy (Compton et al., 1996). Sodium channel blockers, on the other hand, might be helpful in patients with SCN5A mutations (Schwartz et al. (1995). The identification of mutations is of importance for ion channel studies as well. The expression of mutant channels in heterologous systems can reveal how structural changes influence the behavior of the channel or how mutations affect processing (Zhou et al., 1998; Furutani et al., 1999). These studies improve our understanding of channel function and provide insights into mechanisms of disease. Finally, mutation identification will contribute to the development of genetic screening for arrhythmia susceptibility.
[0060] The present invention is described by reference to the following Examples, which are offered by way of illustration and are not intended to limit the invention in any manner. Standard techniques well known in the art or the techniques specifically described in the Examples were utilized.
EXAMPLE 1
Ascertainment and Phenotyping
[0061] Individuals were ascertained in clinics from North America and Europe. Individuals were evaluated for LQTS based on QTc (the QT interval corrected for heart rate) and for the presence of symptoms. In this study, we focused on the probands. Individuals show prolongation of the QT interval (QTc≧460 ms) and/or documented torsade de pointes, ventricular fibrillation, cardiac arrest or aborted sudden death. Informed consent was obtained in accordance with local institutional review board guidelines. Phenotypic data were interpreted without knowledge of genotype. Sequence changes altering coding regions or predicted to affect splicing that were not detected in at least 400 control chromosomes were defined as mutations. No changes except known polymorphisms were detected ina ny of the genes in the control population. This does not exclude the possibility that some mutations are rare variants not associated with disease.
EXAMPLE 2
Mutational Analyses
[0062] To determine the spectrum of LQTS mutations, we used SSCP (Single Stand Conformation Polymorphism) and DNA sequence analyses to screen 262 unrelated individuals with LQTS. Seventeen primer pairs were used to screen KVLQT1 (Splawski et al., 1998), twenty-one primer pairs were used for HERG (Splawski et al., 1998) and three primer pairs were used for KCNE1 (Splawski et al., 1997a) and KCNE2 (Abbott et al., 1999). Thirty-three primer pairs (Wang Q. et al., 1996b) were used in SSCP analysis to screen all SCN5A exons in 50 individuals with suspected abnormalities in I Na . Exons 23-28, in which mutations were previously identified, were screened in all 262 individuals.
[0063] Gender, age, QTc and presence of symptoms are summarized in Table 1. The average age at ascertainment was 29 with a corrected QT interval of 492 ms. Seventy-five percent had a history of symptoms and females predominated with an˜2:1 ratio. Although the numbers were small, corrected QT intervals for individuals harboring KCNE1 and KCNE2 mutations were shorter at 457 ms.
TABLE 1 Age, QTc, Gender and Presence of Symptoms Age*, y QTc, ms Genotype (mean ± SD) Gender (F/M) (mean ± SD) Symptoms † KVLQT1 32 ± 19 52/23 493 ± 45 78% HERG 31 ± 19 51/29 498 ± 48 71% SCN5A 32 ± 24 8/6 511 ± 42 55% KCNE1 43 ± 16 3/2 457 ± 25 40% KCNE2 54 ± 20 3/0 457 ± 05 67% unknown 25 ± 16 56/29 484 ± 46 81% all 29 ± 19 173/89 492 ± 47 75% *-age at ascertainment † -symptoms include syncope, cardiac arrest or sudden death
[0064] The SSCP analyses revealed many mutations. KVLQT1 mutations associated with LQTS were identified in 52 individuals ( FIG. 1 and Table 2). Twenty of the mutations were novel. HERG mutations were identified in 68 LQTS individuals ( FIG. 2 and Table 3). Fifty-two of these mutations were novel. SCN5A mutations were identified in eight cases ( FIG. 3 and Table 4). Five of the mutations were novel. Three novel KCNE1 mutations were identified ( FIG. 4 and Table 5) and three mutations were identified in KCNE2 ( FIG. 5 and Table 6) (Abbott et al., 1999). None of the KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 and KCNE2 mutations was observed in 400 control chromosomes.
TABLE 2 Summary of All KVLQT1 Mutations* Number Nucleotide Coding of Change † Effect Position Exon familles ‡ Study del211-219 del71-73 N-terminus 1 1 Ackerman et al., 1999a A332G† Y111C N-terminus 1 1 This de1451-452 A150fs/132 S2 2 1 JLN Chen Q. et al., 1999 T470G F157C S2 1 1 Larsen et al., 1999a G477 + 1A M159sp S2 2 1 JLN, This; Donger et al., 1997 1 UK G477 + 5A M159sp S2 1 1 Ackerman et al., 1999b G478A† E160K S2 3 1 This del500-502 F167W/del S2 3 1 Wang Q. et al., 1996a G168 G502A G168R S2 3 7 This; Splawski et al., 1998; Donger et al., 1997 C520T R174C S2/S3 3 1 Donger et al., 1997 G521A† R174H S2/S3 3 1 This G532A A178T S2/S3 3 1 Tanaka et al., 1997 G532C A178P S2/S3 3 1 Wang Q. et al., 1996a G535A† G179S S2/S3 3 1 This A551C Y184S S2/S3 3 2 This; Jongbloed et al., 1999 G565A G189R S2/S3 3 3 Wang Q. et al., 1996a; Jongbloed et al., 1999 insG567-568 G189fs/94 S2/S3 3 1 (RW + JLN) Splawski et al., 1997b G569A R190Q S2/S3 3 2 Splawski et al., 1998; Donger et al., 1997 del572-576 L191fs/90 S2/S3 3 1 JLN, Tyson et al., 1997; 1 RW Ackerman et al., 1999b 2 (JLN + RW) G580C† A194P S2/S3 3 1 This C674T S225L S4 4 2 This; Priori et al., 1999 G724A D242N S4/S5 5 1 Itoh et al., 1998b C727T† R243C S4/S5 5 2 This G728A R243H S4/S5 5 1 JLN Saarinen et al., 1998 T742C† W248R S4/S5 5 1 This T749A L250H S4/S5 5 1 Itoh et al., 1998a G760A V254M S4/S5 5 4 This; Wang Q. et al., 1996a; Donger et al., 1997 G781A E261K S4/S5 6 1 Donger et al., 1997 T797C† L266P S5 6 1 This G805A G269S S5 6 1 Ackerman et al., 1999b G806A G269D S5 6 3 This; Donger et al., 1997 C817T L273F S5 6 2 This; Wang Q. et al., 1996a A842G Y281C S5 6 1 Priori et al., 1999 G898A A300T S5/Pore 6 1 Priori et al., 1998 G914C W305S Pore 6 1 JLN Chouabe et al., 1997 G916A G306R Pore 6 1 Wang Q. et al, 1996a de1921- V307sp Pore 6 1 Li et al., 1998 (921 + 2) G921 + 1T† V307sp Pore 6 1 This A922-2C† V307sp Pore 7 1 This G922-1C V307sp Pore 7 1 Murray et al., 1999 C926G T309R Pore 7 1 Donger et al., 1997 G928A† V310I Pore 7 1 This C932T T311I Pore 7 1 Saarinen et al., 1998 C935T T312I Pore 7 2 This; Wang Q. et al., 1996a C939G I313M Pore 7 1 Tanaka et al., 1997 G940A G314S Pore 7 7 Splawski et al., 1998; Russell et al., 1996; Donger et al., 1997; Jongbloed et al., 1999; Itoh et al., 1998b A944C Y315S Pore 7 3 Donger et al., 1997; Jongbloed et al., 1999 A944G Y315C Pore 7 2 Priori et al., 1999; Splawski et al., 1998 G949A D317N Pore 7 2 Wollnik et al., 1997; Saarinen et al., 1998 G954C K318N Pore 7 1 Splawski et al., 1998 C958G P320A Pore 7 1 Donger et al., 1997 G973A G325R S6 7 4 This; Donger et al., 1997; Tanaka et al., 1997 del1017-1019 delF340 S6 7 2 This; Ackerman et al., 1998 C1022A A341E S6 7 5 This; Wang Q. et al., 1996a; Berthet et al., 1999 C1022T A341V S6 7 7 This; Wang Q. et al., 1996a; Russell et al., 1996; Donger et al., 1997; Li et al., 1998 C1024T L342F S6 7 1 Donger et al., 1997 C1031T A344V S6 7 1 Donger et al., 1997 G1032A A344sp S6 7 9 This; Kanters, 1998; Li et al., 1998; Ackerman et al., 1999b; Murray et al., 1999 G1032C A344sp S6 7 1 Murray et al, 1999 G1033C G345R S6 8 1 van den Berg et al., 1997 G1034A G345E S6 8 1 Wang Q. et al., 1996a C1046G† S349W S6 8 1 This T1058C L353P S6 8 1 Splawski et al., 1998 C1066T† Q356X C-terminus 8 1 This C1096T R366W C-terminus 8 1 Splawski et al., 1998 G1097A† R366Q C-terminus 8 1 This G1097C R366P C-terminus 8 1 Tanaka et al., 1997 G1111A A371T C-terminus 8 1 Donger et al., 1997 T1117C S373P C-terminus 8 1 Jongbloed et al., 1999 C1172T† T391I C-terminus 9 1 This T1174C W392R C-terminus 9 1 Jongbloed et al., 1999 C1343G† P448R C-terminus 10 2 This C1522T R518X C-terminus 12 1 JLN, This; Larsen et al., 1999 3 RW G1573A A525T C-terminus 12 1 Larsen et al., 1999b C1588T† Q530X C-terminus 12 1 JLN, This 1 RW C1615T R539W C-terminus 13 1 Chouabe et al., 1997 de16/ins7 E543fs/107 C-terminus 13 1 JLN Neyroud et al., 1997 C1663T R555C C-terminus 13 3 Donger et al., 1997 C1697T† S566F C-terminus 14 3 This C1747T† R583C C-terminus 15 1 This C1760T T587M C-terminus 15 1 JLN, Donger et al., 1997; 1 RW Itoh et al., 1998b G1772A R591H C-terminus 15 1 Donger et al., 1997 G1781A† R594Q C-terminus 15 3 This del1892-1911 P630fs/13 C-terminus 16 1 JLN Donger et al., 1997 insC1893-1894 P631fs/19 C-terminus 16 1 Donger et al., 1997 *—ins denotes insertion; del denotes deletion; sp denotes the last unaffected amino acid before the predicted splice mutation; fs denotes the last amino acid unaffected by a frameshift, following fs is the number of amino acids before termination; X denotes a stop codon occurred. †—denotes novel mutation ‡ —Number of Romano-Ward families unless otherwise indicated (UK —unknown)
[0065]
TABLE 3
Summary of All HERG Mutations*
Number
Nucleotide
Coding
of RW
Change
Effect
Position
Exon
Families
Study
C87A†
F29L
N-terminus
2
1
This
A98C†
N33T
N-terminus
2
2
This
C132A†
C44X
N-terminus
2
1
This
G140T†
G47V
N-terminus
2
1
This
G157C†
G53R
N-terminus
2
1
This
G167A†
R56Q
N-terminus
2
1
This
T196G†
C66G
N-terminus
2
1
This
A209G†
H70R
N-terminus
2
2
This
C215A†
P72Q
N-terminus
2
2
This
del221-251†
R73fs/31
N-terminus
2
1
This
G232C†
A78P
N-terminus
2
1
This
dupl234-250†
A83fs/37
N-terminus
2
1
This
C241T†
Q81X
N-terminus
2
1
This
T257G†
L86R
N-terminus
2
1
This
insC422-423†
P141fs/2
N-terminus
3
1
This
insC453-454†
P151fs/
N-terminus
3
1
This
179
dupl558-600
L200fs/
N-terminus
4
1
Hoorntje et al., 1999
144
insC724-725†
P241fs/89
N-terminus
4
1
This
del885†
V295fs/63
N-terminus
4
1
This
C934T†
R312C
N-terminus
5
1
This
C1039T†
P347S
N-terminus
5
1
This
G1128A†
Q376sp
N-terminus
5
1
This
A1129-2G†
Q376sp
N-terminus
6
1
This
del1261
Y420fs/12
S1
6
1
Curran et al., 1995
C1283A
S428X
S1/S2
6
1
Priori et al., 1999
C1307T
T436M
S1/S2
6
1
Priori et al., 1999
A1408G
N470D
S2
6
1
Curran et al., 1995
C1421T
T474I
S2/S3
6
1
Tanaka et al., 1997
C1479G
Y493X
S2/S3
6
1
Itoh et al., 1998a
del1498-1524
del500-508
S3
6
1
Curran et al., 1995
G1592A†
R531Q
S4
7
1
This
C1600T
R534C
S4
7
1
Itoh et al., 1998a
T1655C†
L552S
S5
7
1
This
delT1671
T556fs/7
S5
7
1
Schulze-Bahr et al., 1995
G1672C
A558P
S5
7
1
Jongbloed et al., 1999
G1681A
A561T
S5
7
4
This; Dausse et al., 1996
C1682T
A561V
S5
7
4
This; Curran et al., 1995;
Priori et al., 1999
G1714C
G572R
S5/Pore
7
1
Larsen et al., 1999a
G1714T
G572C
S5/Pore
7
1
Splawski et al., 1998
C1744T
R582C
S5/Pore
7
1
Jongbloed et al., 1999
G1750A†
G584S
S5/Pore
7
1
This
G1755T†
W585C
S5/Pore
7
1
This
A1762G
N588D
S5/Pore
7
1
Splawski et al., 1998
T1778C†
I593T
S5/Pore
7
1
This
T1778G
I593R
S5/Pore
7
1
Benson et al., 1996
G1801A
G601S
S5/Pore
7
1
Akimoto et al., 1998
G1810A
G604S
S5/Pore
7
2
This; Jongbloed et al.,
1999
G1825A†
D609N
S5/Pore
7
1
This
T1831C
Y611H
S5/Pore
7
1
Tanaka et al., 1997
T1833 (A or
Y611X
S5/Pore
7
1
Schulze-Bahr et al., 1995
G)
G1834T
V612L
Pore
7
1
Satler et al., 1998
C1838T
T613M
Pore
7
4
This; Jongbloed et aL,
1999
C1841T
A614V
Pore
7
6
Priori et al., 1999;
Splawski et al., 1998;
Tanaka et al., 1997,
Satler et al., 1998
C1843G†
L615V
Pore
7
1
This
G1876A†
G626S
Pore
7
1
This
C1881G†
F627L
Pore
7
1
This
G1882A
G628S
Pore
7
2
This; Curran et al., 1995
A1885G
N629D
Pore
7
1
Satler et al., 1998
A1886G
N629S
Pore
7
1
Satler et al., 1998
C1887A
N629K
Pore
7
1
Yoshida et al., 1999
G1888C
V630L
Pore
7
1
Tanaka et al., 1997
T1889C
V630A
Pore
7
1
Splawski et al., 1998
C1894T†
P632S
Pore
7
1
This
A1898G
N633S
Pore
7
1
Satler et al., 1998
A1912G†
K638E
S6
7
1
This
del1913-1915†
delK638
S6
7
1
This
C1920A
F640L
S6
7
1
Jongbloed et al., 1999
A1933T†
M645L
S6
7
1
This
del1951-1952
L650fs/2
S6
8
1
Itoh et al., 1998a
G2044T†
E682X
S6/cNBD
8
1
This
C2173T
Q725X
S6/cNBD
9
1
Itoh et al., 1998a
insT2218-2219†
H739fs/63
S6/cNBD
9
1
This
C2254T†
R752W
S6/cNBD
9
1
This
dupl2356-2386
V796fs/22
cNBD
9
1
Itoh et al., 1998a
del2395†
I798fs/10
cNBD
9
1
This
G2398 + 1C
L799sp
cNBD
9
2
This; Curran et al., 1995
T2414C†
F805S
cNBD
10
1
This
T2414G†
F805C
cNBD
10
1
This
C2453T
S818L
cNBD
10
1
Berthet et al., 1999
G2464A
V822M
cNBD
10
2
Berthet et al., 1999;
Satler et al., 1996
C2467T†
R823W
cNBD
10
2
This
A2582T†
N861I
C-terminus
10
1
This
G2592 + 1A
D864sp
C-terminus
10
2
This; Berthet et al., 1999
del2660†
K886fs/85
C-terminus
11
1
This
C2750T†
P917L
C-terminus
12
1
This
del2762†
R920fs/51
C-terminus
12
1
This
C2764T†
R922W
C-terminus
12
1
This
insG2775-2776†
G925fs/13
C-terminus
12
1
This
del2906†
P968fs/4
C-terminus
12
1
This
del2959-2960†
P986fs/
C-terminus
12
1
This
130
C3040T†
R1014X
C-terminus
13
2
This
de13094†
G1031fs/
C-terminus
13
1
This
24
insG3107-3108
G1036fs/
C-terminus
13
1
Berthet et al., 1999
82
insC3303-3304†
P1101fs
C-terminus
14
1
This
*—all characters same as in Table 2
[0066]
TABLE 4
Summary of All SCN5A Mutations
Number
Nucleotide
Coding
of RW
Change
Effect
Position
Exon
Families
Study
G3340A†
D1114N
DII/DIII
18
1
This
C3911T
T1304M
DIII/S4
22
1
Wattanasirichaigoon et al.,
1999
A3974G
N1325S
DIII/S4/S5
23
1
Wang et al., 1995b
C4501G†
L1501V
DIII/DIV
26
1
This
del4511-4519
del1505-1507
DIII/DIV
26
4
Wang et al., 1995a; Wang et
al., 1995b
del4850-4852†
delF1617
DIV/S3/S4
28
1
This
G4868A
R1623Q
DIV/S4
28
2
This; Makita et al., 1998
G4868T†
R1623L
DIV/S4
28
1
This
G4931A
R1644H
DIV/S4
28
2
This; Wang et al., 1995b
C4934T
T1645M
DIV/S4
28
1
Wattanasirichaigoon et al.,
1999
G5350A†
E1784K
C-terminus
28
2
This; Wei et al., 1999
G5360A†
S1787N
C-terminus
28
1
This
A5369G
D1790G
C-terminus
28
1
An et al., 1998
insTGA
insD1795-1796
C-terminus
28
1
Bezzina et al., 1999
5385-5386
*—all characters same as in Table 2. Fifty individuals with suspected abnormalities in I Na were screened for all SCN5A exons. All individuals were screened for exons 23-28.
[0067]
TABLE 5
Summary of All KCNE1 Mutations*
Nucleotide
Coding
Number of
Change
Effect
Position
Exon
Families
Study
C20T
T7I
N-terminus
3
1 JLN
Schulze-
Bahr et al.,
1997
G95A†
R32H
N-terminus
3
1
This
G139T
V47F
S1
3
1 JLN
Bianchi et
al., 1999
TG151-152AT
L51H
S1
3
1 JLN
Bianchi et
al., 1999
A172C/TG
TL58-
S1
3
1 JLN
Tyson et al.,
176-177CT
59PP
1997
C221T
S74L
C-terminus
3
1
Splawski et
al., 1997a
G226A
D76N
C-terminus
3
1 JLN,
Splawski et
1 RW,
al., 1997a;
1 (JLN +
Tyson et al.,
RW)
1997;
Duggal et
al., 1998
T259C
W87R
C-terminus
3
1
Bianchi et
al., 1999
C292T†
R98W
C-terminus
3
1
This
C379A†
P127T
C-terminus
3
1
This
*—all characters same as in Table 2
[0068]
TABLE 6
Summary of All KCNE2 Mutations
Nucle-
Number
otide
Coding
of
Change
Effect
Position
Exon
Families
Study
C25G
Q9E
N-terminus
1
1
Abbott et al., 1999
T161T
M54T
S1
1
1
Abbott et al., 1999
T170C
I57T
S1
1
1
Abbott et al., 1999
[0069]
TABLE 7
Mutations by Type
Type
KVLQT1
HERG
SCN5A
KCNE1
KCNE2
Total
Missense
59
52
9
5
3
128
Nonsense
6
5
0
0
0
11
AA deletion*
2
2
5
0
0
9
Frameshift
1
16
0
0
0
17
Splice
7
5
0
0
0
12
Total
75
80
14
5
3
177
*—AA denotes amino acid
[0070]
TABLE 8
Mutations by Position
Gene
Protein
KVLQT1
HERG
SCN5A
KCNE1
KCNE2
Position
KVLQT1
HERG
SCN5A
minK
MiRP1
Total
Extracellular
0
7
1
1
1
10
Trans-
33
13
5
0
2
53
membrane
Pore
9
12
0
N/A
N/A
21
Intracellular
33
48
8
4
0
93
Total
75
80
14
5
3
177
[0071] While the invention has been disclosed in this patent application by reference to the details of preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the disclosure is intended in an illustrative rather than in a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.
List of References
[0072]
Abbott G W, et al. (1999). Cell 97:175-187.
Ackerman M J, et al. (1998). Pediatr. Res. 44:148-153.
Ackerman M J, et al. (1999a). N. Engl. J. Med. 341:1121-1125.
Ackerman M J, et al. (1999b). Mayo Clin. Proc. 74:1088-1094.
Akimoto K, et al. (1998). Hum. Mutat. 1:S184-S186.
An R H, et al. (1998). Circ. Res. 83:141-146.
Ausubel F M, et al. (1992). Current Protocols in Molecular Biology , (John Wiley and Sons, New York, N.Y.).
Barhanin J, et al. (1996). Nature 384:78-80.
Beaucage S L and Caruthers M H (1981). Tetra. Letts. 22:1859-1862.
Bennett P B, et al. (1995). Nature 376:683-685.
Benson D W, et al. (1996). Circulation 93:1791-1795.
Berthet M, et al. (1999). Circulation 99:1464-1470.
Bezzina C, et al. (1999). Circ. Res. 85:1206-1213.
Bianchi L, et al. (1999). Hum. Mol. Genet. 8:1499-1507.
Borman S (1996). Chemical & Engineering News , December 9 issue, pp. 42-43.
Cariello N F (1988). Am. J. Human Genetics 42:726-734.
Chee M, et al. (1996). Science 274:610-614.
Chen J, et al. (1999). J. Biol. Chem. 274:10113-10118.
Chen Q, et al. (1999). Circulation 99:1344-1347.
Chouabe C, et al. (1997). EMBO J. 1:5472-5479.
Compton S J, et al. (1996). Circulation 94:1018-1022.
Conner B J, et al. (1983). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80:278-282.
Cotton R G, et al. (1988). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:4397-4401.
Curran M E, et al. (1995). Cell 80:795-803.
Dausse E, et al. (1996). J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. 2:1609-1615.
DeRisi J, et al. (1996). Nat. Genet. 14:457-460.
Donger C, et al. (1997). Circulation 96:2778-2781.
Doyle D A, et al. (1998). Science 280:69-77.
Duggal P, et al. (1998). Circulation 97:142-146.
Dumaine R, et al. (1996). Circ. Res. 78:914-924.
Editorial (1996). Nature Genetics 14:367-370.
Elghanian R, et al. (1997). Science 277:1078-1081.
Enhancers and Eukaryotic Gene Expression , Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1983).
Fiers W, et al. (1978). Nature 273:113-120.
Finkelstein J, et al. (1990). Genomics 7:167-172.
Fodor S P A (1997). Science 277:393-395.
Franqueza L, et al. (1999). J. Biol. Chem. 274:21063-21070.
Furutani M, et al. (1999). Circulation 99:2290-2294.
Gellens M, et al. (1992). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:554-558.
Grompe M (1993). Nature Genetics 5:111-117.
Grompe M, et al., (1989). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:5855-5892.
Hacia J G, et al. (1996). Nature Genetics 14:441-447.
Hoorntje T, et al. (1999). Circulation 100:1264-1267.
Itoh T, et al. (1998a). Hum. Genet. 102:435-439.
Itoh T, et al. (1998b). Hum. Genet. 103:290-294.
Jakoby W B and Pastan I H (eds.) (1979). Cell Culture. Methods in Enzymology volume 58 (Academic Press, Inc., Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (New York)).
Jervell A and Lange-Nielsen F (1957). Am. Heart J. 54:59-68.
Jiang C, et al. (1994). Nat. Genet. 8:141-147.
Jongbloed R J, et al. (1999). Hum. Mutat. 13:301-310.
Kanters J (1998). J. Cardiovasc. Electrophysiol. 9:620-624.
Keating M, et al. (1991). Science 252:704-706.
Kinszler K W, et al. (1991). Science 251:1366-1370.
Kubo T, et al. (1988). FEBS Lett. 241:119.
Larsen L A, et al. (1999a). Hum. Mutat. 13:318-327.
Larsen L A, et al. (1999b). Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 7:724-728.
Li H, et al. (1998). Circulation 97:1264-1269.
Lipshutz R J, et al. (1995). Biotechniques 19:442-447.
Lockhart D J, et al. (1996). Nature Biotechnology 19:1675-1680.
Ludwig J, et al. (1994). EMBO J. 13:4451-4458.
MacKinnon R, et al. (1998). Science 280:106-109.
Makita N, et al. (1998). FEBS Lett. 423:5-9.
Matteucci M D and Caruthers M H (1981). J. Am. Chem. Soc. 103:3185.
Metzger D, et al. (1988). Nature 334:31-36.
Modrich P (1991). Ann. Rev. Genet. 25:229-253.
Mohammad-Panah R, et al. (1999). Am. J. Hum. Genet. 64:1015-1023.
Moss A, et al. (1991). Circulation 84:1136-1144.
Murray A, et al. (1999). Circulation 100: 1077-1084.
Newton C R, et al. (1989). Nucl. Acids Res. 17:2503-2516.
Neyroud N, et al. (1997). Nat. Genet. 15:186-189.
Neyroud N, et al. (1998). Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 6:129-133.
Neyroud N, et al. (1999). Circ. Res. 84:290-297.
Novack D F, et al. (1986). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:586-590.
Orita M, et al. (1989). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:2766-2770.
Priori S G, et al. (1998). Circulation 97:2420-2425.
Priori S G, et al. (1999). Circulation 99:529-533.
Romano C, et al. (1963). Clin. Pediatr. 45:656-683.
Ruano G and Kidd K K (1989). Nucl. Acids Res. 12:8392.
Russell M W, et al. (1996). Hum. Mol. Genet. 5:1319-1324.
Saarinen K, et al. (1998). Hum. Mutat. 11:158-165.
Sambrook J, et al. (1989). Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Ed. (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.).
Sanguinetti M C, et al. (1996a). Nature 384:80-83.
Sanguinetti M C, et al. (1996b). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:2208-2212.
Satler C A, et al. (1996). Am. J. Med. Genet. 65:27-35.
Satler C A, et al. (1998). Hum. Genet. 102:265-272.
Schott J, et al. (1995). Am. J. Hum. Genet. 57:1114-1122.
Schulze-Bahr E, et al. (1995). N. Engl. J. Med. 333:1783-1784.
Schulze-Bahr E, et al. (1997). Nat. Genet. 17:267-268.
Schwartz P J, et al. (1975). Am. Heart J. 89:378-390.
Schwartz P J, et al. (1995). Circulation 92:3381-3386.
Sesti F and Goldstein S A (1998). J. Gen. Physiol. 112:651-663.
Shalaby F Y, et al. (1997). Circulation 96:1733-1736.
Sheffield V C, et al. (1989). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:232-236.
Sheffield V C, et al. (1991). Am. J. Hum. Genet. 49:699-706.
Shenk T E, et al. (1975). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 72:989-993.
Shoemaker D D, et al. (1996). Nature Genetics 14:450-456.
Splawski I, et al. (1997a). Nat. Genet. 17:338-340.
Splawski I, et al. (1997b). N. Engl. J. Med. 336:1562-1567.
Splawski I, et al. (1998). Genomics 51:86-97.
Tanaka T, et al. (1997). Circulation 95:565-567.
Tyson J, et al. (1997). Hum. Mol. Genet. 6:2179-2185.
van den Berg M H, et al. (1997). Hum. Genet. 100:356-361.
Vetter D E, et al. (1996). Neuron 17:1251-1264.
Vincent G M, et al. (1992). N. Engl. J. Med. 327:846-852.
Wang D W (1996). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:13200-13205.
Wang Q, et al. (1995a). Cell 80:805-811.
Wang Q, et al. (1995b). Hum. Mol. Genet. 4:1603-1607.
Wang Q, et al. (1996a). Nat. Genet. 12:17-23.
Wang Q, et al. (1996b). Genomics 34:9-16.
Wang Z, et al. (1999). J. Cardiovasc. Electrophysiol. 10:817-826.
Ward O C (1964). J. Ir. Med. Assoc. 54:103-106.
Wartell R M, et al. (1990). Nucl. Acids Res. 18:2699-2705.
Wattanasirichaigoon D, et al. (1999). Am. J. Med. Genet. 86:470-476.
Wei J, et al. (1999). Circulation 99:3165-3171.
White M B, et al. (1992). Genomics 12:301-306.
Wollnik B, et al. (1997). Hum. Mol. Genet. 6:1943-1949.
Yoshida H, et al. (1999). J. Cardiovasc. Electrophysiol. 10:1262-1270.
Zhou Z, et al. (1998). J. Biol. Chem. 21:21061-21066.
Hitzeman et al., EP 73,675A.
European Patent Application Publication No. 0332435.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,146
U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,198
U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,500
U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,469
|
Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) is a cardiovascular disorder characterized by prolongation of the QT interval on electrocardiogram and presence of syncope, seizures and sudden death. Five genes have been implicated in Romano-Ward syndrome, the autosomal dominant form of LQTS. These genes are KVLQT1, HERG, SCN5A, KCNE1 and KCNE2. Mutations in KVLQT1 and KCNE1 also cause the Jervell and Lange-Nielsen syndrome, a form of LQTS associated with deafness, a phenotypic abnormality inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. Mutational analyses were used to screen 262 unrelated individuals with LQTS for mutations in the five defined genes. A total of 134 mutations were observed of which eighty were novel.
| 2
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a network for efficient communication within a digital system and, in particular, to a multi-stationed grid of stations and interconnecting buses providing a high-speed pipelined and configurable communication network for a field-programmable gate array.
[0003] 2. History of the Prior Art
[0004] Digital systems can be implemented using off-the-shelf integrated circuits. However, system designers can often reduce cost, increase performance, or add capabilities by employing in the system some integrated circuits whose logic functions can be customized. Two common kinds of customizable integrated circuits in digital systems are application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).
[0005] ASICs are designed and manufactured for a particular application. An ASIC includes circuits selected from a library of small logic cells. A typical ASIC also includes large special-purpose blocks that implement widely-used functions, such as a multi-kilobit random-access memory (RAM) or a microprocessor. The logic cells and special-function blocks are placed at suitable locations on the ASIC and connected by means of wiring.
[0006] Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) have several advantages. Because an ASIC contains only the circuits required for the application, it has a small die size. An ASIC also has low power consumption and high performance.
[0007] ASICs have some disadvantages. It takes a lot of time and money to design ASICs because the design process is complex. Creating prototypes for an ASIC is complex as well, so prototyping also takes a lot of time and money.
[0008] Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are another kind of customizable integrated circuit that is common in digital systems. An FPGA is a general-purpose device. It is meant to be configured for a particular application by the system designer.
[0009] FIG. 21 provides a schematic diagram of a portion of a conventional FPGA. The FPGA includes a plurality of general-purpose configurable logic blocks, a plurality of configurable special-purpose blocks, and a plurality of routing crossbars. In an example, each logic block, such as logic block 101 , may include a plurality of four-input lookup tables (LUTs) and a plurality of configurable one-bit sequential cells, each of which can be configured as a flip-flop or a latch. A configurable special-purpose block, such as special-purpose blocks 151 and 155 , implements a widely-used function. An FPGA may have more than one type of special-purpose block.
[0010] The routing crossbars form a two-dimensional routing network that provides configurable connections among the logic blocks and the special-purpose blocks. In the illustrative FPGA, each routing crossbar is connected to the nearest-neighbor routing crossbars in four directions and to either a logic block or a special-purpose block. For example, routing crossbars 125 and 100 are connected by buses 104 . In the example FPGA, each logic block, such as logic block 101 , is connected to one routing crossbar, such as routing crossbar 100 . Special-purpose blocks are typically much larger than logic blocks and typically have more input and output signals, so a special-purpose block, such as special-purpose block 151 , may be connected by a plurality of buses to a plurality of routing crossbars, such as routing crossbars 130 - 133 .
[0011] The logic blocks, special-purpose blocks, and routing crossbars contain circuitry (called configuration memory) which allows their operation to be configured. A user's design is implemented in the FPGA by setting the configuration memory appropriately. Several forms of configuration memory are used by contemporary FPGAs, the most common form being static random-access memory. Configuring an FPGA places it in a condition to perform a specific one of many possible applications.
[0012] Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) have advantages over application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Prototyping an FPGA is a relatively fast and inexpensive process. Also, it takes less time and money to implement a design in an FPGA than to design an ASIC because the FPGA design process has fewer steps.
[0013] FPGAs have some disadvantages, the most important being die area. Logic blocks use more area than the equivalent ASIC logic cells, and the switches and configuration memory in routing crossbars use far more area than the equivalent wiring of an ASIC. FPGAs also have higher power consumption and lower performance than ASICs.
[0014] The user of an FPGA may improve its performance by means of a technique known as pipelining. The operating frequency of a digital design is limited, in part, by the number of levels of look-up tables that data must pass through between one set of sequential cells and the next. The user can partition a set of look-up tables into a pipeline of stages by using additional sets of sequential cells. This technique may reduce the number of levels of look-up tables between sets of sequential cells and, therefore, may allow a higher operating frequency. However, pipelining does not improve the performance of FPGAs relative to that of ASICs, because the designer of an ASIC can also use the pipelining technique.
[0015] It would be desirable to provide circuitry which allows the configurability, low time and cost of design, and low time and cost of prototyping typical of an FPGA while maintaining the high performance, low die area, and low power expenditure of an ASIC. Specialized special-purpose blocks might help the integrated circuit resemble an ASIC by having relatively high performance and relatively low die area. The integrated circuit might retain most of the benefits of an FPGA in being relatively configurable and in needing low time and cost for design and low time and cost for prototyping.
[0016] However, a conventional FPGA routing crossbar network cannot accommodate the high data bandwidth of the special-purpose blocks in such an integrated circuit. The operating frequency of signals routed through a routing crossbar network is relatively low. A user may employ pipeline registers to increase the frequency somewhat, but doing so consumes register resources in the logic blocks. Building an FPGA with a much greater number of routing crossbars than usual would increase the data bandwidth, but it is impractical because routing crossbars use a large area.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] It is an object of the present invention to provide area-efficient routing circuitry capable of transferring data at high bandwidth to realize the high performance potential of a hybrid FPGA having special-purpose blocks thereby combining the benefits of FPGAs and ASICs.
[0018] The present invention is realized by a bus structure providing pipelined busing of data between logic circuits and special-purpose circuits of an integrated circuit, the bus structure including a network of pipelined conductors, and connectors selectively joining the pipelined conductors between the special-purpose circuits, other connectors, and the logic circuits.
[0019] These and other objects and features of the invention will be better understood by reference to the detailed description which follows taken together with the drawings in which like elements are referred to by like designations throughout the several views.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates the relationship of stations in the inventive network to a routing crossbar network and to special-purpose blocks;
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a connection routed through stations in the inventive network;
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a network-oriented view of a station;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a station;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic diagram of a connection through the inventive network that has multiple destinations;
[0025] FIG. 6 shows input and output connections for one input port and one output port;
[0026] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the input port logic of a station;
[0027] FIG. 8 shows data zeroing logic for one input port;
[0028] FIG. 9 shows parity generation and checking logic for one input port;
[0029] FIG. 10 shows byte shuffling logic for input ports of a station;
[0030] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the effective behavior of the latency padding logic for one input port;
[0031] FIG. 12 summarizes the preferred embodiment of the latency padding logic for one input port;
[0032] FIG. 13 shows serializing logic for one input port;
[0033] FIG. 14 shows a station's network switch;
[0034] FIG. 15 shows a routing multiplexer for an output link of network switch;
[0035] FIG. 16 is a block diagram of output port logic of a station;
[0036] FIG. 17 shows deserializing logic for one output port;
[0037] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of the effective behavior of the latency padding logic for one output port;
[0038] FIG. 19 shows byte shuffling logic for output ports of a station;
[0039] FIG. 20 shows parity generation and checking logic for one output port; and
[0040] FIG. 21 shows a schematic diagram of a portion of a conventional field-programmable gate array (FPGA).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0041] This description applies to an embodiment of the present invention in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). However, most aspects of the invention can also be embodied in other kinds of integrated circuit, such as an integrated circuit that consists of numerous digital signal processors.
[0042] The preferred embodiment uses static RAM cells for the FPGA configuration memory. However, most aspects of the invention can also be embodied in an FPGA with other kinds of configuration memory, such as fuses, antifuses, or flash memory.
[0043] The present invention is a cross-connection network for data (DCC network). A DCC network consists of a grid of stations that spans the entire field-programmable gate array (FPGA). A DCC network has several key advantages over traditional FPGA routing networks. The combination of features enables many applications in the context of a field-programmable integrated circuit.
[0044] One advantage of the inventive network is that user data is serialized and then pipelined across the chip. In the preferred embodiment the pipeline frequency can be as high as two GHz, which is difficult to achieve in an ASIC and impossible to achieve in an FPGA. The high frequency provides a performance advantage.
[0045] Another advantage is that the pipeline registers are built into the stations. They do not consume register resources in the logic blocks, which provides an area advantage over FPGAs.
[0046] A third advantage is that the routing multiplexers in the network switches of the inventive network are configured on a granularity coarser than a single bit. This greatly reduces the number of configuration memory bits and multiplexer ports compared to an FPGA routing network, so it saves a great deal of die area.
[0047] These three advantages provide enough on-chip bandwidth for high-speed special-purpose blocks to communicate with each other, while using much less die area than an FPGA to provide equivalent bandwidth.
[0048] Organization of the Inventive Network: The inventive network consists of a grid of stations that spans the entire field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The two-dimensional network formed by the stations is like a plane that is parallel to the two-dimensional routing crossbar network. These two parallel planes are analogous to the roadways in a city, where the network of freeways is parallel to the network of surface streets.
[0049] FIG. 1 shows the relationship of stations to the routing crossbar network and to special-purpose blocks in one embodiment of the invention. The repeating unit in the routing crossbar network is a four-by-four array of routing crossbars, each with a logic block attached, plus an extra vertical set of four routing crossbars (such as routing crossbars 130 - 133 ). The four extra routing crossbars connect the four-by-four segment of the routing crossbar network to the next group of four-by-four routing crossbars. The repeating unit in the inventive network is the station. Each station has direct connections to the nearest station above it, below it, and to the left and right of it. For example, station 152 is connected to the neighboring station 150 above it by buses 153 . (Note that there are horizontal connections between stations, but FIG. 1 does not show them.) Typically, each station is connected to one repeating unit of the routing crossbar network. The station is connected to the four extra routing crossbars at the routing crossbar ports which could otherwise be connected to logic blocks. For example, station 150 is connected to routing crossbar 133 by buses 154 . Typically, each station is also connected to a special-purpose block. For example, station 150 is connected to special-purpose block 151 by buses. Multiplexers in the station give the special-purpose block access to the routing crossbar network as well as to the inventive network.
[0050] Computer-aided design (CAD) software routes a path through the inventive network by configuring switches in the stations. This is similar to the process of routing a signal through an FPGA routing network, such as the routing crossbar network. Unlike an FPGA network, the inventive network provides one stage of pipeline register at each station, which allows the data to flow at a very high rate.
[0051] FIG. 2 illustrates a connection routed through a series of stations 210 - 215 in the inventive network. User module 200 is implemented with logic blocks. User module 200 sends data into the inventive network through routing crossbar-to-station bus 201 . In this example, the user module sends eighty-bit-wide data at two hundred MHz. Input-port logic in station 210 serializes the data to be ten bits wide at one thousand, six hundred MHz. Data travels from station to station over ten-bit buses 230 - 234 at one thousand, six hundred MHz, with one pipeline register at each station. At the destination station 215 , output-port logic deserializes the data to be forty bits wide and presents it to special-purpose block 221 on bus 220 at four hundred MHz.
[0052] Overview of a Station in the Inventive Network: FIG. 3 shows a network-oriented view of a station in the inventive network. It contains four twenty-bit input ports 300 , input port logic 301 for processing input data, network switch 302 for passing data from station to station, output port logic 303 for processing output data, and four twenty-bit output ports 304 . The station's external connections consist of sixteen five-bit output links 310 - 313 to neighboring stations, and sixteen five-bit input links 320 - 323 from neighboring stations, many input connections 330 from and output connections 331 to routing crossbars and a special-purpose block, and a small number of clock inputs 332 . Some of the clocks operate at the frequencies of user logic and some operate at the faster internal frequencies of the inventive network.
[0053] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a station. A station includes input and output multiplexers 400 , five layers of input port logic 410 - 414 , a network switch 420 , and four layers of output port logic 431 - 434 .
[0054] The input and output multiplexers 400 give a special-purpose block 401 access to the routing crossbar network through four routing crossbars 402 . The input and output multiplexers 400 connect both the special-purpose block 401 and the routing crossbars 402 to the input ports 415 and output ports 435 of the station. Each station has four twenty-bit input ports 415 and four twenty-bit output ports 435 .
[0055] The input port logic 410 - 414 performs a series of functions: data zeroing, parity generation and checking, byte shuffling, latency padding, and serialization.
[0056] The data-zeroing logic 410 can dynamically or statically zero out five-bit portions of the twenty-bit user bus. This feature helps implement multiplexers in the inventive network and also allows the use of five, ten, or fifteen bits of the input port instead of all twenty bits.
[0057] The parity logic 411 can generate parity over nineteen bits or over two groups of nine bits, and it can check parity over all twenty bits or over two groups of ten bits. Output ports have similar parity logic 431 , so parity can be generated or checked at both input ports and output ports. By default, each twenty-bit input port will be serialized onto one five-bit bundle in the inventive network. This implies a default frequency ratio of 4:1 between the internal clock of the inventive network and the user port clock. When the user requires a 2:1 ratio, the byte-shuffling logic 412 can steer twenty bits of data from one user port toward two internal bundles.
[0058] The latency padding logic 413 can add up to fourteen user clock cycles of latency to an input port, and output ports have similar latency padding logic 433 . CAD software uses this logic to pad the end-to-end latency through the inventive network to equal the value specified by the user, largely independent of the number of stations that the data has to pass through.
[0059] The last layer in the input port logic is the serializers 414 , which serialize each twenty-bit input port at the user clock rate onto a five-bit internal bundle. In the preferred embodiment, internal bundles can be clocked at up to two GHz.
[0060] In FIG. 4 , the network switch 420 is a partially populated crossbar switch. It routes five-bit bundles 421 from the four input ports to the sixteen station-to-station output links 422 , from the sixteen station-to-station input links 423 to the sixteen station-to-station output links 422 , and from the sixteen station-to-station input links 423 to the five-bit bundles 424 that feed the four output ports. (The sixteen station-to-station output links 422 correspond to elements 310 - 313 in FIG. 3 , and the sixteen station-to-station input links 423 correspond to elements 320 - 323 in FIG. 3 .) There is a multi-port OR gate at the root of each routing multiplexer in the switch. If a multiplexer is configured to allow more than one bundle into the OR gate, then the data-zeroing logic at the input ports determines which input bus is allowed through the OR gate. This lets the inventive network perform cycle-by-cycle selection for applications such as high-bandwidth multiplexers, user crossbar switches, and time-slicing a connection through the inventive network. In FIG. 4 , the output port logic 431 - 434 performs a series of functions that reverse the functions of the input port. The deserializer 434 distributes a five-bit internal bundle onto a twenty-bit output port at the user clock rate. The latency padding logic 433 can add up to fourteen user clock cycles of latency. Byte-shuffling logic 432 can steer data from one internal bundle toward two user output ports, which is often used with a 2:1 clock ratio. The parity logic 431 can generate parity over nineteen bits or two groups of nine bits, and it can check parity over twenty bits or two groups of ten bits. There is no data-zeroing logic in an output port.
[0061] Creating a Connection through the Inventive Network: To create a connection through the inventive network between two pieces of logic, the user selects logic models from a library provided by the manufacturer of the integrated circuit. CAD software converts the models to physical stations in the inventive network and routes a path through the inventive network. Beginpoint and endpoint models can be provided that have user bus widths in every multiple of five bits from five to eighty.
[0062] FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic diagram of a connection through the inventive network that has more than one destination. In this example, user module 520 is implemented with logic blocks. The user sends the output of module 520 to two destinations, parser ring 522 for header parsing and dual-port random-access memory (RAM) 524 for packet buffering. User module 520 in this example produces eighty-bit data 521 at two hundred MHz, and parser ring 522 and dual-port RAM 524 consume forty-bit data 505 and 507 , respectively, at four hundred MHz. The data travels over the inventive network as two five-bit bundles at one thousand, six hundred MHz. The frequency ratio of internal clock 512 to user clock is 8:1 at the input to the network (signal 514 ) and 4:1 at the output from the network (signal 513 ).
[0063] The output bus 521 of user module 520 is connected to beginpoint module 500 , which is chosen from a library of logic models for the cross-connection network for data (DCC network). A beginpoint module is a logic model for input ports of a station. The user input port is eighty bits wide and the clock division ratio is 8:1, so a beginpoint module is used that has an eighty-bit user input port and that serializes data at an 8:1 ratio. CAD software will route the user's eighty-bit bus through routing crossbars to all four input ports of a station and configure the station to steer the user's data onto two five-bit internal bundles.
[0064] The output 501 of beginpoint module 500 is connected to latency module 502 . A latency module is a logic model for the end-to-end latency of a connection through the inventive network. This example uses a latency module whose input and output ports are both ten bits wide. The user sets a parameter on latency module 502 to tell software the desired end-to-end latency of the connection. After the design is placed and routed, software can pad out the latency at the input and output ports if the routed delay through the sequence of physical stations is less than the user-specified latency.
[0065] Output 503 of latency module 502 is connected to endpoint modules 504 and 506 , one for each of the two destinations. An endpoint module is a logic model for output ports of a station. This example uses endpoint modules that have a forty-bit user output port and that deserialize data at a 4:1 ratio, because the user output ports 505 and 507 are forty bits wide and the clock division ratio is 4:1. At each destination station, software will steer the data from two five-bit internal bundles to two of the four output ports of the station, and from there directly to the special-purpose block ( 522 or 524 ).
[0066] The field-programmable gate array (FPGA) containing the inventive network has a clock distribution network with built-in clock dividers. In the proposed embodiment, the dividers can create any integer clock ratio from 1:1 to 16:1. For a connection through the inventive network, the internal clock is typically at a 1:1 ratio to the root of a clock tree. The user clocks are divided down from the same root. The clock distribution network ensures that any clocks divided down from the same root are aligned and have low skew. This guarantees synchronous interfacing between the user clock domain and the internal clock domain. In the example of FIG. 5 , the root 511 of the clock tree operates at one thousand, six hundred MHz. The clock tree divides down root 511 by a 1:1 ratio to produce internal clock 512 at one thousand, six hundred MHz. The clock tree divides down root 511 by 4:1 and 8:1 ratios to produce user clocks 513 and 514 , respectively, at four hundred MHz and two hundred MHz, respectively.
[0067] Different connections in the inventive network can use different clock trees. For example, a design can use a one thousand, six hundred MHz root clock for some connections and a one thousand, two hundred fifty MHz root clock for others.
[0068] After placement and routing the user's data will travel through a sequence of stations, but those stations do not appear in the user's netlist. The actual latency through the inventive network is simulated by the begin, latency, and end modules that the user selects, such as modules 500 , 502 , 504 , and 506 in FIG. 5 . This is similar to the routing of a signal through the routing crossbar network; back-annotation represents the delay of the routed signal, but the routing switches do not appear in the user's netlist.
[0069] Uses of the Inventive Network: The hardware characteristics of the inventive network make various uses possible.
[0070] The simplest use of the inventive network is a point-to-point connection between two pieces of user logic having the same bus width and clock frequency. For example, suppose that the integrated circuit includes a special-purpose block that performs the media access control (MAC) function for a ten Gbps Ethernet connection, and a ring of special-purpose blocks that can be programmed to perform simple parsing of Ethernet frames. Suppose further that the output bus from the MAC block for received frames is forty bits wide (including data and tag bits) and has a clock frequency of three hundred fifty MHz. Suppose further that the input bus to the parser ring also is forty bits wide and also clocks at three hundred fifty MHz. In this example, the user can send data from the media access control (MAC) block to the parser ring over the inventive network by using an internal clock frequency in the network of one thousand, four hundred MHz. MAC data enters the inventive network through two twenty-bit input ports near the MAC block. The input data is serialized at a 4:1 ratio onto two five-bit internal bundles. The ten-bit-wide internal data travels a configured path through a series of stations in the inventive network at one thousand, four hundred MHz. At two output ports of a station near the parser ring, the data is deserialized at a 4:1 ratio onto two twenty-bit buses and presented to the parser ring at three hundred fifty MHz.
[0071] Another use of the inventive network is a point-to-point connection between two pieces of user logic that have the same data rate but different bus widths and clock frequencies. This bandwidth-matching is made possible by the independently configurable serializer and deserializer ratios in the input port and output port, respectively. For example, consider the schematic diagram in FIG. 5 . User module 520 sends eighty-bit data at two hundred MHz into beginpoint module 500 , which is a logical representation of four twenty-bit input ports. The input data is serialized at an 8:1 ratio onto two five-bit internal bundles. The ten-bit-wide internal data travels a configured path through a series of stations at one thousand, six hundred MHz. At endpoint module 506 , which is a logical representation of two twenty-bit output ports, the output data is deserialized at a 4:1 ratio onto two twenty-bit buses and presented to dual-port RAM 524 at four hundred MHz. The data rate is sixteen thousand Mbps throughout the path: eighty bits times two hundred MHz leaving the user module, ten bits times one thousand, six hundred MHz inside the inventive network, and forty bits times four hundred MHz entering the dual-port RAM.
[0072] The inventive network can fan out data from one source to multiple destinations. Network switch 420 , shown in FIG. 4 , makes this possible. A data bundle can enter the switch through one of the input links 423 or one of the input ports 421 . The network switch can send the bundle to more than one output bundle among output links 422 and output ports 424 . FIG. 5 illustrates a connection with multiple destinations. In this example, the user sends data from user module 520 to two destinations, parser ring 522 and dual-port RAM 524 .
[0073] As well as transporting data at a high bandwidth, a connection through the inventive network can implement a high-bandwidth user multiplexer. This function relies on two features of the hardware. The first feature is the data zeroing logic 410 in an input port of a station (see FIG. 4 ). An input port can be configured to allow a user input signal to zero out the port's twenty-bit bus on a cycle-by-cycle basis. The second feature is that the routing multiplexers in a network switch can OR together two or more five-bit bundles of data. As shown in FIG. 15 , a routing multiplexer consists of multiple AND gates that feed into an OR gate. Configuration memory bits can enable two or more of the AND gates in the multiplexer, which causes two or more input bundles to be ORed together onto an output bundle. To implement a high-bandwidth user multiplexer, computer-aided design (CAD) software routes bundles corresponding to two or more user multiplexer input buses to a routing multiplexer in the network switch of some station. Within that network switch, CAD software enables the AND gates that correspond to all of those bundles, thereby ORing the bundles together. The user connects their multiplexer input buses to separate input ports and provides a control signal to each port to function as the select signals for the user multiplexer.
[0074] A user can combine fanout and high-bandwidth multiplexing in one connection through the inventive network. That is, a connection can have multiple user input buses, with each bus enabled cycle-by-cycle by a separate control signal. The connection can OR the user data together, thereby forming a high-bandwidth user multiplexer. The output data of the user multiplexer can be fanned out to multiple user output destination buses. Multiple such connections can be used to implement a non-blocking user crossbar, in which multiple user output buses can independently receive data from a cycle-by-cycle choice of multiple input buses.
[0075] A connection through the inventive network can time-slice data from two or more input ports onto one internal bundle. This function can be used to time-division-multiplex two or more user buses, each of which does not need the full bandwidth of a bundle, onto one bundle. This function can also be used to concatenate two or more user buses that originate at widely separated locations on the integrated circuit. This function relies on the data zeroing logic, the serializer and deserializer, and the ORing function of the network switch. For example, suppose that the user wishes to time-slice two ten-bit user buses A and B onto one five-bit internal bundle. The user connects ten-bit buses A and B to separate input ports of the inventive network and connects an output port to twenty-bit user bus C. The user connects bus A[9:0] to bits [9:0] of its input port, and bits [19:10] of the port are forced to 0 by configuration memory. ( FIG. 8 shows the configuration memory bits in the data zeroing logic that perform this function.) The user connects bus B[9:0] to bits [19:10] of its input port, and bits [9:0] of the port are forced to 0 by configuration bits. The serializers in both input ports are configured to serialize at a frequency ratio of 4:1. For each user clock cycle, the sequence of five-bit nybbles on the output of bus A's serializer is A[4:0], A[9:5], 0, 0, and the sequence of nybbles on the output of bus B's serializer is 0, 0, B[4:0], B[9:5]. CAD software routes the output bundles of the two serializers to a network switch in some station of the inventive network, where it ORs them together. The sequence of nybbles on the ORed-together bundle is therefore A[4:0], A[9:5], B[4:0], B[9:5]. The combined bundle is routed to an output port and deserialized at 4:1. Twenty-bit output bus C displays B[9:0] concatenated with A[9:0] on every cycle.
[0076] The output of a connection through the inventive network can be used in a time-sliced fashion as well. In the example described in the preceding paragraph, the combined bundle can be routed to two output ports of the network. At one output port, the user can ignore bits [19:10] of the port and receive bus A from bits [9:0]. At the other output port, the user can ignore bits [9:0] of the port and receive bus B from bits [19:10].
[0077] CAD software can implement fixed, user-specified end-to-end latency in a connection through the inventive network, largely independent of the number of stations that the data passes through. For example, when the user sends a data bus through the inventive network while sending control signals through the routing crossbar network, it may be important to have the same number of cycles of latency along both paths. This function uses the latency padding logic in input ports and output ports of the inventive network. When defining a connection through the inventive network, the user sets a parameter on the latency module (such as latency module 502 in FIG. 5 ), to tell CAD software the desired end-to-end latency. After the design is placed and routed, CAD software can pad out the latency at the input and output ports if the routed delay through the sequence of physical stations is less than the user-specified latency.
[0078] The inventive network can detect single-bit errors in user logic or in a connection through the inventive network, thanks to the parity generation and checking logic found in both input ports and output ports. To detect parity errors in user logic, such as a RAM special-purpose block, the user can provide input data to the RAM from an output port of the inventive network that has parity generation enabled. If the output data from the RAM goes to an input port that has parity checking enabled, then the input port detects any single-bit errors that occurred on the data while it was stored in the RAM. To detect single-bit errors that occur while data is traveling through the inventive network, the user can enable parity generation in the connection's input port and parity checking in the connection's output port.
[0079] Further Details of the Input and Output Connections: Stations in the inventive network connect the routing crossbar network to the inventive network and connect both of them to special-purpose blocks. As FIG. 1 shows, each station, such as station 150 , is attached to four routing crossbars, such as routing crossbars 130 - 133 , which are part of the routing crossbar network. A special-purpose block, such as special-purpose block 151 , gets access to those routing crossbars through the input and output connections of the station.
[0080] A station has four twenty-bit input ports and four twenty-bit output ports. Each pair of ports, consisting of one input port and one output port, has its own set of input and output connections. The connections for one pair of ports are completely independent of the other pairs. FIG. 6 shows the input and output connections for one pair of ports. There are three types of connections: input multiplexers that drive the input port, output multiplexers that drive the routing crossbar and the special-purpose block, and feedthrough connections between the routing crossbar and the special-purpose block. All of the multiplexers are controlled by configuration memory.
[0081] Input multiplexers 610 and 615 drive the first layer of the station's input port, which is the data zeroing logic 600 . The twenty-bit, two-port multiplexer 610 and the one-bit, two-port multiplexer 615 select the User Data Input (UDI) bus 620 and the Valid Input (VI) control signal 625 , respectively, from either routing crossbar 602 or special-purpose block 603 . Both multiplexers are controlled by the same configuration memory bit 630 , so either UDI and VI both come from the routing crossbar or both come from the special-purpose block. Not all special-purpose blocks have a dedicated output signal 663 to indicate that the twenty-bit data word is valid. For information on the Valid Input (VI) signal, see the description under subsection “Further Details of the Input Port Logic.”
[0082] The twenty-bit, two-port output multiplexer 612 drives routing crossbar 602 , and the twenty-bit, two-port output multiplexer 613 drives special-purpose block 603 . These multiplexers are controlled by independent configuration memory bits 632 and 633 , respectively. The last layer of the station's output port, which is the parity generation and checking logic 601 , drives the User Data Output (UDO) bus 621 . UDO fans out to both output multiplexers. The output multiplexer 612 that drives routing crossbar 602 selects between UDO 621 and the same twenty-bit bus 643 from the special-purpose block that drives input multiplexer 610 . Similarly, the output multiplexer 613 that drives special-purpose block 603 selects between User Data Output (UDO) 621 and the same twenty-bit bus 642 from the routing crossbar that drives input multiplexer 610 .
[0083] In addition to the multiplexers, there are feedthrough signals 652 from the routing crossbar 602 to the special-purpose block 603 and feedthrough signals 653 from the special-purpose block to the routing crossbar. None of the feedthrough signals has a connection to the input or output port of the station. Therefore, although all bits of the routing crossbar's outputs (except for signal 662 to the Valid Input (VI) input multiplexer 615 ) have some path to the special-purpose block, only twenty bits have a path to the input port. Similarly, all bits of the special-purpose block's outputs (except for Valid Output (VO) signal 663 to the VI input multiplexer 615 ) have some path to the routing crossbar, but only twenty bits have a path to the input port.
[0084] Note that the input and output multiplexers operate on twenty bits as a unit. For example, there is no way to select the high ten bits of the input port from the routing crossbar and the low ten bits from the special-purpose block.
[0085] A station is connected to four routing crossbars and therefore has four copies of the input and output connections that are shown in FIG. 6 . A typical special-purpose block, such as a dual-port RAM, is connected to one station, which in turn connects it to four routing crossbars.
[0086] Further Details of the Input Port Logic: The input port logic of each station is depicted by elements 410 - 414 in FIG. 4 . More detail is provided by FIG. 7 , which is a block diagram of the input port logic. Each group of buses 415 and 720 - 723 consists of four buses. Each of the buses is twenty bits wide and clocked by a user clock. Buses 724 consist of four buses; each of the buses, also referred to herein as bundles, is five bits wide and clocked by an internal clock of the inventive network.
[0087] Input multiplexers 700 drive the four twenty-bit input buses 415 . Buses 415 drive data zeroing logic 410 , which consists of four data zeroing units 710 a - 710 d , one for each port. Data zeroing units 710 a - 710 d drive the four twenty-bit buses 720 . Buses 720 drive parity generation and checking logic 411 , which consists of four parity generation and checking units 711 a - 711 d , one for each port. Parity units 711 a - 711 d drive the four twenty-bit buses 721 . Buses 721 drive byte shuffling logic 412 , which can steer data from one port to another port. Byte shuffling logic 412 drives the four twenty-bit buses 722 . Buses 722 drive latency padding logic 413 , which consists of four latency padding units 713 a - 713 d , one for each port. Latency padding units 713 a - 713 d drive the four twenty-bit buses 723 . Buses 723 drive serializers 414 , which consist of four serializers 714 a - 714 d , one for each port. Serializers 714 a - 714 d drive the four five-bit bundles 724 . Bundles 724 drive network switch 420 .
[0088] FIG. 8 shows the data zeroing logic for one input port, such as data zeroing unit 710 a . The data zeroing logic for a port has three functions: to register the user's input data; to statically set the width of the port; and to allow the user's logic to zero out the entire port on a cycle-by-cycle basis.
[0089] The user's input data for the port is twenty-bit bus 802 , which is one of the four buses 415 driven by input multiplexers 700 . Bus 802 is captured by register 803 , which is clocked by user clock 805 . The output of register 803 is treated as four independent five-bit nybbles. Element 820 is the logic for a representative nybble. The output nybbles are concatenated to form twenty-bit bus 830 , which drives the port's parity generation and checking logic.
[0090] The port also has one-bit Valid Input (VI) signal 800 . Signal 800 is captured by register 801 , which is clocked by user clock 805 .
[0091] An input port can be configured to be five, ten, fifteen, or twenty bits wide. Each of the port's four nybbles has a configuration memory bit that forces the entire nybble to 0 if the nybble is unused. In representative nybble 820 , AND gates 824 consist of five two-input AND gates, where the first input of each gate is driven by signal 823 and the second input is driven by one of the bits of the nybble. If the nybble is unused, configuration bit 821 is programmed to 0. This forces output 823 of AND gate 822 to 0, which in turn forces the outputs of all five AND gates 824 to 0.
[0092] If the user wants to be able to zero out the entire port on a cycle-by-cycle basis, then configuration memory bit 811 is programmed to pass the output of register 801 through multiplexer 810 to signal 812 . If Valid Input (VI) signal 800 is 0, then signal 812 is 0 during the following cycle. That forces a 0 onto output 823 of AND gate 822 and onto the outputs of the other three like AND gates. That in turn forces 0 onto the output of AND gates 824 and the other three like sets of AND gates, regardless of the value of configuration bit 821 and the other three like configuration bits. On the other hand, if VI signal 800 is 1, then signal 812 is 1 during the following cycle, and the five-bit nybbles pass through the data zeroing logic unchanged unless the nybble's individual configuration bit, such as configuration bit 821 , is 0.
[0093] If the user wants Valid Input (VI) signal 800 to be ignored and wants the port to be enabled on every cycle, then configuration memory bit 811 can be programmed to pass a constant 1 through multiplexer 810 to signal 812 .
[0094] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the parity generation and checking logic for one input port, such as parity unit 711 a . It can be configured for bypass (leaving all twenty bits unchanged), parity generation, or parity checking. The parity logic can be configured to operate on all twenty bits as a group or on the two ten-bit bytes as independent groups. The twenty-bit input to the parity unit is one of the four buses 720 driven by one of the four data zeroing units 710 a - 710 d (see FIG. 7 ). The low-order input byte consists of bit 0 900 and bits 9 : 1901 , and the high-order input byte consists of bit 10 910 and bits 19 : 11 911 . The high nine bits of both bytes (bits 9 : 1 901 and bits 19 : 11 911 ) always pass through the parity logic unchanged. The twenty-bit output of the parity unit (bit 0 950 , bits 9 : 1 901 , bit 10 960 , and bits 19 : 11 911 ) drive the station's byte shuffling logic.
[0095] To generate parity, the logic computes the exclusive-OR (XOR) of the high nineteen bits or nine bits of the parity group and injects the computed parity on the low-order bit of the group (bit 0 950 in twenty-bit mode or bit 10 960 and bit 0950 in ten-bit mode). To check parity, the logic computes the XOR of all twenty bits or ten bits of the parity group and injects the error result on the low-order bit of the group; the result is 1 if and only if a parity error has occurred.
[0096] The multiplexers in FIG. 9 are controlled by configuration memory. The multiplexers determine whether the parity logic operates in bypass, generate, or check mode. The multiplexers also determine whether the parity logic operates in twenty-bit mode or ten-bit mode.
[0097] The byte shuffling logic is the only layer of the input logic where the four ports can exchange data with each other. Its main function is to support a 2:1 frequency ratio between an internal clock of the inventive network and a user clock. For all other frequency ratios, computer-aided design (CAD) software configures this logic to pass the twenty bits of each port straight through on the same port.
[0098] FIG. 10 shows the byte shuffling logic for all four input ports; the multiplexers in the figure are controlled by configuration memory. The byte shuffling unit has one twenty-bit input bus 1000 - 1003 for each of ports 0 - 3 , respectively. These input buses are the four buses 721 in FIG. 7 , which are driven by the four parity units 711 a - 711 d . The byte shuffling unit has one twenty-bit output bus 1060 - 1063 for each of ports 0 - 3 , respectively. These output buses drive the four latency padding units 713 a - 713 d (see FIG. 7 ).
[0099] The byte shuffling logic treats each port as two ten-bit bytes. For example, port 1 's input bus 1001 consists of low-order byte 1051 l and high-order byte 1051 h . Configurable multiplexers either keep the low-order byte of port i on port i, or steer it to the high-order byte position of port i−1 (mod 4). For example, multiplexers either direct port 1 's low-order input byte 1051 l to port 1 's output bus 1061 , or steer it to the high-order byte of port 0 's output bus 1060 . Similarly, the multiplexers either keep the high-order byte of port i on port i, or steer it to the low-order byte position of port i+1 (mod 4). For example, multiplexers either direct port 1 's high-order input byte 1051 h to port 1 's output bus 1061 , or steer it to the low-order byte of port 2 's output bus 1062 .
[0100] The 2:1 frequency ratio works with byte shuffling as follows. Each twenty-bit input port, clocked at a user clock frequency, is associated with a five-bit internal bundle, clocked at the faster frequency of the internal clock of the inventive network. When the ratio of internal clock to user clock is 2:1, only ten bits of the twenty-bit port can be serialized onto the five-bit bundle. If all twenty bits of the port are in use, the byte shuffling multiplexers keep ten bits within the given port and steer the other ten bits to an adjacent port. Therefore, the twenty bits that originally came into the port will be serialized onto two five-bit internal bundles.
[0101] Each input port has latency padding logic, such as latency padding unit 713 a in FIG. 7 . CAD software can use this logic to pad the end-to-end latency through the inventive network to equal the value specified by the user.
[0102] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the effective behavior of the latency padding logic for one input port, such as latency padding unit 713 a . It behaves as a shift register that is clocked by user clock 805 . The effective shift register depth is determined by the configuration memory bits that control multiplexer 1101 . The twenty-bit input 1102 to the latency padding unit is one of the four buses 722 driven by the byte shuffling logic (see FIG. 7 ). The twenty-bit output 1103 drives the port's serializer.
[0103] The logic can be configured to behave like a twenty-bit-wide shift register with zero to seven stages or like a ten-bit-wide shift register with zero to fourteen stages. When the logic is configured as a zero-stage shift register, it passes data through from input bus 1102 to output bus 1103 without any register delays. The deeper-and-narrower fourteen-by-ten configuration is useful when only ten bits or five bits of the port are meaningful, which is the case when the frequency ratio between the internal clock of the inventive network and the user clock is 2:1 or 1:1.
[0104] FIG. 12 summarizes the preferred embodiment of the latency padding logic. Twenty-bit input data 1102 from the byte shuffling logic is written into a seven-word by twenty-bit RAM 1204 on every cycle of user clock 805 , and twenty-bit output data 1103 for the serializer is read from RAM 1204 on every cycle.
[0105] Random-access memory (RAM) 1204 has separate write bit lines and read bit lines. During the first half of the cycle, the write bit lines are driven with write data, the read bit lines get precharged, and the output latches are held closed so they retain the results of the previous read. During the second half of the cycle, RAM bit cells can pull down the read bit lines, and the output latches are held open so they can capture the values from the sense amplifiers.
[0106] The RAM addresses are furnished by read pointer 1205 and write pointer 1206 . The pointers are implemented by identical state machines that have a set of states that form a graph cycle. The state machines can be configured with different initial states, and they advance to the next state at every cycle of user clock 805 . As pointers 1205 and 1206 “chase” each other around RAM 1204 , the effect is that RAM 1204 delays its input data by a fixed number of cycles. In the preferred embodiment, the state machines are three-bit linear feedback shift registers (LFSRs) that have a maximal-length sequence of seven states. Other possible embodiments include binary counters, which are slower, and one-hot state machines, which use more area.
[0107] To emulate a zero-stage shift register, RAM 1204 has several features to pass data through from its input bus 1102 to its output bus 1103 . The linear feedback shift registers (LFSRs) in read and write pointers 1205 and 1206 can be initialized to the one state that does not belong to the seven-state graph cycle, and the LFSR remains in that state at every clock cycle; in this state, no word lines are enabled. The precharge circuits have additional circuitry that can steadily short the write bit lines to the read bit lines and never precharge the read bit lines. The clock for the output latches can be configured to hold the latches steadily open.
[0108] RAM 1204 can also operate as fourteen words by ten bits. It has separate write word lines for the high and low bytes of each word, and there is a ten-bit-wide two-to-one multiplexer preceding the low byte of the output latches. In addition to the three-bit state of the linear feedback shift register, read pointer 1205 and write pointer 1206 both include an additional state bit to select the high or low byte of RAM 1204 .
[0109] Read and write pointers 1205 and 1206 are initialized at some rising edge of user clock (UCLK) 805 . A synchronization (sync) pulse causes this initialization. The integrated circuit's clock system distributes sync alongside clock throughout each clock tree. The period of sync is a multiple of seven cycles of the internal clock of the inventive network because the read and write pointers cycle back to their initial values every seven (or fourteen) UCLK cycles, and because the clock tree issues sync pulses repeatedly. For more information about the sync pulse, see subsection “Providing Clocks and Synchronization Pulses for the Inventive Network”.
[0110] Each of the four input ports has a serializer, such as serializer 714 a in FIG. 7 , that follows the latency padding logic. The serializer splits a twenty-bit input port into four five-bit nybbles and serializes them onto a five-bit internal bundle. The serializer is the only input port layer that uses an internal clock (DCLK) of the inventive cross-connection network for data.
[0111] FIG. 13 shows the serializer logic for one input port. The twenty-bit input 1103 to the serializer is one of the four buses 723 driven by one of the latency padding units 713 a - d (see FIG. 7 ). The five-bit output 1303 of the serializer goes to the station's network switch.
[0112] Each nybble has a two-to-one multiplexer and a register clocked by DCLK 512 . The multiplexers and registers are connected to form a four-stage, five-bit-wide shift register that can also load twenty bits in parallel. When control logic 1300 tells the multiplexers to shift, five-bit data 1303 for the network switch emerges from the low-order nybble 1302 of the shift register. An unused nybble is designated by a configuration memory bit, such as configuration bit 1304 , that forces the nybble to shift every cycle; this behavior is important for time-slicing, for allowing low-order nybbles to be unused, and for other functions.
[0113] The inventive cross-connection network for data (DCC network) can serialize data from more than one input port onto a single five-bit bundle. For example, the library of logic models has a beginpoint model that serializes thirty bits (six nybbles) onto one five-bit bundle. The hardware of the inventive network has three features that work together to implement this function.
[0114] The first feature is that the station's network switch has a multi-port OR gate at the root of each routing multiplexer. When a multiplexer is configured to allow more than one bundle into the OR gate, nybbles from all the corresponding input ports can be streamed onto the output of the multiplexer.
[0115] The second feature is that in the input port serializer, a shift operation puts 0 into the high-order nybble register 1301 , and from there into the rest of the nybble registers. Except during the four cycles of the internal clock (DCLK) that immediately follow a parallel load, the serializer outputs 0 every cycle. At the OR gate in the routing multiplexer, the 0 value from the given port allows data from the other port or ports to pass through the OR gate without corruption.
[0116] The third feature is that the serializer control logic 1300 has a configurable divider offset. A divider offset of zero, which is the most common case, causes the serializer to perform a parallel load one DCLK cycle after every rising edge of the user clock. A divider offset greater than zero delays the parallel load by the same number of cycles. For example, in the beginpoint model that serializes thirty bits (six nybbles) onto one five-bit bundle, the low-order port (User Data Input (UDI) bits 19 : 0 ) has a divider offset of zero and the high-order port (UDI[29:20]) has a divider offset of four. Therefore, the high-order port always performs a parallel load operation four DCLK cycles after the low-order port does. During the four DCLK cycles when the low-order serializer outputs its data to the network switch, the high-order serializer outputs 0.
[0117] The serializer control logic 1300 is initialized at some rising edge of user clock (UCLK). The synchronization (sync) pulse causes this initialization. For more information about the sync pulse, see subsection “Providing Clocks and Synchronization Pulses for the Inventive Network”.
[0118] Further Details of the Network Switch: FIG. 14 illustrates the network switch in a station. The network switch routes five-bit bundles of data from sixteen input links 423 and four input ports 421 to sixteen output links 422 and four output ports 424 . As shown in FIG. 3 , the network switch has four input links from each of the adjacent stations in four directions (sets of four input links 320 - 323 from the North, East, South, and West directions, respectively). The network switch has four output links to each of the adjacent stations in the same four directions (sets of four output links 310 - 313 to the North, East, South, and West directions, respectively). The network switch has one input bundle from each of ports 0 - 3 , respectively. These input port bundles 421 are the four buses 724 in FIG. 7 , which are driven by the four serializers 414 . The network switch has one output bundle to each of ports 0 - 3 , respectively. These output port bundles 424 drive the four deserializer units 434 in FIG. 16 .
[0119] The network switch has twenty five-bit-wide routing multiplexers, each driven by a subset of the twenty input bundles. Thus, it implements a partially populated crossbar switch. The horizontal lines in FIG. 14 , such as horizontal line 1410 , represent input bundles. The vertical lines, such as vertical line 1411 , represent routing multiplexers. The X symbols, such as X symbol 1412 , represent populated crosspoints from an input bundle to a routing multiplexer.
[0120] The network switch has a pipeline register on every input link from another station. These registers, such as register 1413 , are clocked by internal clocks of the inventive network, and they add one cycle of latency for every station that a connection through the inventive network passes through. The pipeline registers make it practical for links in the network to transfer data at very high frequencies (up to two GHz, in the preferred embodiment). The network switch does not have pipeline registers for input ports, output ports, or output links to other stations. Note that input ports have been registered at the serializer, and output ports and output links will be registered at the deserializer or the next station, respectively.
[0121] In an alternate embodiment, the pipeline register on every input link could be replaced by latches on every input link and latches clocked by the opposite phase on every output link. If the internal clock frequency of a routed connection through the network is relatively slow, it is possible to reduce the number of pipeline stages in the connection by making some of the latches along the path transparent.
[0122] Every routing multiplexer is hardwired to a subset of the twenty input bundles. Compared to twenty-input multiplexers, narrower multiplexers use less die area and cause less circuit delay. The multiplexer for each of the sixteen output links 422 has six inputs, four of which come from input links and two from input ports. The multiplexer for each of the four output ports 424 has ten inputs, eight of which come from input links and two from input ports.
[0123] The network switch is not a full crossbar, but the populated inputs of the routing multiplexers were chosen to make it easier for computer-aided design (CAD) software to find Manhattan-distance routes through congested regions of the inventive network. In the preferred embodiment, the inventive network can be thought of as having four routing planes, numbered 0 - 3 . Every input or output bundle belongs to one of the planes. A station's four input ports 0 - 3 belong to planes 0 - 3 , respectively. Similarly, a station's four output ports 0 - 3 belong to planes 0 - 3 , respectively. In each plane a station has four output links, one to each of the four directions (North, East, South, and West, respectively). Similarly, in each plane a station has four input links, one from each of the four directions. For an output link that belongs to a given plane, the link's routing multiplexer has more inputs from the same plane than inputs from the other planes.
[0124] The routing multiplexer for an output link has inputs from four of the station's sixteen input links. Three of these inputs come from input links in the same routing plane and from different stations than the destination of the given output link. The fourth input comes from an input link in a different plane and from the station on the opposite side of the given station from the given output link, thus providing extra routing flexibility for routes that go straight through the station without turning. For example, the routing multiplexer for the South output link in plane 2 has inputs from the West, North, and East input links in plane 2 . It has a fourth input from the North input link in plane 3 , which provides extra routing flexibility for routes that go straight through the station from North to South.
[0125] The routing multiplexer for an output link has inputs from two of the station's four input ports. One of these inputs comes from the input port in the same routing plane. The other input comes from the input port in the plane numbered 2 greater, modulo 4. For example, the routing multiplexer for the South output link in plane 2 has inputs from the input ports in planes 2 and 0 . This feature gives CAD software the ability to launch a connection into a different plane in the network than the plane that the input port belongs to.
[0126] The routing multiplexer for an output port has inputs from eight of the station's sixteen input links. Four of these inputs come from input links in an even routing plane, specifically, one from the station in each of the four directions. The other four inputs come from input links in an odd plane, specifically, one from the station in each of the four directions. For example, the routing multiplexer for the output port in plane 1 has inputs from the North, East, South, and West input links in plane 2 and from the North, East, South, and West input links in plane 3 .
[0127] The routing multiplexer for an output port has inputs from two of the station's four input ports. One of these inputs comes from the input port in the same routing plane. The other input comes from the input port in the plane numbered 2 higher, modulo 4. For example, the routing multiplexer for the output port in plane 1 has inputs from the input ports in planes 1 and 3 . The input-port-to-output-port path provides a loopback capability within a station.
[0128] The inputs that are available on routing multiplexers make it possible for CAD software to route a connection through the inventive network from an input port in one plane to an output port in any plane, and route all the station-to-station links within a single plane. A connection that starts from an input port in a given plane can be launched into one of two planes inside the network, because every output link's routing multiplexer has inputs from input ports in two planes. The connection can continue on the same plane within the network, because every output link's routing multiplexer has inputs from three input links that allow a route within the same plane to turn left, continue straight, or turn right. The connection can leave the network at an output port in one of two planes, because every output port's routing multiplexer has inputs from input links in two planes. The product of two choices for the station-to-station link plane inside the network and two choices for the output port plane means that a connection can be routed from an input port in a given plane to an output port in any of the four planes. Because such a connection is not required to jump from plane to plane inside the network, CAD software's ability to find a good route is not restricted much by the fact that every output link's routing multiplexer has only one input from an input link in a different plane.
[0129] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of the six-input routing multiplexer in the preferred embodiment for an output link to an adjacent station. It has four five-bit inputs 1500 from the registered input links from other stations and two five-bit inputs 1501 from the station's input ports. It uses a conventional AND-OR multiplexer design, with the enable signal for each five-bit input bundle coming from a configuration memory bit, such as configuration bit 1502 . When one of the configuration bits is set, to 1 and the others are set to 0, the multiplexer simply routes the corresponding input bundle to the output link 1505 . It is obvious that alternate embodiments of an AND-OR multiplexer are possible. For example, to reduce circuit delay, the two-input AND gates, such as AND gate 1503 , could be replaced by two-input NAND gates, and the six-input OR gate 1504 could be replaced by a six-input NAND gate. To further reduce circuit delay, every two two-input NAND gates and two inputs of the six-input NAND gate could be replaced by a 2-2 AND-OR-INVERT gate; then the six-input NAND gate could be replaced by a three-input NAND gate.
[0130] Note that the routing multiplexers in the network switches are configured on a granularity coarser than a single bit. For example, in the preferred embodiment the most commonly used frequency ratio between internal clock and user clock is 4:1. In this situation, a single configuration memory bit steers a twenty-bit user bus. The coarse granularity of the network switch greatly reduces the number of configuration memory bits and multiplexer ports compared to a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) routing network, so it saves a great deal of die area.
[0131] When two or more configuration memory bits are set to 1, the routing multiplexer in FIG. 15 ORs together the corresponding input bundles. With appropriate logic upstream to zero out all of the input bundles except one during every cycle, the multiplexer performs cycle-by-cycle selection. In this configuration, the multiplexer can implement a high bandwidth multiplexer (as described under “Uses of the Inventive Network”), time-slice a connection through the inventive network (also described under “Uses of the Inventive Network”), or serialize data from more than one input port onto a single five-bit bundle (as described under “Further Details of the Input Port Logic”).
[0132] Other embodiments of the multiplexer are possible that use fewer than one configuration memory bit per five-bit input bundle. In one such embodiment, the number of configuration bits equals the base-2 logarithm of the number of input bundles, rounded up to the next integer. In this embodiment, the configuration bits allow no more than one bundle to pass through the multiplexer. Such an embodiment cannot OR together two or more bundles of data and, therefore, cannot perform cycle-by-cycle selection in the network switch.
[0133] The ten-input routing multiplexer for an output port in the preferred embodiment is similar to the multiplexer for an output link, but it has inputs from eight input links instead of only four. It has the same ability to perform cycle-by-cycle selection by ORing together two or more input bundles.
[0134] Further Details of the Output Port Logic: The output port logic of each station is depicted by elements 431 - 434 in FIG. 4 . More detail is provided by FIG. 16 , which is a block diagram of the output port logic. Each group of buses 435 and 1641 - 1643 consists of four buses. Each of the buses is twenty bits wide and clocked by a user clock. Buses 1644 consist of four buses. Each of the buses, also referred to herein as bundles, is five bits wide and clocked by an internal clock of the inventive network.
[0135] Network switch 420 drives the four five-bit bundles 1644 . Bundles 1644 drive deserializers 434 , which consist of four deserializers 1634 a - d , one for each port. Deserializers 1634 a - d drive the four twenty-bit buses 1643 . Buses 1643 drive latency padding logic 433 , which consists of four latency padding units 1633 a - d , one for each port. Latency padding units 1633 a - d drive the four twenty-bit buses 1642 . Buses 1642 drive byte shuffling logic 432 , which can steer data from one port to another port. Byte shuffling logic 432 drives the four twenty-bit buses 1641 . Buses 1641 drive parity generation and checking logic 431 , which consists of four parity generation and checking units 1631 a - d , one for each port. Parity generation and checking units 1631 a - d drive the four twenty-bit buses 435 . Buses 435 drive output multiplexers 1600 .
[0136] Each of the four output ports has a deserializer, such as deserializer 1634 a in FIG. 16 , that receives a five-bit bundle of data from the network switch. The deserializer first shifts the five-bit data through a five-bit-wide shift register clocked by an internal clock (DCLK) of the inventive cross-connection network for data. Then it does a parallel load into a twenty-bit output register. The deserializer is the only output port layer that uses DCLK.
[0137] FIG. 17 shows the deserializer logic for one output port. The five-bit input 1700 to the deserializer is one of the four buses 1644 driven by the station's network switch 420 (see FIG. 16 ). The twenty-bit output 1705 of the deserializer drives the port's latency padding unit. On every rising edge of DCLK 512 , a three-stage, five-bit-wide shift register 1702 shifts data from the high-order five-bit nybble toward the low-order nybble 1704 (bits 4 : 0 ). Therefore, the first nybble to arrive from the network switch will leave the deserializer in the lowest-order nybble position within the parallel output. The user port width can be set to five, ten, fifteen, or twenty bits by means of configuration memory bits (not shown) that control multiplexers to set the length of shift register 1702 to zero, one, two, or three register stages.
[0138] The deserializer control logic has a configurable divider offset. An offset of zero causes the twenty-bit output register to perform a parallel load one internal clock (DCLK) cycle before every rising edge of user clock (UCLK), and an offset greater than zero makes the parallel load occur that many DCLK cycles earlier. The routing latency through a sequence of network switches can take an arbitrary number of DCLK cycles, so the divider offset allows the deserialized word to be captured at any DCLK cycle modulo the UCLK divider ratio.
[0139] The inventive cross-connection network for data (DCC network) can deserialize data from a single five-bit bundle onto more than one output port. For example, the library of logic models has an endpoint model that deserializes one five-bit bundle onto thirty bits (six nybbles). The hardware of the inventive network has two features that work together to implement this function.
[0140] The first feature is that a bundle can be routed within the network to fan out to two or more output ports. All the ports receive the same nybble into their shift registers at the same internal clock (DCLK) cycle.
[0141] The second feature is that each output port can be configured with a different divider offset, so at any given cycle at most one port does a parallel load into its output register. For example, in the endpoint model that deserializes one five-bit bundle onto thirty bits, the low-order port (User Data Output (UDO) bits 19 : 0 ) has a divider offset of two and the high-order port (UDO[29:20]) has a divider offset of zero. Therefore, the low-order output register always performs a parallel load of its four nybbles two DCLK cycles before the high-order output register does a parallel load of its two nybbles.
[0142] The deserializer control logic 1701 is initialized at some rising edge of the user clock. The synchronization (sync) pulse causes this initialization. For more information about the sync pulse, see subsection “Providing Clocks and Synchronization Pulses for the Inventive Network”.
[0143] Each output port has latency padding logic, such as latency padding unit 1633 a in FIG. 16 . Computer-aided design (CAD) software can use this logic to pad the end-to-end latency through the inventive network to equal the value specified by the user.
[0144] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of the effective behavior of the latency padding logic for one output port, such as latency padding unit 1633 a . It behaves as a shift register that is clocked by user clock 1800 . The effective shift register depth is determined by the configuration memory bits that control multiplexer 1801 . The twenty-bit input 1802 to the latency padding unit is one of the four buses 1643 driven by one of the four deserializer units 1634 a - 1634 d (see FIG. 16 ). The twenty-bit output 1803 drives the station's byte shuffling logic.
[0145] The logic can be configured to behave like a twenty-bit-wide shift register with zero to seven stages or like a ten-bit-wide shift register with zero to fourteen stages. When the logic is configured as a zero-stage shift register, it passes data through from input bus 1802 to output bus 1803 without any register delays. The deeper-and-narrower fourteen-by-ten configuration is useful when only ten bits or five bits of the port are meaningful, which is the case when the frequency ratio between the internal clock of the inventive network and the user clock is 2:1 or 1:1.
[0146] The hardware implementation of the latency padding logic for an output port is identical to the implementation for an input port. For more information about an input port's implementation, see the description under subsection “Further Details of the Input Port Logic.”
[0147] The byte shuffling logic layer of the output logic allows the four ports to exchange data with each other. Its main function is to support a 2:1 frequency ratio between an internal clock of the inventive network and a user clock. For all other frequency ratios, CAD software configures this logic to pass the twenty bits of each port straight through on the same port.
[0148] The byte shuffling logic for an output port is identical to that for an input port. FIG. 19 shows the byte shuffling logic for all four output ports; the multiplexers in the figure are controlled by configuration memory. The byte shuffling unit has one twenty-bit input bus 1900 - 1903 for each of ports 0 - 3 , respectively. These input buses are the four buses 1642 in FIG. 16 , which are driven by the four latency padding units 1633 a - 1633 d . The byte shuffling unit has one twenty-bit output bus 1960 - 1963 for each of ports 0 - 3 , respectively. These output buses drive the four parity units 1631 a - 1631 d (see FIG. 16 ).
[0149] The byte shuffling logic treats each port as two ten-bit bytes. For example, port 1 's input bus 1901 consists of low-order byte 1951 l and high-order byte 1951 h . Configurable multiplexers either keep the low-order byte of port i on port i, or steer it to the high-order byte position of port i−1 (mod 4). For example, multiplexers either direct port 1 's low-order input byte 1951 l to port 1 's output bus 1961 , or steer it to the high-order byte of port 0 's output bus 1960 . Similarly, the multiplexers either keep the high-order byte of port i on port i, or steer it to the low-order byte position of port i+1 (mod 4). For example, multiplexers either direct port 1 's high-order input byte 1951 h to port 1 's output bus 1961 , or steer it to the low-order byte of port 2 's output bus 1962 .
[0150] The 2:1 frequency ratio works with byte shuffling as follows. Each five-bit internal bundle, clocked at the internal clock (DCLK) frequency, is associated with a twenty-bit output port, clocked at the slower user clock (UCLK) frequency. When the ratio of DCLK to UCLK is 2:1, a five-bit bundle can be deserialized onto only ten bits of the twenty-bit port. If all twenty bits of the port are in use, the port's data comes from two five-bit internal bundles. The byte shuffling multiplexers steer two ten-bit buses, which originally came from two adjacent deserializers, onto a single twenty-bit output port.
[0151] FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram of the parity generation and checking logic for one output port, such as parity unit 1631 a . The parity logic can be configured for bypass (leaving all twenty bits unchanged), parity generation, or parity checking. It can be configured to operate on all twenty bits as a group or on the two ten-bit bytes as independent groups. The output of the parity logic is staged by twenty-bit register 2070 that is clocked by the output port's user clock (UCLK) 1800 . Except for having an output register, the parity logic for an output port is identical to that for an input port. The twenty-bit input to the parity unit is one of the four buses 1641 driven by the byte shuffling logic 432 (see FIG. 16 ). The low-order input byte consists of bit 0 2000 and bits 9 : 1 2001 , and the high-order input byte consists of bit 10 2010 and bits 19 : 11 2011 . The twenty-bit output of the XOR logic (bit 0 2050 , bits 9 : 1 2001 , bit 10 2060 , and bits 19 : 11 2011 ) drives register 2070 . The output 2071 of register 2070 drives some of the station's output multiplexers.
[0152] To generate parity, the logic computes the exclusive-OR (XOR) of the high nineteen bits or nine bits of the parity group and injects the computed parity on the low-order bit of the group (bit 0 2050 in twenty-bit mode or bit 10 2060 and bit 0 2050 in ten-bit mode). To check parity, the logic computes the XOR of all twenty bits or ten bits of the parity group and injects the error result on the low-order bit; the result is 1 if and only if a parity error has occurred.
[0153] The multiplexers in FIG. 20 are controlled by configuration memory. The multiplexers determine whether the parity logic operates in bypass, generate, or check mode. The multiplexers also determine whether the parity logic operates in twenty-bit mode or ten-bit mode.
[0154] Providing Clocks and Synchronization Pulses for the Inventive Network: The inventive network works with the clock distribution system of the integrated circuit. A synchronization (sync) pulse initializes counters in the clock network and in the stations of the inventive network.
[0155] A connection through the inventive network is completely synchronous, but it typically uses at least two clock frequencies. The user clocks have an integer frequency ratio to the internal clock of the network. This ratio is typically 2:1 or greater, but it may be 1:1. Furthermore, the user clock for different beginpoints or endpoints belonging to a connection through the network may have different frequencies. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates a connection through the inventive network with three clock frequencies. Internal clock 512 operates at one thousand, six hundred MHz. User clock 513 operates at four hundred MHz, which has a 4:1 ratio to the internal clock. User clock 514 operates at two hundred MHz, which has an 8:1 ratio to the internal clock.
[0156] These clock signals operate at different frequencies, but they have aligned edges and low skew between them to allow synchronous interfacing between the user clock domain or domains and the internal clock domain of the inventive network. The field-programmable gate array (FPGA) containing the inventive network has a clock distribution system that can produce lower-frequency clocks by dividing down a root clock by configurable integer ratios. The clock distribution system also guarantees that the root clock and the divided clocks have aligned edges and low skew among them.
[0157] In the preferred embodiment, there are clock dividers at the third level of the clock distribution network, and the dividers can be configured to create any integer clock ratio from 1:1 to 16:1 relative to the root clock. In other embodiments, the dividers may be at a different level of the clock network and they may support different divider ratios.
[0158] The internal clock of the inventive network and the user clock or clocks for a given connection through the network all derive from the same root clock, but different connections can use different root clocks. For example, a user can choose a one thousand, six hundred MHz root clock for some connections in their design and a one thousand, two hundred fifty MHz root clock for others.
[0159] The clock distribution system and the inventive network have many counters that are initialized simultaneously. When multiple dividers in a clock tree have the same clock divider ratio, their dividers are initialized at the same rising edge of the root clock in order to cause the divided output clocks to be in phase with each other. The control logic for an input port serializer is initialized at some rising edge of the user clock; so is the control logic for an output port deserializer. In the preferred implementation, latency padding logic in input and output ports is implemented by a random-access memory (RAM); the RAM's read and write pointers are initialized at some rising edge of the user clock.
[0160] To perform all of these initializations, the FPGA containing the inventive network generates a synchronization (sync) pulse and distributes it to all the clock dividers and all the stations that use those dividers. It is convenient to generate the sync pulse at the root of the clock network and distribute it alongside clock down through the levels of the network. A single synchronization pulse that occurs at the start of functional operation is enough to initialize the clock system and the stations. The counters in the clock system and the stations will remain synchronized thereafter because they are configured to cycle through a sequence of states with a fixed period.
[0161] To help in ensuring that a reset pulse issued from one clock domain can be seen by clock edges in all the related domains that have different divider ratios, it is useful to issue the synchronization (sync) pulse repeatedly rather than just once. Therefore, the preferred embodiment issues periodic sync pulses. The sync pulses occur at times when the counters in the clock system and the stations would have reinitialized themselves anyway. The period of the sync pulse is configurable, and CAD software sets it to a suitable value, as measured in root clock cycles. The period is the least common multiple (LCM), or a multiple thereof, of the divider ratios of all the clock dividers that participate in connections through the inventive networks. In the preferred embodiment, the period is also a multiple of seven, because the read and write pointers in latency padding logic cycle back to their initial values every seven (or fourteen) user clock cycles.
[0162] Although the present invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that various modifications and alterations might be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention should therefore be measured in terms of the claims which follow.
|
A bus structure providing pipelined busing of data between logic circuits and special-purpose circuits of an integrated circuit, the bus structure including a network of pipelined conductors, and connectors selectively joining the pipelined conductors between the special-purpose circuits, other pipelined connectors, and the logic circuits.
| 8
|
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present patent document claims the benefit of and priority to European Patent Application No. EP 15159473.6 filed Mar. 17, 2015, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a multilayered motor vehicle pipeline, in particular a multilayered fuel pipeline for motor vehicles, wherein the pipeline has at least two layers of plastic, preferably at least three layers of plastic. The layers are made in particular from thermoplastic material.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Many different embodiments of multilayered motor vehicle pipelines or fuel pipelines of the aforementioned kind are known from the practice. One problem is frequently the adhesion between the individual layers in the layered laminate. Many known multilayered pipelines of this kind display undesirable delamination characteristics after long periods of operation, which can in the end render the motor vehicle pipelines unusable. It can lead to leakage and vehicle breakdown. The delamination is even further intensified or accelerated, as a rule, as a result of external chemical, thermal and mechanical influences. These delamination problems apply basically more or less to all layers in a layered laminate of the pipeline. Particularly frequently affected are however the adhesive layers arranged in the laminate composite or the layers connected therewith. Corresponding problems result frequently also for barrier layers or permeation and/or diffusion barrier layers, for example, barrier layers of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), which are provided in the layered composite. The multilayered motor vehicle pipelines known from the practice are in need of improvement in this respect.
SUMMARY
[0004] The present disclosure provides a multilayered motor vehicle pipeline of the initially mentioned kind, in which the aforementioned disadvantages can be prevented or minimized and in which a multilayered composite that is particularly stable with regard to delamination can be achieved. The multilayered fuel pipeline has at least two layers of plastic, and preferably at least three layers of plastic, wherein at least one layer is configured profiled with one surface that is connected to a further layer, wherein the pattern has maxima and minima, and wherein the height difference Δh between the maxima and the minima adjacent or directly adjacent to the maxima is between 1 and 100 μm, preferably between 1 and 50 μm, preferably between 1 and 25 μm, or preferably between 1 and 20 μm. Included within the scope of the present disclosure is that the at least two layers, preferably at least three layers of the pipeline, are made from plastic, or are made fundamentally from thermoplastic material. It is furthermore within the scope of the present disclosure that the at least one layer profiled according to the present disclosure is configured as profiled at its two mutually opposite surfaces according to the present disclosure, wherein preferably each profiling of the two surfaces has the aforementioned specified maxima and minima.
[0005] It is recommended that the at least one layer profiled according to the present disclosure, or the at least one surface profiled according to the present disclosure of this layer runs over at least 80%, preferably over at least 90%, and preferably over at least 95% of the circumference of the pipeline. The at least one layer profiled according to the present disclosure or the at least one surface profiled according to the present disclosure of this layer preferably runs around over the entire circumference of the pipeline. The maxima and minima of the profiling are suitably arranged evenly or fundamentally evenly over the circumference of the pipeline.
[0006] It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the surface of a further layer, or a second layer connected to a surface of a first layer profiled according to the present disclosure, is likewise configured as profiled according to the present disclosure, wherein this profiling of the further layer or the second layer is preferably configured similar or complementary to the profiling of the first layer. The second layer thus suitably has likewise maxima and minima, and the height difference Δh between the maxima and the minima directly adjacent to the maxima is between 1 and 100 μm, preferably between 1 and 50 μm, preferably between 1 and 25 μm, and particularly preferably between 1 and 20 μm. According to a recommended embodiment of the present disclosure, at least one layer, or at least the first layer, is configured profiled according to the present disclosure at both its surfaces and a surface profiled according to the present disclosure of another layer is attached to at least one and preferably to each of these surfaces profiled according to the present disclosure. The two profilings of a surface profiled according to the present disclosure of the one or the first layer are preferably configured complementary to the profilings of a surface profiled according to the present disclosure of another or second layer, which is attached thereto.
[0007] It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the maxima of the surface profiled, according to the present disclosure, of a first layer engage in a form-fitting—and preferably force-fitting—manner in the minima of the surface profiled according to the present disclosure of another layer or second layer attached thereto, and that the maxima of the surface profiled according to the present disclosure of the further or second layer inversely suitably engages in a form-fitting—and, as recommended, force-fitting—manner in the minima of the surface profiled, according to the present disclosure of the first layer. The height difference Δh between the maxima and the directly adjacent minima in the first layer and in the further or second layer is equal or fundamentally equal. It is furthermore within the scope of the present disclosure that the maxima and minima of the first layer and the maxima and minima of the further or second layer attached thereto have the same shape or have fundamentally the same shape.
[0008] One embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that the distances a between the maxima and the minima directly adjacent to the maxima of a surface profiled according to the present disclosure amount to 1 to 100 μm, preferably 1 to 50 μm, preferably 1 to 25 μm, and particularly preferably 2 to 20 μm. It is thereby within the scope of the present disclosure that the distances a are measured in circumferential direction of the pipeline.
[0009] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the at least one layer provided with at least one surface profiled according to the present disclosure is a central layer of the pipeline, which is respectively connected via its two surfaces to another layer of the pipeline. According to one embodiment, two surfaces of the central layer are thereby configured as surfaces profiled according to the present disclosure. A surface of another layer, which is connected to a surface profiled according to the present disclosure of the central layer, is suitably configured, as profiled, surface connected to the central layer, and in particular as surface profiled according to the present disclosure. The central layer is an adhesive layer between two layers of the pipeline laminate according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. However, it can also be a barrier layer or a permeation and/or diffusion barrier layer.
[0010] A proven embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that a layer profiled according to the present disclosure is an adhesive layer, which is respectively attached with its two surfaces to another layer, wherein preferably two surfaces of the adhesive layer are configured profiled and, as recommended, profiled according to the present disclosure. Such an adhesive layer suitably has a thickness of 0.02 mm to 0.15 mm, preferably a thickness of 0.03 mm to 0.12 mm, and particularly preferably a thickness of 0.03 mm to 0.10 mm. One embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that at least one surface profiled according to the present disclosure of the adhesive layer is attached to a barrier layer or a permeation and/or diffusion barrier. The surface of the barrier layer attached to the adhesive layer is suitably also profiled according to the present disclosure. Another embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that two adhesive layers are provided in the multilayered pipeline, which are both profiled according to the present disclosure, and are both preferably profiled, and particularly preferably profiled according to the present disclosure, at their two mutually opposite surfaces. According to an embodiment, a layer or merely one layer is interposed between the two adhesive layers, wherein this interposed layer is preferably a barrier layer. At least the two surfaces of the adhesive layers connected to the barrier layer are thereby suitably profiled according to the present disclosure. The barrier layer is then profiled according to the present disclosure, as recommended, at its two mutually opposite surfaces. Both adhesive layers preferably have the thicknesses disclosed above for the adhesive layer. The surfaces facing away from the barrier layer or the surfaces profiled according of the present disclosure of the two adhesive layers are suitably attached to further layers of the multilayered pipeline. At least one of the layers attached outside directly to the adhesion layers is thereby made from polyamide or is made fundamentally from polyamide according to the present disclosure. The two directly attached layers are preferably made from polyamide or are made fundamentally from polyamide. It is understood that an adhesive layer ensures or secures the adhesion between the two layers that are attached at their surfaces. The adhesive layer or layers can be, for example, an adhesive layer or layers based on polyamide. The barrier layer is made from ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) or is made fundamentally from ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The thickness of the barrier layer suitably is 0.05 to 0.3 mm, preferably 0.10 to 0.25 mm, and particularly preferably 0.11 to 0.20 mm, for example, 0.15 mm. If at least one, preferably at least two adhesive layers, which are profiled according to the present disclosure on at least one, preferably on two of their surfaces, or are profiled according to the present disclosure on both surfaces, are provided in the laminate composite according to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that also the layers respectively attached to their surfaces profiled according to the present disclosure or their attached surfaces are profiled according to the present disclosure. Profiled according to the present disclosure means in particular that the above-specified height difference Δh and preferably the above-specified distances a are provided. It is furthermore within the scope of the present disclosure that the above-disclosed layer thicknesses of the layers are merely measured from the minima of the layers in the presence of surfaces profiled according to the present disclosure.
[0011] Another embodiment variant of the present disclosure is characterized in that a layer provided with a surface profiled according to the present disclosure is the internal layer of the pipeline, which is attached to another layer with its external surface profiled according to the present disclosure. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that this inner layer comes in contact with its internal surface with the fluid medium flowing through the pipeline. The inner surface of the inner layer of the pipeline is suitably configured unprofiled or fundamentally unprofiled. Moreover, according to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the outer surface of the outer layer of the pipeline is configured as unprofiled or fundamentally unprofiled.
[0012] According another embodiment of the present disclosure, the multilayered motor vehicle pipeline or fuel pipeline according to the present disclosure is produced by means of coextrusion. It is thus within the scope of the present disclosure that the layers, or all layers of the multilayered pipeline, are made from plastic or from thermoplastic material. At least the layer with at least one surface profiled according to the present disclosure, and the at least one layer attached to the surface profiled according to the present disclosure, are suitably produced by means of coextrusion. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the extruder used for coextrusion is configured with the provision that the at least one layer with the at least one surface configured profiled according to the present disclosure is produced by coextrusion. It is further within the scope of the present disclosure that the extruder used for extrusion of the pipeline according to the present disclosure has annular channels for extrusion of the individual layers of the pipeline.
[0013] At least one annular channel is provided with transversal webs running in a radial direction in order to realize the at least one surface profiled according to the present disclosure of at least one layer. The transversal webs can thereby extend over the total radial width of the annular channel. The transversal webs can however also extend only over one part of the radial width of the respective annular channel, in particular if one layer is to be produced with a surface profiled according to the present disclosure. The interruption created by the transversal webs affects the formation of the maxima and minima of the profiled surface or surfaces produced according to the present disclosure. It is therefore within the scope of the present disclosure that the respective layer of the pipeline is configured profiled according to the present disclosure at both mutually opposite surfaces.
[0014] The maxima and minima of a surface profiled according to the present disclosure suitably extend in longitudinal direction of the pipeline. It is thus recommended that the maxima and minima are configured in the form of webs and grooves running in longitudinal direction of the pipeline. It is preferred thereby—however not absolutely necessary—that the height difference Δh between the maxima and minima in the longitudinal direction of the pipeline remains constant or remains fundamentally constant. The same applies also for the distances a between the maxima and minima. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the at least one layer profiled according to the present disclosure or the surface profiled according to the present disclosure of this layer and the preferably at least two and especially preferably all layers profiled according to the present disclosure of the surfaces profiled according to the present disclosure of these layers extend over at least 80%, preferably over at least 90%, and particularly preferably over at least 95% of the circumference of the pipeline. According to a highly recommended embodiment, the at least one layer profiled according to the present disclosure or the surface profiled according to the present disclosure of this layer, and according to another proven embodiment variant, at least two layers profiled according to the present disclosure and preferably at least all layers profiled according to the present disclosure or their surface profiled according to the present disclosure extend over the entire circumference of the pipeline.
[0015] Another embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that the profiling of the at least one surface profiled according to the present disclosure is configured with an undulated cross section. In this embodiment, the wave crests correspond to the maxima and the wave troughs correspond to the minima of the profiling according to the present disclosure. The wave crests and/or the wave troughs of this profiling with undulated cross section can thereby be configured pointed or rounded.
[0016] It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the maxima and the minima or the wave crests and the wave troughs extend in a longitudinal direction of the pipeline in the form of webs and grooves. According to a recommended embodiment of the present disclosure, these webs and grooves are arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the pipeline or fundamentally parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the pipeline. It is furthermore within the scope of the present disclosure that the webs of a surface profiled according to the present disclosure engage in the grooves of a surface profiled according to the present disclosure that is attached thereto, preferably in a form-fitting and preferentially in a force-fitting manner, and vice versa.
[0017] The present disclosure is based on the realization that a very effective and operatively sound adhesion between the correspondingly adjacent layers of the pipeline can be achieved based on the profiling according to the present disclosure of at least one surface of a layer of the pipeline according to the present disclosure. This applies in particular to the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, in which both mutually connected surfaces of two adjacent layers are configured profiled and wherein the profiling of the one layer is complementary to the profiling of the other layer. It is also important that this advantage according to the present disclosure can be achieved with very simple and less expensive means. The profilings according to the present disclosure can be produced without problems with an extrusion or coextrusion with a correspondingly configured extruder. Especially the central layers in the laminate composite of a motor vehicle pipeline according to the present disclosure can be held particularly firmly adhered in the composite, and are characterized long-term as well by an excellent bond or adhesion in the case of chemical actions, as well as thermal and mechanical stress. The profiling according to the present disclosure has shown to be particularly reliable in adhesive layers. These adhesive layers consequently ensure then a particularly effective and firm bond of the layers attached thereto. Further expenditure for the improvement of the adhesion can thus be forgone and a pipeline according to the present disclosure is characterized in this respect by a low expense and low costs.
[0018] The present disclosure will be described in more detail in the following with the aid of the drawing, in which merely one exemplary embodiment is represented. In the schematic representation,
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a cross section through a multilayered or six-layer pipeline according to the prior art,
[0020] FIG. 2 shows a multilayered or six-layer pipeline equipped with the profiling according to the present disclosure,
[0021] FIG. 3 shows the object according to FIG. 2 in perspective view, and
[0022] FIG. 4 shows a highly schematic representation of the cross section of an extruder for producing a pipeline according to the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] In the exemplary embodiment according to the figures, the pipeline 1 has a total of six layers 2 to 7 . A central barrier layer 5 is provided, on whose surfaces 5 . 1 and 5 . 2 an adhesive layer 4 or 6 is respectively attached. To the inner adhesive layer 4 are attached two inner layers 3 and 2 , and to the outer adhesive layer 6 is attached an outer layer 7 . FIG. 1 shows a six-layer motor vehicle pipeline known from the prior art. The surfaces of the layers, in particular the surfaces 4 . 1 and 4 . 2 of the inner adhesive layer 4 , as well as the surfaces 6 . 1 and 6 . 2 of the outer adhesive layers 6 and also the two surfaces 5 . 1 and 5 . 2 of the central barrier layer 5 , are here configured smooth or unprofiled.
[0024] FIGS. 2 and 3 show instead a pipeline according to the present disclosure. The outside surface 4 . 2 of the inner adhesive layer 4 , as well as the inside surface 6 . 1 of the outer adhesive layer 6 , are configured profiled according to the present disclosure. The profiling shows maxima 9 and minima 10 , wherein the height difference Δh between the maxima 9 and the minima 0 directly adjacent to the maxima 9 is between 1 and 20 μm, preferably between 5 and 15 μm. In the exemplary embodiment, the height difference Δh may be about 10 μm. The height difference Δh between the maxima 9 and the minima 10 is suitably dimensioned as the radial distance of the maxima and minima in the exemplary embodiment. This is represented in the enlarged cutout of FIG. 2 . The inside surface 5 . 1 of the barrier layer 5 that faces toward the outside surface 4 . 2 of the inner adhesive layer 4 is advantageously configured profiled according to the present disclosure. The outside surface 5 . 1 of the barrier layer 5 facing toward the inside surface 6 . 1 of the outer adhesive layer 6 is also configured similarly profiled according to the present disclosure. The profiling of the surfaces 5 . 1 and 5 . 2 of the barrier layer 5 is preferably configured complementary to the profiling of the respectively allocated surfaces 4 . 2 and 6 . 1 of the adhesive layers 4 , 6 in the exemplary embodiment. It is recommended that the maxima 9 of the outside surface 4 . 2 of the inner adhesive layer 4 engage in form-fitting manner, and preferably also in force-fitting manner, and vice versa, in the minima 10 of the inside surface 5 . 1 of the barrier layer 5 . The maxima 9 of the inside surface 6 . 1 of the outer adhesive layer 6 suitably engages in form-fitting manner, and preferably also in force-fitting manner, and vice versa, in the minima 10 of the outside surface 5 . 2 of the barrier layer 5 . An interlocking of the adhesive layers 4 , 6 with the barrier layer 5 takes place thus at the same time via the mutually engaging profilings or maxima 9 and minima 10 . The distances a between the maxima 9 and the minima 10 directly adjacent to the maxima 10 measured in circumferential direction of the pipeline 1 are preferably 1 to 20 μm and very preferably 5 to 15 μm. It can be seen especially in FIG. 2 that the profiled surfaces 4 . 2 , 5 . 1 , 5 . 2 and 6 . 1 are very preferably configured with undulated cross section in the exemplary embodiment. A more or less irregular wave structure is thus obtained.
[0025] The central barrier layer 5 may be made from ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) in the exemplary embodiment. The adhesive layers 4 , 6 attached thereto are adhesive layers 4 , 6 based on polyamide. The thickness of the central barrier layer 5 is preferably 0.1 to 0.2 mm and, for example, 0.15 mm in the exemplary embodiment. The thickness of the adhesive layers is preferably 0.2 mm to 0.1 mm, preferably 0.03 mm to 0.07 mm and, for example, 0.05 mm, in the exemplary embodiment.
[0026] The layers of the multilayered motor vehicle pipeline according to the present disclosure are made from thermoplastic material according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. It is within the scope of the present disclosure that the multilayered motor vehicle pipeline according to the present disclosure is produced by means of coextrusion. FIG. 4 shows the cross section of an extruder 11 for such a coextrusion, wherein surfaces, profiled according to the present disclosure, of a layer can be produced with this extruder 11 . For this purpose, the extruder 11 has an annular channel 12 with radial transversal webs 13 . The respectively extruded layer can be provided with profiled or undulated surfaces according to the present disclosure with the aid of these radial transversal webs 13 in the annular channel 12 . It is understood that the extruder 11 can have further corresponding annular channels 12 for the layers of the pipeline 1 if further profiled surfaces are to be produced. These annular channels 12 are not represented in FIG. 4 . FIG. 4 insofar shows only a highly simplified cross section of a corresponding extruder 11 .
|
A multilayered motor vehicle pipeline, wherein the pipeline has at least two layers, preferably at least three layers of plastic. At least one surface of at least one layer connected to another layer is configured profiled, wherein the profiling has maxima and minima. The height difference Δh between the maxima and the minima directly adjacent to the maxima is between 1 and 100 μm.
| 5
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions; and more particularly to water vapor permeable pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions.
The present invention also relates to pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions suitable for medical and/or surgical bandage sheeting materials, including adhesive tapes.
The present invention more particularly relates to water vapor permeable, pressure-sensitive adhesives for medical and/or surgical bandage sheeting materials incorporating modified acrylate copolymers.
The present invention further relates to a pressure-sensitive adhesive which will cause minimum maceration or tissue damage of contacted skin areas, when used to attach a medical or surgical dressing or adhesive tape or bandage thereto.
The present invention still further relates to a water vapor permeable, pressure-sensitive adhesive composition which is at once both convenient to use and economical to manufacture.
The use of pressure-sensitive adhesive-coated sheet materials in the form of adhesive tapes, medical and surgical bandages, and surgical drapes for the management of skin wounds in order to protect the subject wounds from trauma, superficial dirt and bacterial contamination, also to absorb wound exudate, and to limit movement of tissues, is a widely practiced and well-accepted medical practice.
For many years, the pressure-sensitive adhesives that have been used for attachment of these dressing materials to the skin surface were natural rubber based, and therefore they contained the usual chemical additives, such as resins, plasticizers, anti-oxidants, etc. The foregoing listed chemical additives, in addition to others, are potentially irritating to human skin. In addition, as the pressure-sensitive adhesive and, in some cases, the dressing materials were occlusive and water vapor non-permeable by nature, the adhesive sheet materials led to water accummulation under them following their emplacement.
The accummulated water would then over-hydrate and soften the outer layers of the skin (stratum corneum), thus causing what is referred to as skin maceration. Further, the stratum corneum of the then macerated skin is readily further damaged when the pressure-sensitive adhesive-coated sheet material is removed. Therefore, in order to prevent the widely prevalent moisture-caused maceration of skin, the pressure-sensitive adhesive-coated sheet materials should preferably be composed of water vapor permeable adhesive substrate backings and non-irritating pressure-sensitive adhesives.
Many of the modern surgical adhesive dressings and bandages employ an acrylic-based pressure-sensitive adhesive, which is much more permeable to water than the prior art rubber-based occlusive adhesive compositions. Although acrylic-based pressure-sensitive adhesives are less traumatic to human skin than those which are rubber-based, they are not without their inherent disadvantages. Especially in applications where the pressure-sensitive adhesive-coated dressing sheet material is repeatedly applied to and then removed from the same area of the skin surface, e.g., as in the changing of a medical or surgical dressing, or when in place over a prolonged period of time, a significant local skin damage or water-induced maceration can result.
The present invention pressure-sensitive adhesive is a copolymeric composition, having improved pressure-sensitive adhesive properties and enhanced water vapor permeability. It is comprised of about 79 to 89 percent by weight of n-butyl acrylate, from about 10 to 20 percent by weight of a hydrophilic N-vinyl lactam, and from about 1 to 5 percent by weight of an acidic comonomer.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions are commonly applied to the flexible backing or tape on which they are supported during use by coating them in the form of a solution or dispersion in a suitable vehicle such as an organic solvent or water, and evaporating the vehicle, or by coating them in the form of a hot melt free from vehicle. In order to be useful, pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions must possess not only good tack but also good cohesive strength and the desired high degree of adhesion. All of these properties are generally interdependent, a change in one usually causing a change in the others.
Conventional acrylic-based pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions are generally single component materials, comprised of copolymers of long chain alkyl acrylate (C 4 -C 8 ) esters with polar monomers such as acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, acrylamide, etc. Optional modifying monomers which may also be copolymerized with alkyl acrylate esters are methyl or ethyl acrylate, alkyl (C 1 -C 4 ) methacrylates, styrene, vinyl acetate, etc.
In order to achieve optimum cohesive and adhesive properties of the copolymer, a proper balance of its molecular weight (usually very high, from about 800,000 to more than about 1,000,000 mw), its polar character, and a glass transition temperature (T G ) ranging from about -25° C. to -70° C., is necessary.
R. F. Peck (U.K. Pat. GB No. 2,070,631A) teaches the copolymerization of n-butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and acrylic acid to produce a polyacrylate having a K-value of from 90 to 110 claimed to result in a satisfactory water vapor permeability for use with medical dressings.
E. Schonfeld (U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,115) has proposed the incorporation of a polyol, such as polyoxyalkylene glycol, in the acrylic adhesive mass for use in surgical and/or medical bandages or tapes, which are claimed to result in less skin damage upon their removal.
Ono, et al, (U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,570) has proposed to improve the water vapor permeability of conventional acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesives by blending with them hydroxyethyl cellulose.
K. R. Shah (the present inventor) in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,325, has described blending alkyl acrylate-acrylic acid copolymers with certain proportions of N-vinyl lactam homopolymers and copolymers to obtain pressure sensitive adhesives having increased water vapor permeabilities.
H. Reinhard, et al, (U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,122) have disclosed a pressure sensitive adhesive comprising a copolymer of primary and/or secondary alkyl acrylate (C 4 -C 12 ) esters, of which at least 25 percent are derived from alkanols having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, tertiary alkyl (C 4 -C 12 ) esters, N-vinyl pyrrolidone (1 to 10 percent by weight), and olefinically unsaturated monomers (such as acrylic acid, acrylamide, etc.) containing reactive groups.
However, it should be noted that the presence of small amounts (i.e. 10 percent) of hydrophilic N-vinyl pyrrolidone, and the presence of hydrophobic long chain (C 6 -C 12 ) alkyl acrylate moities in the above-discussed copolymeric compositions, would not be expected to impart enhanced water vapor permeability to them.
In Martens, et al, (U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,752), a process for the free radical polymerization of acrylic monomers by means of ultraviolet irradiation under controlled conditions in order to prepare pressure sensitive adhesives is described and claimed. N-vinyl pyrrolidone and acrylic acid have been mentioned in Martens, et al, as monomers copolymerizable with alkyl acrylates by the irradiation process. However, copolymers of n-butyl acrylate, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, and acrylic acid as described and claimed in the present invention were not taught or considered by the above-discussed inventors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved pressure-sensitive adhesive composition.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved pressure-sensitive adhesive composition suitable for medical and/or surgical bandage sheeting materials, including adhesive tapes.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide an enhanced water vapor permeable, pressure-sensitive adhesive composition for coating onto medical and surgical bandage sheet materials, which incorporates modified acrylic copolymers.
It is also yet another object of the present invention to provide an enhanced water vapor permeable, pressure-sensitive adhesive, which will cause minimum maceration or damage of contacted skin areas when utilized to attach a medical or surgical dressing or adhesive bandage thereto.
It is still yet a further object of the present invention to provide such a water vapor permeable, pressure-sensitive adhesive which is at once both convenient to use and economical to manufacture.
In order to accomplish the aforestated objectives, and others as well, an enhanced water vapor permeable, pressure-sensitive adhesive composition, suitable for coating onto medical and/or surgical sheet dressing materials and the like, and incorporating modified copolymers of n-butyl acrylate containing N-vinyl 2-pyrrolidone and acrylic acid, is described. The present invention yields a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition having enhanced water vapor transmission rates, which may lead to a concomittant reduction in skin lesions that were previously attendant upon the accummulation of moisture under conventional medical and surgical dressings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The monomeric constituents of the copolymeric compositions of the present invention have been specifically selected in order to obtain an optimum balance of the adhesive, cohesive and hydrophilic properties that are necessary to yield a suitable water vapor permeable, pressure-sensitive adhesive composition.
The butyl acrylate component of the preferred copolymer of the present invention provides the requisite pressure-sensitive tack. The combination of the N-vinyl lactam and acidic comonomers will provide the necessary cohesiveness in the copolymer, by increasing its glass transition temperature and by the hydrogen bonding interactions. The presence of the same highly polar and hydrophilic units in the copolymer also serves to enhance its adhesiveness and relatively high water vapor permeability characteristics.
Further, molecular weights of the preferable copolymer should be optimized from about 200,000 to about 500,000, in order to obtain the required cohesive-adhesive balance of its properties. Very high molecular weights of the copolymers should be avoided, because it will result in poor tack characteristics in these copolymers, whereas very low molecular weight copolymers will yield cohesively weak pressure-sensitive adhesives.
The N-vinyl lactam monomers which may be used in preferred embodiments of the present invention include: 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, 1-vinyl-5-methyl 2-pyrrolidone, 1-vinyl-2-piperidinone, and 1-vinyl ε-caprolactam.
The acidic comonomers suitable for preparation of the copolymer of the present invention include: acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, and 2-sulfoethyl methacrylate.
The relative proportions of the three types of monomers utilized in the instant invention copolymer may vary within certain limits.
The n-butyl acrylate component may vary from about 79 to about 89 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the copolymer yield. The hydrophilic N-vinyl lactam may vary from about 10 to about 20 percent by weight of the copolymer. Finally, the ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing an acidic group, may vary from about 1 to about 5 percent by weight of the copolymer.
The copolymeric compositions of the present invention may be suitably coated onto the conventional water-permeable sheeting material or substrates employed in the manufacture of adhesive tapes and/or medical and surgical dressing sheets. For example, suitable water vapor permeable substrates for the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention are polymeric membranes such as polyurethanes, or Copel™ (General Electric Company) a copolymer of polycarbonate and polysiloxane, perforated vinyls, or microporous polyethylene and polypropylene films, and woven and nonwoven webs of fibrous material, such as woven textile fabrics and nonwoven fabrics made from natural and/or synthetic fibers.
Such coatings may be deposited onto the substrates by casting a solution of the copolymer composite onto the backing materials, and then removing the solvent by means of evaporation in a drying oven at a suitable temperature.
In the event that the desired bandage substrate is either heat- and/or solvent-sensitive, as for example, polyurethane and plasticized vinyl films, the copolymer solution is first cast onto a release liner, then dried, and finally laminated onto the desired substrate by the use of sufficient pressure between two laminating rolls. The release paper may then be removed prior to its use.
Continuous, non-porous 1 mil thick coatings of the copolymers of this invention will exhibit enhanced water vapor transmission rates of greater than 1,000 gms/meter 2 /24 hours at 40° C. and 80% relative humidity.
The probe tack characteristic was determined by means of a Polyken Probe Tack Tester, sold by the Polyken Division of The Kendall Company, and as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,971 having the following four functional parts: (1) a cylindrical steel probe attached to the compression loaded spring of (2) a series L Hunter mechanical force gauge (Hunter Spring Company, Brochure 750/FG, revised February 1961), (3) an annulus having an opening slightly larger than the diameter of the probe and (4) a carrier for the annulus which moves down to bring the annulus around the probe and then up to remove the annulus therefrom.
The carrier moves at a speed of 0.1 inch per second. At the beginning of the test, the carrier is at its uppermost point of travel and the annulus rests upon the carrier so that the opening in the annulus is in line with the probe positioned beneath it. In carrying out the test, a strip of tape is placed upon the annulus, adhesive side down, and spanning the annulus opening. As the carrier is driven downwardly by the synchronous motor, the adhesive surface exposed through the opening is brought into contact with the flat surface of the probe so that the tape and the annulus attached thereto are suspended on the probe as the carrier continues farther on its downward path. The carrier then reverses its movement returning to pick up the annulus, thereby separating the tape from the probe surface. Separation begins after one second contact between the probe and the adhesive. The force required to separate the tape from the probe is recorded on a gauge. The recorded value is the probe tack value. Measurements were made employing a loading of 100 grams/cm 2 .
The 180° peel adhesion test basically involves determining resistance of pressure-sensitive tape/stainless steel laminates to being delaminated at a 180° angle and at a rate of 12 inches per minute. The test laminates are consistently prepared by laying the adhesive tape onto the cleaned stainless steel plates and using only the pressure from two passes of a 5 pound roller to complete lamination. The peel test is conducted 15 minutes after rolling.
Flat bar creep is measured as the time required for a 1" wide and 2" long tape, laminated to a stainless steel plate, to slide 1/2" under a 1000 gram weight hung in essentially vertical position at 100° F. The adhesive tape/stainless steel laminate is prepared by the same method as the peel strength test laminates.
The water vapor transmission rate (W) of a polymer film, having a specified thickness is defined by the following equation:
W=g/Axt
where g is the weight of water vapor transported in time t through a film area A at a given temperature and relative humidity difference.
For the purpose of determination of water permeability of the copolymer, a supported 1 mil thick film of the copolymer is prepared by casting a solution of the copolymer on a release paper, then removing the solvent by evaporation, and transfering the dried film to a plastic netting material, such as Delnet™ Kx215 (Hercules, Inc.), which has an open area of greater than 85%. The water vapor permeability of the supported copolymer film is determined by the ASTM E96-66-Desicant method carried out as follows. The supported copolymer film is fastened over the mouth of a dish, which contains a desicant (granular calcium chloride). The assembly is placed in an atmosphere of 80% relative humidity and a constant temperature of 40° C. The weight of the assembly is periodically recorded, and the gain in weight is used to calculate the rate of water vapor movement through the copolymer film.
The present invention is further exemplified below by an example thereof in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the invention. In the following example, and throughout this application, all parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated, and all temperatures are reported in degrees Celsius, unless otherwise specified.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
In a 2-liter resin kettle equipped with a stirrer, a thermometer, a condenser, and a nitrogen inlet tube, was placed a 200 g portion of a monomeric solution consisting of 420 g n-butyl acrylate, 62.75 g. N-vinyl 2-pyrrolidone, 14.93 g. acrylic acid, 500 g. ethyl acetate, 747 mg. azobisisobutyronitrile, and 359 mg. n-dodecanethiol.
After a continuous purge of the reaction vessel with nitrogen was started, the monomeric mixture was then heated and allowed to reflux for 20 to 30 minutes, during which period the viscosity of the reaction mixture increased substantially. The remainder of the monomeric solution was then gradually added to the viscous reaction product under constant agitation over a period of 2 hours, while reflux of the solvent was maintained. After addition of the monomeric solution was completed, the reaction mixture was maintained under agitation and solvent reflux for an additional period of 15 minutes.
Percent non-volatiles in the final product thus obtained was 47 percent; polymerization conversion was 97 percent; and the product viscosity was 25,600 centipose (Brookfield, spindle #3, @2.5 RPM and 22° C.). The weight, average molecular weight of the copolymer, determined by gel permeation chromatography, was 262,000. Water vapor transmission rate of 1 mil thick non-porous film of the dried copolymer was greater than 1,430 g/meter 2 /24 hours @40° C. and 80% RH.
The copolymer solution thus prepared was then coated onto a smooth surface release-coated silicone paper and dried to yield a 1.1 mil thick copolymeric adhesive film, which was then transferred to a sheet of polyurethane film, also 1.1 mil thick. The adhesive coated sheet had probe tack value of 130 g/cm 2 , adhesion to steel of 26.5 oz/inch width, and flat bar creep at 100° F. of 4.5 hours.
|
The present invention comprises a water vapor permeable, pressure-sensitive adhesive composition useful for surgical and medical bandage applications, and incorporating modified copolymers of butyl acrylate containing N-vinyl 2-pyrrolidone and acrylic acid. The present pressure-sensitive adhesive composition results in enhanced water vapor transmission rates, which may lead to a concomittant reduction in skin lesions that were previously attendant upon the accumulation of water under conventional inadequately permeable pressure-sensitive adhesive-coated surgical and medical dressings.
| 2
|
This application claims priority under 35 USC §119(e)(1) of Provisional Application No. 60/314,277, filed Aug. 23, 2001.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The technical field of the invention is printer controllers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Printer controllers for computer systems have steadily grown in sophistication and performance. Digital signal processors are increasingly used to perform the wide variety of tasks required which include a high level of signal processing capability and multi-faceted interface requirements. Memory control is centralized in a memory interface controller function. These systems use increasingly large memory functions of several types, such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) and flash memory.
FIG. 1 illustrates the prior art steps required to process the input data that a printer typically receives from a conventional personal computer (PC). The output from the PC normally is supplied by a printer driver 101 that prepares an output print file. This file includes a set of instructions and data in a page description language (PDL) or compressed bitmap format. These instructions and data may be transported to the printer via IEEE 1284 (Firewire) or Universal Serial Bus (USB) cabling or over a local area network and stored in an input buffer memory 102 .
The first computational step in the printer controller pipeline is interpretation 103 of the data. The display list from interpretation 103 includes a description of individual elements of graphics data or text data along with the position of these elements on the page. The display list may be in a banded or a non-banded format. In a banded format discrete bands are defined and formed as a part of the processing. After rendering, a number of these bands collectively form a full printer controller output page. In a non-banded format, each page is interpreted as a unit. After rendering, this unit forms an integral part of printer controller output.
The rendering pipeline stage 104 reduces the interpreted data of the display list to printer specific raster data. This process is sometimes called rasterization. The output of the rendering process is a bit map format in which discrete digitized dots (pixels) are generated to control the output device (e.g. ink jet pen, laser drum) with proportions of the colors cyan, yellow, magenta, and black. The rendering step is well suited to digital processing operations commonly used in digital signal processor devices. After rendering, the bit map data is stored in an output buffer memory stage 105 . This bit map data is sent as needed to the printer output mechanism 106 .
FIG. 2 illustrates a high-level view of the full complement of printer pipeline functions of the prior art. The input data has a variety of sources, such as spooled jobs on disc 201 , parallel printer port 202 , Universal Serial Bus (USB) port 203 , Ethernet TCP/IP port 204 and IEEE 1284 (Firewire) 205 . Each data source has its specific data format. This data must be reduced to a common format for processing in the pipeline. Streams interface unit 207 adjusts the format of the input data as required. For example, data arrives in parallel form from parallel printer port 202 and is converted in streams interface unit 207 as necessary for uniform processing in later stages. Likewise, streams interface unit 207 often carries out format adjustments upon data from USB port 203 in queue coming from the host processor.
Streams interface unit 207 sends data to the path that performs parallel interpretation of the composite postscript 208 , printer control language PCL 210 or other PDL interpreter 210 . Page pipeline block 209 re-assembles the results of the interpretation process into page format for page oriented processing before submitting page data to rendering unit 212 . Postscript interpreter 208 or PCL interpreter 210 may send banded format data directly to rendering unit 212 . Rendering unit 212 also performs compression, decompression or screening as required. PDL print controller to print engine controller interface unit 225 supplies data and control information to ASIC special purpose processor 213 to drive paper path control 216 , the control panel/display 214 and the video data output 215 .
FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional printer controller system. The system has typically a main processor 300 and a system ASIC printer controller 301 , both served by a single processor bus 302 . All major compute functions are carried out within the main processor 300 .
The system interfacing to a personal computer (PC) 303 is directed by the system ASIC printer controller 301 via a USB port 304 or alternately by an IEEE 1284 (Firewire) compatible parallel port 305 . ASIC printer controller 301 directs networking by the system via the Ethernet 306 from a local area network 307 and provides a mass storage interface via an ATA-4 compatible disc interface 308 to disc drive 309 .
System data movement among main processor 300 , system ASIC print controller 301 , DRAM memory 310 and FLASH or ROM memory 311 are all accomplished via processor bus 302 . System ASIC print controller 301 provides interface to printer engine via engine control signals 312 and video data output 313 .
FIG. 4 illustrates the memory bandwidth requirement for the processor-initiated video output in the conventional system of FIG. 3 . The processor-initiated video output is the most bandwidth intensive operation and must occur in real time. Three operations require processor bus 302 bandwidth: processor band clearing and write 406 of rasterized data to the output band buffer; the real-time read 407 of data from the printer engine; and real-time write 408 of data to the printer engine. This video output requires a total of 256 Mbytes/page for processor band clearing and write 406 , 128 Mbytes/page for real-time read 407 and 128 Mbytes/page for real-time write 408 for a total of 512 Mbytes/page of processor bus 302 bandwidth. This translates into 136 Mbytes/sec for a 16 page/min printer.
FIG. 5 illustrates the data flow diagram for a conventional printer controller using a single processor bus. Three parts of the printer controller are identified with dashed-line boxes: DRAM 550 , processor 551 , and engine and peripheral interfaces 552 . Operations and operation end points given in boxes in FIG. 5 require in many cases that the main processor yield the main processor bus to non-compute operations thereby slowing down overall processing speed. Each transfer of data is represented by a line and is labeled with the transfer size in Mbytes/page. Note that all transfer size requirements in FIG. 5 involve use of bus bandwidth on the common processor bus 302 in FIG. 3 . Table 1 gives a complete list of the bus bandwidth requirements for each major controller operation. Specific operations in FIG. 5 may be cross-referenced to the list given following Table 1, which also shows the bus bandwidth requirements for each major controller operation.
TABLE 1
Processor Bus
Number
Operation
Mbytes/page
1
Networking
120
2
Spooling
80
3
Stream I/F
80
4
Image Filter
80
5
Color Conversion
47
6
Text Interpretation
4
(Font Decompression)
7
Graphics Interpretation
64
(Display List)
8
Band Clearing
128
9
Rendering and Compression
43
10
Compressed Output Data
11
11
Decompress and Screen
139
12
Video Output Data
256
Total
1052
These data paths are detailed below. Note: DMA is direct memory access; PCI
1. Networking: Processor Bus 120 Mbytes/page
From PDL input 500 to DMA 531 to PCI buffer 501 to DMA 521 to mbuffer 502 to DMA 522 to socket buffer 503 .
2. Spooling: Processor Bus 80 Mbytes/page
From socket buffer 503 to DMA 523 to temporary buffer 504 to DMA 524 to DOS buffer 505 to DMA 532 to disc write DMA 506 .
3. Stream I/F: Processor Bus 80 Mbytes/page
From disk read DMA 507 to DMA 533 to DOS buffer 508 to DMA 525 to stream buffer 510 .
4. Image Filter: Processor Bus 80 Mbytes/page
From stream buffer 510 to DMA 526 to temporary buffer 511 to filter 512 to image buffer 513 .
5. Color Conversion: Processor Bus 47 Mbytes/page
From image buffer 513 to color conversion 515 to converted image buffer 516 .
6. Text Interpretation: Processor Bus 4 Mbytes/page
From font decompression 545 to font buffer 543 .
7. Graphics Interpretation: Processor Bus 64 Mbytes/page
From display list generation 540 to display list buffer 544 .
8. Band Clearing: Processor Bus 128 Mbytes/page
From band clearing operation 541 to output band buffer 530 .
9. Rendering and Compression: Processor Bus 43 Mbytes/page
From render and compress operation 538 to compressed buffer 542 .
10. Compressed Output Data: Processor Bus 11 Mbytes/page
From compressed buffer 542 to uncompress and screen operation 539 .
11. Decompress and Screen: Processor Bus 139 Mbytes/page
From uncompress and screen operation 539 to output band buffer 530 .
12. Video Output Data: Processor Bus 256 Mbytes/page
From output band buffer 530 to DMA 534 to video output 535 .
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention comprises a shared-memory printer controller architecture with a dedicated direct memory access (DMA) controller allowing engine data to be transferred while the processor maintains its ability to access instructions and data.
In earlier systems, during the real-time transfer of data from memory to the printer engine, the processor is unable to access the processor bus. By partitioning the memory into shared and local, it becomes possible to avoid such processor bottlenecks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other aspects of this invention are illustrated in the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art printer controller pipeline requirement;
FIG. 2 illustrates a prior art printer system with a page description language (PDL) printer controller board interfaced with a separate engine controller board;
FIG. 3 illustrates a prior art single memory printer controller;
FIG. 4 illustrates the memory bandwidth requirement for a video output operation in the prior art printer controller system of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 illustrates the data flow diagram for a prior art printer controller system with a single centralized memory;
FIG. 6 illustrates the shared memory printer controller system of this invention providing intensive image processing and efficient interfaces to peripheral input interface, video interface, memory control and engine control;
FIG. 7 illustrates the memory bandwidth requirement for a video output operation in the printer controller system of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 illustrates the system bandwidth requirements for specific operations between the digital signal processor, the local memory interface, shared memory interface and the peripheral interface.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 6 illustrates the shared memory printer controller system of this invention. The system is a digital signal processor (DSP) centric printer controller, with all functions surrounding the Digital signal processor driven by controllers subject to the Digital signal processor. Also all major compute functions are carried out within the Digital signal processor. Digital signal processor 600 is preferably an efficient general-purpose device now becoming widely used for such applications. Digital signal processor 600 could be a TMS320C6211 manufactured by Texas Instruments. Digital signal processor 600 includes external memory interface (EMIF) 603 which interfaces with A Bank local memory 610 via address bus ABus_A 601 and data bus ABus_D 602 . Digital signal processor 600 interfaces with S Bank shared memory 620 by closing the A 2 S switches 625 and passing addresses via bus SBus_A 621 and data via SBus_D 622 . Isolation and buffering is obtained between the various busses of the system as required using the bus transfer bi-directional buffers 629 and 634 , uni-directional buffers 630 and 635 , and bi-directional synchronous buffer 618 . Digital system processor 600 starts up upon initial application of electric power via initialization routines stored in FLASH memory 611 . External memory port 603 of digital signal processor 600 specifies address within FLASH memory 611 via ABus_A 601 , uni-directional buffer 630 and ABus_A extension 613 . FLASH memory 611 data is accessed via ABus_D 602 , bi-directional buffers 629 and ABus_D extension 623 .
The system direct memory access controller (SDMA) 604 is basically a memory interface and control unit. System direct memory access controller 604 generates address signals 636 for system direct memory access to S Bank shared memory 620 and to A Bank local memory 610 via bus switches 625 . Engine/peripheral interface unit 614 manages all communication with peripheral port connections. Engine/peripheral unit 614 transfers data via PCI port 626 , supports disk reads and writes via ATA-4 port 627 and transfers data via IEEE 1284 port 628 . Engine/peripheral unit 614 couples to ABus_A 601 via ABus_A extension 613 and uni-directional buffer 630 and couples to ABus_D 601 via ABus_D extension 623 and bi-directional buffers 629 . Engine/peripheral unit 614 couples to SBus_D 622 via SBus_D extension 624 and bi-directional buffers 618 . Video output port 609 of engine/peripheral unit 614 supplies pixel data to printer engine 612 via pixel bus 615 .
The printer controller functions are efficiently partitioned as shown in FIG. 6 to improve performance, optimizing printer speed and versatility. Memory system partitioning is particularly important. Memory operations which would otherwise cause holds or slow down digital signal processing operations have been optimized through the separation of A Bank local memory 610 from S Bank shared memory 620 minimizing impact on digital signal processing.
FIG. 6 illustrates that digital signal processor 600 accesses A Bank local memory 610 directly through its local busses ABus_A 601 and ABus_D 602 . The system direct memory access controller 604 accesses S Bank shared memory 620 directly through the shared busses SBus_A 621 and SBus_D 622 . A 2 S switches 625 allow for communication between ABus 601 / 602 and SBus 621 / 622 .
Digital signal processor 600 may access S Bank shared memory 620 when ABus 601 / 602 is tied to SBus 621 / 622 through the A 2 S switch 625 . Because SBus 621 / 622 can be driven by digital signal processor 600 , system direct memory access controller 604 must be placed in a hold state for this to occur. Thus system direct memory access controller 604 is prevented from accessing memory while digital signal processor 600 is accessing S Bank shared memory 620 .
Similarly system direct memory access controller 604 may access the A Bank local memory 610 when the SBus is tied to the ABus through the A 2 S switch 625 . This requires that digital signal processor 600 be placed in a hold state and prevented from any memory accesses while system direct memory access controller 604 accesses A Bank local memory 610 .
When the A 2 S switch 625 is open, the ABus and SBus are isolated. This allows digital signal processor 600 and system direct memory access controller 604 separate accesses to the A Bank local memory 610 and S Bank shared memory 620 , respectively.
I/O Buffers, Video Buffers and Bulk Data
Because they are accessed under explicit software control (i.e. using direct memory accesses or data handling routines), digital signal processor 600 may use I/O buffers and bulk data located in either bank. Digital signal processor 600 can always acquire the SBus upon entering a task to handle the buffer or before submitting a direct memory access request, and then release the bus once the access is complete.
In the same way, system direct memory access controller 604 only transfers data as a part of a direct memory access and always acquires and releases the ABus through hardware handshake with the arbiter. Therefore, system direct memory access controller 604 can access I/O and video buffers in either bank.
However, in order to provide for the highest possible performance, it is important to make maximum usage of the bus bandwidth available within the system. There are several factors to consider:
1. Whenever system direct memory access controller 604 or digital signal processor 600 accesses through the crosspoint A 2 S switch 625 , it ties up both busses. This effectively doubles the bandwidth impact of the access on the system because it imposes the bandwidth requirement on both busses. Buffers should therefore be located in the memory to which the accessing controller connects directly.
2. Digital signal processor 600 typically uses program and data caches. It is not possible to reliably estimate when digital signal processor will access external memory when caches are used. Accesses to S bank shared memory 620 requires software control to switch bus switch 625 and hold bus accesses by system direct memory access controller 604 . This can only take place after access to S bank shared memory 610 has been requested and granted following arbitration. Additional delays following external memory access for program branches and data accesses would result from storing this data in S bank shared memory 620 . Thus it is advantageous to store program instructions and working variable data in A Bank local memory 610 .
3. Because I/O operations require some usage of the crosspoint A 2 S switch 625 , it is important to minimize the impact of I/O operations on the A Bus. Because the ABus must handle all instructions and cached data, it has a higher initial bandwidth loading. When extra bandwidth is used due to a crosspoint switch access, that additional bandwidth should come from the SBus if possible. Thus maximum performance can be achieved by making S Bank shared memory 620 the source or destination of all system direct memory accesses performed by system direct memory access controller 604 , such as I/O and video transfers.
3. There are three different mechanisms for transferring data with PCI devices. Channel transfers use a pool of memory first-in-first-out buffers like other I/O transfers. These data transfers are best handled by system direct memory access controller 604 and stored in S Bank shared memory 620 . Flexi-target data transfers are similar except these data transfers use first-in-first-out buffers in the PCI controller. These data transfers are also best handled by system direct memory access controller 604 and stored in S Bank shared memory 620 . Shared memory PCI data transfers are intended for small random data transfers to a dedicated processor memory block. These transfers are initiated by hardware when the PCI device requests a read or write, engine and peripheral interface 614 signals digital signal processor 600 via external memory interface port 603 . Since this is a hardware mechanism, it is not possible for software to request control of the SBus by holding system direct memory access controller 604 and be granted control following arbitration. Thus the buffer for PCI shared memory transfers should be in A Bank local memory 610 .
EXAMPLE
Processor Initiated Video Output
FIG. 7 illustrates the memory bandwidth requirement for a processor-initiated video output in the system of this invention, the printer controller in FIG. 6 . The processor-initiated video output is the most bandwidth intensive operation and must occur in real time. Two operations requiring memory bus bandwidth are necessary. First digital signal processor 600 performs band clearing and writes video output 710 into output band buffer 706 of S Bank shared memory 620 . This requires 256 Mbytes/page of ABus bandwidth and 256 Mbytes/page of SBus bandwidth. Secondly, the real time transfer of video data 712 from the output band buffer 706 in S Bank shared memory 620 to printer engine 615 via system direct memory access controller 640 requires 128 Mbytes/page of SBus bandwidth. Video output in the system of this invention requires a total of only 256 Mbytes/page of ABus (processor bus) 701 bandwidth and an additional 384 Mbytes/page of SBus (shared bus) 709 bandwidth. In a 16 page/min printer this equates to 68 Mbytes/s and 102 Mbytes/s on the ABus and SBus respectively. This compares with 136 Mbytes/s of processor bus bandwidth in the example of the conventional system in FIG. 4 . The ABus 701 bandwidth is reduced to {fraction (68/136)} or one half of that required in the conventional system.
Performance Analysis
The performance of the system of this invention can be evaluated using the data from previous bandwidth analysis calculations. This analysis assumes the following parameters set forth in Table 2.
TABLE 2
Input Image Size
20
Mbytes
Output Contone Image Size
128
Mbytes
Output Screened Image Size
128
Mbytes
Final Display List Size
16
Mbytes
Page Resolution
600
DPI
Number of Output Planes
4
Output Resolution
8
bits/pixel/plane
FIG. 8 illustrates the flow of data between the various system buffers and processing operations from the time it is received as a network packet until the final image is sent out to the print engine. Three parts of the printer controller are identified with dashed-line boxes: A Bank local memory 610 , digital signal processor 600 , S Bank shared memory 620 , and engine and peripheral interfaces 614 . Data flow from engine and peripheral interfaces 614 to printer engine 612 via pixel bus 615 is omitted. Operations and operation end points are given in boxes in FIG. 8 . Each transfer of data is represented by a line and is labeled with the transfer size (in Mbytes/page). Table 3 gives a complete list showing the bus bandwidth requirements for each controller on each bus and the total bus requirements. Specific operations in FIG. 8 may be cross-referenced to the list given following Table 3, which also shows the bus bandwidth requirements for each major controller operation.
For example, operation 1 takes a 20 Mb PDL file (e.g. from the PCI network card) and places it in mbuffer 801 . Digital signal processor 600 then copies the contents of mbuffer 801 into socket buffer 802 in A Bank local memory 610 . Table 3 entry 1 shows a system direct memory access SBus operation of 20 Mbytes/page (transfer into mbuffer 801 ), a 20 Mbytes/page digital signal processor 600 SBus transfer (to EDMA 825 from mbuffer 801 ), and a digital signal processor 600 ABus transfer of 20 Mbytes/page (from EDMA 825 to socket buffer 802 ).
TABLE 3
Num-
DSP
DSP
SDMA
SDMA
ABus
SBus
ber
Operation
ABus
SBus
ABus
SBus
Total
Total
1
Networking
20
20
0
20
40
40
2
Spooling
60
20
0
20
80
40
3
Stream I/F
20
20
0
20
40
40
4
Image Filter
80
0
0
0
80
0
5
Color
Conversion
47
0
0
0
47
0
6
Text
Interpretation
4
0
0
0
4
0
7
Graphics
Interpretation
64
0
0
0
64
0
8
Band Clearing
0
128
0
0
128
128
9
Rendering and
Compression
43
0
0
0
43
0
10
Compressed
Output Data
11
0
0
0
11
0
11
Decompress and
Screen
11
128
0
0
139
128
12
Video Output
Data
0
0
0
128
0
128
Total
560
316
0
188
676
504
The ABus total is the sum of all system direct memory access ABus transfers and all digital signal processor ABus and SBus transfers. Digital signal processor SBus transfers use the ABus as well and must be counted toward the total ABus bandwidth. For the networking operation (operation 1 ), system direct memory access controller 604 ABus transfer size is 0, the digital signal processor 600 ABus transfer size is 20 Mbytes/page and the digital signal processor 600 SBus transfer size is 20 Mbytes/page. So the ABus total is 40 Mbytes/page.
The SBus total is the sum of all digital signal processor 600 SBus accesses and system direct memory access controller 602 SBus and ABus transfers. System direct memory access controller 604 ABus transfers use the SBus as well and must be counted towards total SBus bandwidth. In the above example (networking operation 1), the digital signal processor 600 SBus transfer size is 20 Mbytes/page, the system direct memory access controller 604 ABus transfer size is 0, and the system direct memory access controller 604 SBus transfer size is 20 Mbytes/page. This results in an SBus bandwidth total of 40 Mbytes/page.
By way of further description of the twelve operations, their make-up from basic transfer operations may be listed as follows with reference numbers from FIG. 8 .
1. Networking: ABus 40 Mbytes/page; SBus 40 Mbytes/page
From PDL In 800 to mbuffer 801 to EDMA 825 to socket buffer 802 .
2. Spooling: ABus 80 Mbytes/page; SBus 40 Mbytes/page
From socket buffer 802 to EDMA 824 to temporary buffer 803 to DMA 823 to DOS buffer- 1 825 to disk write buffer 804 .
3. Stream I/F: ABus 40 Mbytes/page; SBus 40 Mbytes/page
From disk read 807 to DOS buffer- 2 808 to EDMA 822 to stream buffer 806 .
4. Image Filter: ABus 80 Mbytes/page; SBus 0 Mbytes/page
From stream buffer 806 to EDMA 821 to temporary buffer 814 to filter 817 to image buffer 812 .
5. Color Conversion: ABus 47 Mbytes/page; SBus 0 Mbytes/page
From image buffer 812 to color conversion 813 to converted image buffer 819 .
6. Text Interpretation: ABus 4 Mbytes/page; SBus 0 Mbytes/page
From font decompression 845 to font buffer 843 .
7. Graphics Interpretation: ABus 64 Mbytes/page; SBus 0 Mbytes/page
From display list generation 840 to display list buffer 844 .
8. Band Clearing: ABus 128 Mbytes/page; SBus 128 Mbytes/page
From band clearing operation 841 to output band buffer 836 .
9. Rendering and Compression: ABus 43 Mbytes/page; SBus 0 Mbytes/page
From render and compress operation 838 to compressed buffer 842 .
10. Compressed Output Data: ABus 11 Mbytes/page; SBus 0 Mbytes/page
From compressed buffer 842 to uncompress and screen operation 839 .
11. Decompress and Screen: ABus 139 Mbytes/page; SBus 128 Mbytes/page
From uncompress and screen operation 839 to output band buffer 836 .
12. Video Output Data: ABus 0 Mbytes/page; SBus 128 Mbytes/page
From output band buffer 836 to printer engine video output 837 .
For the system of this invention the total bandwidth requirement of all twelve operations sums up to an ABus total of 676 Mbytes/page and an SBus total is 504 Mbytes/page. At 16 page/min performance, this translates into a total bandwidth requirement of 171 Mbytes/sec for the ABus and 126 Mbytes/s for the SBus. In the conventional printer controller system, by contrast, these same twelve operations required a sum total of 1052 Mbytes/page, which at 16 pages/min results in a total bandwidth requirement of 280 Mbytes/sec on the common processor bus. This illustrates an improvement in the bandwidth requirement for the processor bus, allowing more of the limited memory bandwidth to be allotted to instruction and data accesses for compute operations and increasing overall system performance.
The overwhelming major bandwidth improvement results from key operations such as the video output operation, operation 12; and also from operations 1, networking; and operation 3, stream I/F. In the system of this invention during the very common processor-initiated video output operation of which operation 12 is one portion, the processor bus bandwidth required is reduced to one-half of that required in the conventional system. Table 4 lists the side-by-side comparison of each of the operations of Table 3 with the corresponding operations in Table 1.
TABLE 4
Processor Bus:
ABus:
Conventional
Shared Memory
Num-
Printer
Printer
ber
Operation
Controller
Controller
1
Networking
120
40
2
Spooling
80
80
3
Stream I/F
80
40
4
Image Filter
80
80
5
Color Conversion
47
47
6
Text Interpretation
4
4
7
Graphics Interpretation
64
64
8
Band Clearing
128
128
9
Rendering and Compression
43
43
10
Compressed Output Data
11
11
11
Decompress and Screen
139
139
12
Video Output Data
256
0
Total
1052
676
|
A printer controller for processing print data includes a data processor, direct memory access controller, first and second memories with corresponding first and second transfer data busses. A bus switch selectively connects the first and second data transfer busses. When uncoupled, the data processor accessed the said first memory via the first data transfer bus and the direct memory access controller may independently accesses the second memory via the second data transfer bus. When connected, either the data processor or the direct memory access controller may access either memory to the exclusion of the other. This permits better allocation of data transfer bandwidth in the memory controller.
| 6
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/873,534, filed Apr. 22, 1992, now abandoned, which is a continuation of 07/619,114, filed Nov. 28, 1990, now abandoned which is a continuation of 07/278,043, filed Nov. 30, 1988, now abandoned, which is a continuation in part of 07/172,388, filed Mar. 24, 1988, now abandoned, which is a continuation in part of 06/840,881, filed Mar. 18, 1986, now abandoned, and which is a continuation in part of 06/451,021, filed Dec. 20, 1982, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to applying electromagnetic energy to living tissues for therapeutic purposes, and in particular to applying a specific magnetic flux density and frequency of electromagnetic radiation calculated from the mass of targeted tissues, to achieve a healthful response in said tissue, apart from other influences thereon.
PRIOR ART
In the past, a number of procedures have been described to be useful in the treatment of various diseases which involved the employment of magnetic fields to accomplish their objectives. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,056 there are disclosed numerous prior art patents and publications which describe the use of electromagnetic materials and electro-magnetic fields, e.g., lasers, microwaves and radio frequency (RF) induced magnetic fields, in the therapeutic treatment of mammals suffering from various disease conditions. These patents and publications typically teach ingestion of magnetic materials, for example, iron oxide, in patients in conjunction with the application of a magnetic force. Ferromagnetic particles become heated as a result of the coupling thereof to the magnetic field through their dielectric and hysteresis loss, the induced heating constituting the therapeutic properties of this form of treatment.
These prior art processes were not therapeutically successful for a number of reasons. The magnetic form of iron oxide is insoluble in body fluids and in substantial concentrations may be toxic to or rejected by the body. In addition, in many instances the amount of heat generated by these particles was excessive and substantial unwanted injury to tissue was experienced.
Devices for applying electromagnetic energy to living tissue are also disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,099,511--Caesar; 2,103,440--Weissenberg; and 781,448--McIntyre. Caesar teaches applying an alternating magnetic field to a localized area, and it is also believed to rely primarily on localized heating (diathermy). Weissenberg teaches application of a low level field and McIntyre teaches means ostensibly applying a homogeneous field to the whole body of a plant or animal, for therapeutic reasons. These patents demonstrate the interest in application of electromagnetic energy to plants and animals for therapeutic reasons, but do not teach any particular means for determining a field strength or frequency that will have any particular beneficial effects.
In connection with accelerating healing of traumatic injuries, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,611,599 and 4,576,172, both to Bentall, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,890,953--Kraus et al and 3,738,369--Adams et al, induce particular fields for purposes of promoting growth of damaged tissue. The prior art includes a wide range of field strengths and frequencies, Bentall teaching RF frequencies and Kraus teaching power line frequencies.
Of course, with variations in power level from diathermy to the microwatt levels of the Bentall patent, and frequencies which vary over similar orders of magnitude, there is nothing in the prior art that provides any rationale or means for calculating particular magnetic flux densities and alternating polarity field frequencies that will have any particular effect specific to defined elements of the plant or animal. According to the present invention, a means are provided for calculating precisely the energies and frequencies appropriate for inducing in the plant or animal a stable and healthful response, by tailoring the flux density and frequency to specific targets, e.g., gene elements. A homogeneous field is applied at a level calculated so as to equate the energy of a current induced in the plant or animal with the characteristic gravitational energy of a target element of said plant or animal, due to the mass of said element. As will be seen herein, it is possible to directly mathematically correlate a field calculated according to the present method with fields which are emitted during normal physiological functions such as heartbeat and brain waves. The result is a low level magnetic field, as little as 10 -8 gauss. The frequency of alternation is very low, even approaching a direct current field. The result is a beneficial impetus on the target elements to maintain or resume their nominal healthy functioning.
The invention, including tailoring target-specific radiation for effect on specific masses of biological elements and for achieving homeostasis (a stable healthy condition) therein, provides a method for therapeutically treating patients suffering from various disease conditions. In each case the applied magnetic forces are specific to the mass of the elements to be affected. The invention uses low level mass-characteristic fields and thus avoids disadvantages of prior art methods, characterized by high power, high frequency, and levels not related to the target masses. By accommodating variations in target element mass, the invention involves therapeutically treating patients suffering from numerous disease conditions. Over an extended period of time, the patient is subjected to a magnetic field having a flux density of from about 6×10 -6 gauss to about 6×10 -10 gauss. This level is of course lower than ambient fields due to the earth's magnetic poles, but the effect of the calculated field, being tuned specifically to a target mass, nevertheless achieves a positive effect. Even more particularly, patients suffering from various disease conditions may be therapeutically treated according to the invention by subjecting said patients to a magnetic aligned perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the patient over an extended period of time. Said magnetic field possessing a magnetic flux density of from about 6×10 -10 to 6×10 -6 gauss.
In the most satisfactory embodiment of this invention, patients suffering from various disease conditions may be successfully treated. By basing the applied field strength on specific calculated mass, disease conditions are treatable across a broad range of viral etiology, or more particularly those of an oncogenic or light chain polypeptide, infectious RNA or DNA etiology. With appropriate accuracy virally and genetically induced diseases such as epilepsy and Parkinson's disease are subject to arrest or reversal. The patients suffering from these disease conditions and which may be satisfactorily treated by the practice of the instant invention are mammals, including both human beings and other animals who suffer from such disease conditions. The listed diseases are suggestions and the practioner of the instant invention will be able to determine patients and disease conditions which may be satisfactorily therapeutically treated by practicing the process of the invention.
Usually, a whole virus is 100 times greater in mass than the nucleic acids which are infectious to homo sapiens. Whole viruses may infect animals, inducing carcinoma, sarcoma and variations of these diseases involving other tissues, such as, muscle, or nerves. Oncogenic nucleic acids of infectious viral origin, which are 10 to 10,000 times smaller in mass, may infect man inducing at least some of the aforementioned disease conditions. These viruses and nucleic acids are apt target elements.
The process of the instant invention requires that the patient sought to be treated thereby must be subjected to the effects of a magnetic field over an extended period of time. More particularly, the patient to be treated must be subjected to the effects of a magnetic field having a magnetic force or magnetic flux density calculated according to a formula discussed herein, the flux density being of from about 6×10 -6 gauss to about 6×10 -10 gauss. The frequency can be from a high sufficient to yield a wave form of about 10 -6 centimeters, which is in the ultraviolet range and corresponds to viral length, to a low frequency mass-dependent resonance according to a further formula discussed herein. Even more particularly, the magnetic field to which the human patient is to be exposed should be one which is sufficient to impart a magnetic field intensity to the patient of from about 0.12 to 126 oersteds, to about 6×10 -10 oersteds in air and preferably for human beings, from about 6×10 -8 oersteds in air to about 6×10 -10 oersteds in water which may be obtained with an alternating magnetic flux polarity density of from about 6.67×10 -11 teslas (MKS) to about 6.67×10 -12 teslas (MKS) and about 6×10 -8 gauss, in air and H 2 O, (CGS) with the imparting of from about 0.1 to 1.5 (MKS) to about 10 -6 to 10 -7 (CGS) amperes, and having a frequency of magnetic flux sufficient to yield a magnetic wave form of 10 -6 centimeters. The magnetic force and field which are calculated for application according the instant invention may be generated in a manner known to the worker skilled in the art to obtain the desired levels of energy to which the patient is to be exposed. Preferably, the magnetic field to be employed in the practice of this invention may be obtained through the employment of a solenoid device which is designed and driven with the required current to provide a magnetic field having the magnetic flux density to which the patient is to be exposed. The solenoid may be cylindrical in nature with a hollow core. The cylindrical solenoid is comprised of a multitude of turnings of thin metal electrically conductive wire. The solenoid which is employable herein can have, from the center of the wire to the center of the solenoid, a radius of about 2 meters and a length of from about 1.0 meters (CGS) with H 2 O correction to about 10.0 meters (MKS) in air or larger, and preferably from about 2 meters to about 6 meters. The frame of the solenoid may be cork or styrofoam which have specific gravities of less than 1.0, the specific gravity of water. Although the size of the radius of the solenoid should be about 2 meters, when the patient being treated is a human being, it may be varied, but should be of sufficient size to accept the patient being treated, in all respects, including longitudinally, so as to expose the cross sectional aspect of the patient to the magnetic flux. The conductor of the solenmoid, occupies a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the patient and at a right angle to the magnetic lines of flux.
The solenoid employed in the practice of this invention may be constructed by creating a coil comprised of numerous turnings of the electrically conductive metal wire employed for such purpose. Preferably, the electrically conductive metal wire should be relatively thin so that sufficient turns thereof may be practically made to provide the necessary electromagnetic field when electrical power is introduced thereto. Copper wire for the MKS system as a relative maximum for non-human animals and germanium wire for the CGS and MKS systems, as well as steel, iron, tungsten and manganese, provide satisfactory results, while thin, nickel chrome wire, generally referred to as "nichrome" wire and silicon have provided most beneficial results in the practice of this invention. The electrically conductive wire which may be employed in the constructions of the solenoid may have a diameter of from about 1 mil. to 1000 mils., although wire of other thickness may also be employed. In the most preferable embodiment of this invention germanium wire is employed in the treatment of humans. The number of turnings which will be required to construct the solenoid will be dictated by the electromagnetic force and magnetic flux density which is desired to be generated by the solenoid when powered by the electrical current to be employed.
In the practice of this invention, satisfactory results are obtained on humans, when an electrical current of about 0.1 to about 7.5 volts, (CGS) and preferably from about 0.1 to about 0.75 volts, (CGS, Ur corrected) has been applied to the solenoid to yield an electromagnetic field having a magnetic flux density of from about 6×10 -11 ksla (MKS), or about 6×10 -8 gauss with a frequency of magnetic flux density sufficient to yield a wave resonant at the level of the target particles, about 10 -6 centimeters in length, and/or resonant due to equating their characteristic gravitational or inertial energy with the energy of a current to be induced therein. For animals of lower evolutionary scale, the intensity (H) may be increased, usually by a factor of about a hundred. While these ranges provide satisfactory results in the practice of the instant invention, other ranges may also be employed to provide satisfactory results. Disease etiology, size of the mammal, etc. will determine the field intensity (H) which then determines voltage; amperage, number of turns (N) and dimensions of solenoid.
In order to treat the patients suffering from the various disease conditions which may be treated by the instant invention, the necessary electrical power is applied to the solenoid to create the required electromagnetic field and magnetic flux density within the core thereof, so as to create a field having an intensity (H) of about 0.67 oersteds (MKS) to 7.6×10 -2 oersteds to about 7.6×10 -9 oersteds (CGS), to 6×10 -8 oersteds (MKS). For non-human mammals it may be from 6×10 -7 to 6×10 -5 oersteds (CGS). Prior to the application of the electrical power thereto, the patient is introduced and placed within the core of the solenoid, or at least that portion of the patient's body to be treated is so placed. After the electrical power, i.e., 0.1 to 7.5 volts, is applied to the solenoid, the patient is held within the core and within the two generated electromagnetic field for at least 20 minutes at a time before the electrical power is terminated and the patient removed. The patient may be held within the generated magnetic field for extended periods, up to an hour or more, while still obtaining the desired therapeutic results. In addition, the treatment procedure may be repeated as frequently as deemed necessary to obtain the desired therapeutic results. The length of time of each treatment, and the number of treatments which may be necessary will vary for each patient and each disease condition sought to be treated and these treatment conditions may be determined by the skilled worker for each patient and the condition being treated, as determined by the mass etiology of the disease condition, the atomic mass unit of the quantum etiological factor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now to the drawings included within this Application, FIG. 1 shows a top view of the apparatus of this invention while FIG. 2 shows a cross section thereof along line 2--2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Water medium 2, within which the patient 4 is immersed is held in a tank 1 of sufficient size to hold the solenoid 6. The solenoid 6 is comprised of a column created by the continuous turns of the electrical conductive wire 5 the respective ends of which are connected to the electrical power source 3. When the power is turned on an electromagnet is created which generates the magnetic field to which the patient is exposed and which is required for the satisfactory practice of the instant invention.
In addition to the foregoing, it should be understood that the practice of the instant invention also envisions the use of electromagnetic fields generated by smaller solenoids where localized treatment of various specific parts or sections of the body are sought to be treated, rather than subjecting the entire body to the treatment contemplated by the practice of this invention. Thus, it is possible to treat a localized portion of the body, for example, the midsection of the torso, by employing a smaller solenoid having a width of 1-2 feet and diameter of 2 feet into which the pertinent portion of the patient's body is placed in a water medium and employing the appropriate electrical energy to obtain the desired magnetic flux field to obtain the desired results. Likewise, the skilled worker may be able to employ various smaller sized solenoids to obtain the desired results upon the treatment of patients' knees and elbows only. It is also possible to induce the required field by applying a current rather than a magnetic field, i.e., to apply the same current level as induced by the solenoid. The invention may be illustrated by the following Examples:
EXAMPLE 1
A solenoid comprised of 40 turns of germanium wire (55 ohms/cm) is prepared. The interior core of the solenoid has a radius of 1.5 meters and the length is about 6.15 meters. The solenoid is placed in a waterproof bathtub 18 meters in length, 9 meters in width and 9 meters in depth, so as to manufacture clearance for magnetic flux, and immersed in water to a level reaching two-thirds of the diameter of the inner core of the solenoid. A styrofoam body holder into which the patient suffering from multiple myeloma is placed in a prone position at right angles to the length of the solenoid within the inner core of the solenoid so that the patient's head and feet are at opposite ends thereof. A direct electrical current of about 0.2 volts is applied to the solenoid thereby creating an electromagnetic field within the inner core of the solenoid having a magnetic field intensity (H) of about 6.5×10 -9 oersteds approximating the electrostatic constant and the patient is held therein exposed to this negative magnetic field for a period of twenty minutes, at which time the electrical current is withdrawn. Current (I) is about 10 -7 amps and B is about 6.67×10 -8 gauss. After one hour the foregoing procedure is repeated and the entire process repeated once each hour for the next succeeding six hour period. At the end of this treatment period noticeable improvement in the patient is noted after the patient is removed from the solenoid.
EXAMPLE 2
The procedure of Example 1 is followed except that I is about 10 -6 amperes and there is no water used, the patient being treated in air, the length of the solenoid is 6 meters and the voltage applied is about 2.0 volts with like results being obtainable, an H equal to about 6×10 -8 oersteds. AC may also be employed wherein alternating polarity fields are most efficacious. Hysteresis may result in the break-up of intermolecular dipoles, which may be indicated in certain cases where large tumors are obstructive and cannot be surgically removed.
EXAMPLE 3
The procedure of Example 1 is followed except that 30 turns of germanium wire (55 ohms/cm.) are employed to form the solenoid, 5.9 meters in length and the voltage applied is from 1.5 to 0.15 volt, I may be about 10 -6 amperes to 10 -7 amperes, depending upon the etiology of the mass. The field intensity (H) is from about 6×10 -8 to 6×10 -9 oersteds. B is from about 6×10 -11 to 6×10 -12 teslas based upon the general formula equating inertial/gravitational energy (e=mc 2 ) with the energy of a unit of charge defining a current due to movement through space (EI=energy=Bvl), mc 2 =Bvl.
EXAMPLE 4
The procedure of Example 1 is followed except that 20 turns of germanium wire is employed to form a solenoid 3 meters in length and about 10 volts are applied thereto. (CGS, u r H 2 O corrected). I may be about 10 -5 amperes; H is about 6×10 -7 oersteds and B is about 6×10 -6 gauss.
EXAMPLE 5
The desired flux density ("B") of the treatment procedure of the instant invention may also be determined by the formula mc 2 =BvL coulomb, which sets in dual resonance gravitational potential and electromagnetic interaction potential. The desired flux density ("B") is established by having m=mass of the quantum genetic character (e.g. virus, oncogene, m-RNA, etc.); c=velocity of light; v=orbital velocity of the earth; and l=the height of the patient. (Coulomb=unity). Thus a sample equation is:
4×10.sup.-20 g.×c.sup.2 =B×3×10.sup.6 cm/sec×2×10.sup.2 cm
wherein c=3×10 10 cm/sec; B=6×10 -8 gauss.
The foregoing magnetic flux density is small, substantially less than the magnetic field produced by the earth. However, the magnetic field at the calculated level is comparable to the heart's magnetic field, approximately 5×10 -7 gauss at approximately 72 beats per minute. Similarly, the strength is comparable to the magnetic field emitted by the brain alpha rhythm in normal functioning, measured at about 10 -9 gauss by the SQUID. Therefore, by comparing the gravitational energy (E=mc 2 ) with the energy per unit charge of a current (EMF "E"=Bvl), the resulting field is comparable to the biologically produced field during healthy physiologic functioning. Therefore, the invention is based upon the vibrational energy of the length of the human ("l") induced by electromagnetic oscillation producing mechanical vibrations, in dual resonance with the particular quantum systems of particles of mass "m". As a result, the particles vibrate in tune with the propagating magnetic field. The inertial velocity of the human subject, namely the orbital velocity of the earth, applies on the electromagnetic energy side of the equation (E=Bvl coulomb). The velocity of the propogating wave (i.e., the velocity of "B" is the speed of light, "c").
It is a well known characteristic of electric force that the force between any two charges is cumulative with forces produced by other charges. According to so-called "gauge" theory, you could theoretically charge a whole laboratory up to a high voltage and any measurements taken of the force between two electrons within this charged area would be quite unaffected. Therefore, the calculated charge interactions while very low in level, are nonetheless valid. We are theoretically at liberty to specify the circumstances for which we choose to calculate the local effects of one electric charge on another, one magnetic field on another, or a magnetic potential on a gravitational potential (both being manifestations of inertial equivalence) thereby choosing the appropriate "gauge". Two features of the universe take care of the independence of any small piece of it: first, the conservation of electric charge; secondly, the ability of electric charges in different parts of the universe to communicate with one another.
The external magnetic field produced by the action potential of a frog's sciatic nerve has been measured at 1.2×10 -10 tesla at 1.3 mm from the nerve, with a signal to noise ratio of 40 to 1. Modeling this field at a change in potential on the order of 70 mV, a peak current is estimated at 5-10 microamperes. Similarly, when a comparable field is produced by driving the solenoid of the present invention, a current amplitude of about 10 -5 amps is produced in a conductor approximating the length of the frog, which demonstrates the congruence of equating gravitational and quantum energies. Therefore, weak physiologic magnetic fields, both steady state and alternating in polarity, the fields being on the order of 10 -8 gauss in humans, are maintained in accordance with particular endogenous and exogenous fields and current densities and potential gradience on the order of a micoramp.
Amplitude modulated (alternating) magnetic resonance may be indicated. In that case the mass of the etiological genetic quantum character is used in mc 2 =BvL coulomb to determine the value of B. Once the correct amplitude is derived, then the cyclotron resonance equation is used: ##EQU1## where fc=cycles/sec or Hertz, e - =1.6×10 -19 coulombs (the charge of a single electron), B=physiologic flux density required for adjustment to health derived by mc 2 =BvL coulomb, π=3.1416, m=9.11×10 -28 grams (the electron's mass); this will determine the necessary frequency of the applied therapeutic electromagnetic signal. Since the gyromagnetic ratio of the electron remains constant, according to the quantum Hall effect, the relation of the D-C magnetic field associated with delta brain waves (which has been measured to be about 5×10 -8 gauss) to the necessary frequency of the therapeutic signal, may be as follows: ##EQU2##
It has been demonstrated in clinical studies that exogenously administered electromagnetic fields can induce increased transcription (RNA synthesis) and translation (protein synthesis). Alterations in electrical fields of a biological element such as a gene or the like, are considered to be directly affected by and related to function and metabolic rate in adjacent biological elements. Accordingly, a stable healthy condition of homeostasis is achieved in a healthy physiology, while with deterioration of homeostasis, the physiology and metabolism will deteriorate rapidly.
It has been shown that D-C current or alternating current in bones will produce osteochondrogenesis and bacteriostasis and will affect ATP generation, protein synthesis and membrane transport. Membrane transport systems are thought to be of a cyclotron resonance quality, in that magnetic fields turn an ion in a channel (of Heisenberg uncertainty) and frequency accelerates it through the membrane which regulates endogenous ion flux. A-C fields and D-C fields are of course associated with alterations of atoms in space via electromagnetic fields, including manipulation in the dipteran. This shows on a cellular level the mechanical vibration alterations in RNA and proteins from electrical oscillations exogenously produced. Electrical fields inside the nucleus are changed by exogenously applied electromagnetic fields, so that DNA synthesis is increased in human fibroblasts when electromagnetic fields, in the form of sinusoidal waves between 15 and 4000 Hertz, are changed into mechanical or structural alterations representing deformation of atomic lattices by some free movement of electrons. Accordingly, biochemical covalent bonds and lattices can be considered piezoelectric as well as electrostatic operating devices.
The quality of the gene as a piezoelectric substance must be analyzed, because then NMR and ESR clarify as manifestations of the phenomenon of magnetic resonance to permeate all matter, especially including DNA, RNA, protein regulators, growth hormones and enzymes. Thus the human body becomes a straight conductor "l", most particularly a semi-conductor, which when placed in water to improved conductivity is functionally effected by electromagnetic fields as low as 10 -8 gauss, applied externally at right angles to the patient's length.
Oncogenes (Cancer activatable genes) abound in brain and glial cells, and have been incriminated as anti-regenerative agents. Similarly, viral genes responsible for oncogenic transformation are derived from normal vertebrate genes. Therefore, molecular biologists must accept that these normal cellular "oncogenes" are important regulators of cell growth and differention.
Mutation rate of cells, cell growth, the length of plasmids in bacteria exposed to applied electromagnetic fields, DNA synthesis, transcription and translation in cells, and repair, are all parameters by which to measure the relevance of magneto-therapy on a fundamental level.
On a fundamental level, electron spin precession and spin axes are reorientated in space by the vibration of the fundamental particles comprising the metric itself of space-time. Even photons, a form of carrier of EM force, change orientation in space through resonance vibrations bringing about electron spin resonance and proton spin resonance or NMR. Induced reorientation of atomic magnetic moments, of atomic structural and magnetic domains, reorientate submolecular and molecular magnetic domains. Said reorientation of molecular domains brings about "jumping" of atoms from one place to another, instantaneously, according to Heisenberg uncertainty. Ion fluxes in membrane channels are just a spontaneously reorientated in accord with multiple cyclotron resonance models, allowing models of particular structures, wherein the charge density is greatest in the middle, and whose sides change potential in a synchronous fashion. This means that an oncogene, which is just a little different from a normal gene, can be induced electromagnetically into an altered structural state, if an oncogene is a piezoelectric substance.
As a second effect on a basic level, the Hall effect is another mechanism besides the piezoelectric nature of DNA, which of course regulates metabolism. The current carrying conductor, in this case the human organism, when placed in a magnetic field will have a small EMF induced cross-sectionally in a magnetic field. When the Hall effect induced voltage is equaled by a transverse current density, a certain current is set up in the human, achieving a physiologic balance. The force is generated lengthwise as the human travels with the earth at a velocity of 3×10 6 cm/s, and additionally carried as a charge in coil about the earth's axis of rotation, cutting lines of force at right angles to the angular velocity.
It has been determined that a pulsing electromagnetic field in clinical use induces an electric field of about 1 mV/cm in the extra cellular fluid, translating into a current on the order of a few microamperes per square centimeter. The result is a human physiological magnetic field on the order of 10 -8 gauss, across a semi-conductor of several feet in length.
There is angular momentum associated with each motion of an electron, and the earth, which is a total of orbital and spin angular momentum. If we were to model the electron as a single point, no angular momentum would be possible. We may choose to model all particles as points which actually have geometricity lending to the concept of string, or an extension of such points through space-time. The electron may be modeled as a spinning sphere. Because the sphere carries an electric charge when the particle is an electron, the spinning motion leads to current loops and to a magnetic moment, when the magnetic moment is defined as the charge to mass ratio of an electron times the spin angular momentum. Magnetic moment is an inertial frame of momentum, of energy as matter moves. If this magnetic moment really exists and regulates the energy levels of the atom, and the wave lengths of spectral lines, then when an atom, or any object whatsoever, is placed in a magnetic field, there is an interaction with the field. And, indeed, associated with this interaction is a potential energy, pointing to the gravitational potential. Such shifts are indeed observed in precise spectroscopic analysis. As the potential energy of a body changes the concomitant kinetic change moves the object through space. This movement is subject to Heisenberg's probability principle. One cannot know precisely where an object is and what velocity it has, simultaneously.
Evidence has shown conclusively that the electron does have angular momentum and magnetic moment that are not related to the orbital motion but are intrinsic to the particle itself. Spin angular momentum is quantized.
As photons carry the force of electromagnetism one may not directly observe the structure of an atom. But the limitations our universe sets for us are infinite by definition according to Einstein as he preferred to say "We cannot ever measure the radius of the universe by time". This is the second postulate of General Relativity. The first postulate was basically a representation of space as having a average density everywhere the same and different from zero. The concept of quantum gravity indicates the possibility of all ponderable bodies of field to exist in point-mass potential comprising the metric of space-time itself. We then compare our earth to an electron conceptually. An oncogene is merely an aggregate of atoms, the integrated vector sum of which has a quantized magnetic moment on a level of structure and function in which the oncogene is a point-mass instead of an electron. A volume containing domains of atoms would have a potential intrinsic to itself in a space-time continuum.
Atoms jump in space, genes jump in space, molecules jump in space, as electrons jump in space. Herein is the fundamental notion from which clinical significance of the present invention is derived. According to the invention, atoms of oncogenes can be directed to jump into spaces which create a normal homologous gene by the action of applied electromagnetic fields, in resonance with the stiffness of the system associated with the oncogene. The vibration of the system by a certain magnitude of force may be attuned to the vibrating system of only structures of the mass of an oncogene. Atoms of an oncogene electromagnetically misaligned can be ordered to fall into place like iron filings around a magnet. Accordingly, the harmony of life can be considered to be ordered electromagnetically and can be re-ordered in this way.
Symmetries of relative point masses may be expressed by equivalent ratios in nature, including the ratio of a photon's mass to an oncogene's mass (8×10 -43 grams/1.6×10 -19 grams), which is equal to the ratio of the average circulating immunoglobulin mass to human mass, (i.e., 1.6×10 -19 grams/3×10 4 grams). Similarly, the same ratio is found in the human mass to the earth's mass, (3×10 4 grams/6×10 27 grams). The foregoing is for a small human (66 lbs.) and the photon at f=10 5 . One can also compare with the same success the ratio of photon mass at f=10 4 to the gene mass and circulating immunoglobulin mass (7×10 -42 gram/7×10 -19 gram) to the ratio of a normal human mass to the earth's mass, (6×10 4 (132 lbs.)/6×10 27 grams). This ratio is equal to the ratio of the gene or immunoglobulin mass to the human mass (7×10 -19 grams/6×10 4 grams (132 lbs.). In each case, the resultant quotient is about 10 -24 , which is the mass in grams of a baryon (proton). The mass of the photon at 8×10 -43 grams is about equal to the number of the Planck time, and 1.6×10 -19 is the number for the charge of an electron, in coulombs, exactly the same as the average number in grams for the mass of a circulating immunoglobulin. The symmetries demonstrate a relationship which the invention draws upon.
As a conclusion, very positive therapeutic results will be achieved from utilizing physiological magnetic fields of the order of 10 -8 gauss, approximately the same number as Newton's Gravitational Constant in cgs, applied to a patient within a solenoid immersed in water. Amplitude modulated resonance may be achieved allowing manipulation of oncogenes, viral nucleic acids and growth factors with magneto-therapy. The common denominator is subatomic and the interaction initiated instantly, everywhere.
Specific calculations according to the foregoing procedure are approximately processed based on the mass of the target. A light rope of m-RNA of molecular weight 23 kilodaltons, or 4×10 -20 grams is set in dual resonance with a physiologic magnetic field produced by an outside impressed electromagnetic field comparable to endogenously sourced electromagnetic signals which reorient the spin angular momentum of electrons, the physiologic magnetic domains being directly dependent upon the invariance of the electron's gyromagnetic ratio. The field will readjust crystal atomic lattice structures inducing recrystallizations and translocations of the targets to produce homologous structures and equilibrium of charge distribution. Targets include the following examples:
Crystal single angular light polypeptide chains and dimers of light chains (approximately 7-70 kilodaltons) i.e., the class of monoclonal immunoglobulins, immunogens and dimers thereof, various growth factors, and light ropes of m-RNA are distinctive relatives of, regulators and regulated by, brainwaves, most notably delta and theta brainwaves.
Immunogenic, pathogenic magnetic domains, or genomic magnetic domains as well as domains wherein deletions produce pathogenetic processes are related to brainwaves, most notably alpha and beta brainwaves. Light genomic domain segments., e.g., from about 7 kilodaltons to 70,000 kilodaltons can be examined for potential oncogenicity. Oncogenes have generally been considered to be of the magnitude 250-1,000 base pairs. Generally, molecular weights of over 100 kilodaltons have been clinically demonstrated to be related to the foregoing pathogenic manifestations. Gene defects as in the X chromosome, specifically the short arm, as in MD, show deletions rather than substitutions over an extended genomic chain of length greater than 1,000 bases. The lack of dystrophin, a 300,000 dalton protein is the result in evidence. Applying the ranges of proposed magnetic fields for clinical use as propitiators of recrystallization of misaligned subatomic and molecular magnetic domains, the following frequencies and flux densities can be calculated. Pertinent approximate ranges of flux densities and cyclotron resonance frequencies are given for treatment with magnetotherapy by the following calculations:
mc.sup.2 =Bvl coulomb
mass * 9×10 20 cm 2 /s 2 =flux density * earth orbital velocity * average adult height
mass * 9×10 20 =B * 3×10 6 cm/s * 1.7×10 2 cm. Solved for seven kilodaltons, the minimum mass of an oncogene associated protein, a flux density B of 2.1×10 -8 gauss results.
Further applying the foregoing constant to the cyclotron resonance equation, f c =(e - * B)/(2πm)=(1.6×10 -19 coulombs * B)/(6.28×9.11×10 -28 g). The ratio of the electron charge to mass is invariant.
f.sub.c =2.79874×10.sup.7 coulomb/gram * 2.1×10.sup.-8 gauss.
Therefore, f c is approximately equal to 0.6 Hertz, or 35 cycles per minute.
According to the foregoing, a minimum therapeutic signal would yield a flux density of 2.1×10 -8 gauss with a frequency of about 0.6 Hertz, for comparatively light proteins which are associated with oncogenes. Polypeptide chains on the order of 10 kilodaltons to about 40 kilodaltons, which are associated with delta brainwaves, are of the same range as other pertinent molecules such as NGF, EGF, PDGF.
One can solve for the molecular of the adenine nucleotide (267.176 daltons), guanine (299.176), cytosine (243.152), thymine (258.164) and uracil (261.144).
Solving the subject equation where m=13,250 daltons, the mass of a single protein of two identical proteins that comprise the NGF molecule, the flux density B of 3.9×10 -8 gauss results. Similarly, the resonance frequency f c =1.09 Hertz or 65.4 beats per minute.
Note the fundamental correlation of NGF to delta brain wave frequency, while keeping in mind that CNS and PNS nerve cells that have been demonstrated to respond to NGF include the sensory and sympathetic which regulate involuntary functions such as the beating of the heart and blood flow. In the periphery NGF acts in sympathetic neurons that use catecholamine neurotransmitters such as norepi and dopamine on sensory nerve cells that make certain neuroactive peptides. In the brain NGF acts in neurons that use the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This raises the possibility that the failure to produce or respond to NGF might contribute to the development of these serious neurological disorders. Indeed, the atomic crystal lattice structure of the NGF molecule may prove a pertinent factor; as well as the structural disposition of the genomic magnetic domain related to the production or lack thereof of the trophic factor. Herein we view the NGF molecule and its genomic relatives important foci in the approach to cancer, heart disease, PNS and CNS regeneration. Additionally, it may be that NGF is a vital trophic factor with respect to development and maintenance of the integrity of such vital structures as the optic and auditory nerves. ##EQU3## (wherein B=NGF associated flux density and the ion is the proton)
f.sub.c =5.95×10.sup.-4 Hz
We see the source of the relativistic unchanging physiologic magnetic field in the BECE (biologically closed electric circuit); and the vital importance of blood pH stability. ##EQU4##
Herein we note the criticality of the NGF mass in the determination of resting (delta) brain waves in the infant as well as the adult. Clearly, adjustments in the adult include the relation of dimers of light protein chains (42 kilodaltons) delta waves. Additionally we should note that DC fields produced and maintained by protons and larger ions serve to stabilize heart rate, i.e., reduce the frequency created by NGF interaction thereby moderating the physiological mechanism. Thus we conclude that although NGF is critically important to the maintenance of physiological magnetic fields, it is not a singular regulatory factor. It may, however, prove to be the most important single regulatory factor, as we see the reason that nature presents us with an NGF molecule of molecular weight 26.5 kilodaltons, comprised of two identical protein chains each having a mass of 13.25 kilodaltons. ##EQU5##
Therefore a 590 base rope is a critical transitional magnetic domain mass because alpha waves usually range in frequency from 8-13 Hz. Dystrophin, a 300 kilodalton protein, is perhaps a critical mass protein related to important immunogenic, genomic magnetic domain size. This is not to say, however, that larger genomic magnetic domains will not prove to be important targets, indeed it is estimated that targets ranging up to 3 million daltons will prove efficacious in the treatment of various viral disorders.
The following table illustrates further target masses appropriate for treatment according to the invention.
__________________________________________________________________________POTENTIAL TARGETS AND MAGNETO-THERAPYPARAMETERS IN AIDSTargets Molecular Weight (m) Flux density (B) Frequency (f.sub.c)__________________________________________________________________________whole virus (5 unique genes and 7.0588 × 10.sup.-6 197.55745 Hz(HIV) structural proteins) + gauss 9,000 base pairs 8.8235 × 10.sup.-6 246.9468 Hz (genome) = 2.43 × gauss 10.sup.6 daltons (4 × 10.sup.-18 genvelope 120 kilodaltons 3.529 × 10.sup.-7 9.87675 Hzprotein (2 × 10.sup.-19 g) gauss (apha)envelope 41 kilodaltons 1.2088 × 10.sup.-7 3.38312 Hzprotein 6.85 × 10.sup.-20 g) gauss (delta)capsid 24 kilodaltons 7.0588 × 10.sup.-8 1.975575 Hzprotein 4 × 10.sup.-20 g) gauss (delta)capsid 55 kilodaltons 1.62088 × 10.sup.-7 4.53642 Hzprotein 9 × 185 × 10.sup.-20 g) gauss thetareverse 65 kilodaltons 1.91559 × 10.sup.-7 5.361238 Hztranscription (1.0855 × 10.sup.-19 g) gauss (theta)enzyme__________________________________________________________________________ It should be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of the instant invention and should not be limitative or restrictive thereof. The scope of the invention may be further described within the scope of the attache claims.
The level of current inducted via magnetic field generated by a solenoid can also be applied by other methods. The required current can be generated by applying electrodes directly to the patient, or by applying plates connected to a source of electric potential sufficient to produce the required current.
The present calculations for selecting a precisely appropriate field strength for therapeutic application of energy to mammals, also operate for non-mammals. Beneficial effects can be achieved as to any animal, plant, microbe or the like, which are controlled or affected by the genetic materials subject to treatment.
It should be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of the instant invention and should not be considered limitative or restrictive thereof. The scope of the invention may be further described within the scope of the attached claims.
|
A method of therapeutically treating epilepsy and Parkinson's disease comprises subjecting mammals suffering from said diseases to an alternating magnetic field having flux density and a frequency calculated as a function of the mass of the oncogene, target gene, messenger RNA, protein, enzyme and/or hormone. The calculation is such to equate the energy of a current electromagnetically induced in the mammal with the gravitational energy of the target genetic material, such that a dual resonance is achieved.
| 0
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a filtration device provided with a tidal type flow rate control unit suitable for intermittently supplying oxygen to aerobic bacteria having adhered to a filter medium (hereunder referred to as a filtering material) or the like for improving the water quality of, namely, cleaning up water contained in an aquarium (water) tank in which aquarium fishes and decorative water weeds are contained together with water.
Generally, when aquarium and hatchery fishes and water weeds or the like are bred in an aquarium tank, organic substances such as residual substances of feed for fishes and excrement of fishes are generated, so that the quality of water contained in the aquarium tank is debased.
Therefore, water stored in an aquarium tank has been filtered by a filter and has thus been cleaned up. However, in recent years, there has been developed a filtration device, by which water contained in an aquarium tank is flowed into a filtering material made of porous ceramics or the like and is filtered. Moreover, the water quality can be further improved, namely, the water can be cleaned up by resolving organic substances by the action of aerobic bacteria living in the water.
An example of the conventional filtration device of such a type is a device which is not built into an aquarium tank itself but is formed as being of the outboard type that communicates with the aquarium tank through a feed water pipe and a drainage pipe. This device is configured so that water contained in the aquarium tank is cleaned up by letting the water flow into the device and thereafter the clean water is put back to the tank again. That is, in the filtration device, a porous filtering material made of ceramics or the like is incorporated into a main body. When the water having been contained in the tank flows through this filtering material, aerobic bacteria or the like, which live in the water, adhere to this filtering material. These aerobic bacteria have ability to resolve organic substances. Thus, the water contained in the tank can be cleaned up by introducing the water to this filtering material through the feed water pipe and letting the water flow into the filtering material. Moreover, the water can be further cleaned up by resolving organic substances by utilizing the aerobic bacteria having adhered to the porous filtering material. Subsequently, the cleaned water is fed back to the tank through the drainage pipe again. The water quality of the water contained in the tank is improved by repeatedly performing such an operation.
Such a conventional filtration device, however, is configured as of the sealed type that always holds the main body thereof in a state in which the main body is filled to the brim thereof with water. Thus, the filtering material, which is incorporated in the main body thereof and contains aerobic bacteria, is immersed in water at all times, so that the aerobic bacteria is activated only by oxygen dissolved in the water. Therefore, an amount of oxygen, which can be supplied to the aerobic bacteria, is small. The conventional filtration device, thus, has problems in that the proliferation of the aerobic bacteria is suppressed, that the efficiency in cleaning up the water is low because of the low activity of the aerobic bacteria and that the lives of the aerobic bacteria are short.
However, in the case that a filtration device of the sealed type is already attached to an aquarium tank, when this filtration device of the sealed type may be simply replaced with another filtration device of a tidal type, this filtration device of the sealed type is wasted and thus such a replacement is wasteful.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to substantially eliminate defects or drawbacks encountered in the prior art and to provide a filtration device having a compact structure capable of changing the operations between a sealed type manner and a tidal type manner easily and quickly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a filtration device provided with a flow rate control unit of a tidal type, i.e. wet-and-dry type, capable of taking high- and low-tide water level positions of water in a repeated manner in the filtration device for improving the efficiency in cleaning up the water and achieving the long lives of aerobic bacteria owing to the enhancement of the proliferation of the aerobic bacteria and the increase in activity of these aerobic bacteria.
These and other objects can be achieved according to the present invention by providing a filtration device for filtering and cleaning up water to be supplied to a water tank or the like, comprising:
a main body having an upper end opening closably by a lid mounted thereon in an installed state;
a filtering means detachably disposed in the main body;
an exhaust means communicating with inside and outside of the main body;
a water inlet means connected to the main body;
a feed water pipe connected to the water inlet means for supplying raw water into the main body;
a drainage pump means for draining clean water cleaned up by the filtering means;
a water outlet means operatively connected to the filtering means to supply the cleaned-up water to the water tank; and
a flow rate control unit, which is detachably incorporated into the main body and is connected to the water inlet means, for controlling a flow rate of raw water, which is introduced from the water inlet means to the main body, in a manner that a water level of water contained in the main body alternately has a high-tide water level, at which the filtering means is covered with water and a low-tide water level which is lower than the location of the filtering means.
In preferred embodiments, the lid mounted to the opening of the main body is provided with communication means to which the exhaust means, the water inlet means and the water outlet means are mounted to be water-tight or air-tight. The exhaust means is an exhaust pipe having one end disposed inside the water tank to a portion above a water level of water in the water tank and adapted to inhale or exhale an air in response to high and low tide operations of the filtration device. The water outlet means is a drainage hose having one end connected to the filtering means. The water inlet means is a water feed hose.
A drainage extension pipe is further disposed to be detachably connected to a suction opening of the drainage pump and is opened at a level lower than the filtering means provided in the main body.
The water feed pipe having an upper end in an installed state communicated water-tightly with the water inlet means and having a lower end closed, the water feed pipe has a side wall to which a plurality of water feed holes are formed, the lower end of the water feed pipe being located in the flow rate control unit. A slider sleeve is further mounted to an outer periphery of the water feed pipe to be axially slidable and an open/close float is mounted to the slider sleeve, which is axially slidable by a floating force of the open/close float.
The filtering means comprises a filter case and a filtering material disposed in a stacked manner in the filter case, the filtering material being composed of a porous material made from such as ceramics or aluminum. The filter case is composed of one side wall section which faces the flow rate control unit and which is formed by a blind plate, other side wall sections and a bottom wall section which are formed with a number of water communication holes. The filter case is composed of an upper stage case element and a lower stage case element stacked vertically and a high-tide water level float and a low-tide water level float are attached to the upper and lower stage case elements, respectively, to be movable. The high- and low-tide water level floats are engageable with the slider sleeve.
The exhaust means may be an exhaust device provided with a float chamber in which a float is disposed and a case body formed with an inlet portion and an outlet portion which are communicated with the float chamber, and the inlet portion is communicated with the main body of the filtration device.
According to the filtration device of the structures described above, the configuration of the filtration device can be changed from that of the tidal type to that of the sealed type easily and quickly by removing the flow rate control unit from the water inlet end portion and simply removing the drainage extension pipe from the suction opening of the drainage pump after removing the top lid from the main body.
Further, the configuration of the filtration device of the sealed type can be changed easily and speedily into that of the tidal type by attaching the flow rate control unit and the drainage extension pipe to the water inlet end portion thereof and the suction opening of the drainage pump thereof, respectively. Namely, one of the configurations of the filtration devices of the tidal type and the sealed type, which becomes unnecessary, can be effectively reused by suitably changing the configuration of the filtration device between those of the tidal type and the sealed type. Further, the water level of the water contained in the main body is controlled by the flow rate control unit in such a manner as to alternately have a high-tide water level and a low-tide water level. Thus, when the water has the low-tide water level, the aerobic bacteria having adhered to the filtering material are exposed to the air, so that the quantity of oxygen to be supplied thereto can be increased. Thereby, the aerobic bacteria can be proliferated and activated. Thus, the efficiency of cleaning up the water can be improved. Moreover, the lives of the aerobic bacteria can be lengthened.
In accordance with the filtration device of the present invention, both of the increase in efficiency in cleaning up the water and the long lives of the aerobic bacteria can be achieved by activating the bacteria when the water level is the low-tide wave level. In addition, a passage, through which the raw water flows at the filter material side, can be partitioned by the blind patch of the filtering material case from a passage through which the water cleaned by the filtering material flows. This prevents the efficiency in cleaning up water from being lowered owing to the mixing of the raw water with the clean water. Further, both of the reduction in number of components and the simplification of the configuration of the device can be achieved because there is no necessity of providing a partitioning wall, which is used for partitioning the passage for the raw water from the passage for the clean water, separately from the case.
Therefore, in accordance with the filtration device of the present invention, air can be drawn from the main body to the exterior. On the other hand, fresh outside air can be supplied into the main body. Thus, the aerobic bacteria having adhered to the filtering material or the like in the main body can breathe in air. Thereby, the aerobic bacteria can be activated. Moreover, the lives of the aerobic bacteria can be lengthened.
Further, because an exhaust hose may be omitted, a sequence of operations of connecting an exhaust hose to the exhaust port of the main body of the filtration device, hanging an end portion of the exhaust hose to the topmost edge of an opening of the aquarium tank and placing the exhaust hose on the surface of the water may be omitted.
Moreover, because an exhaust hose hanging from the aquarium tank can be omitted, the aesthetic outside appearance of the device can be improved. Furthermore, the outside appearance can be prevented from being spoiled by bubbles that are formed on the surface of the water, which is contained in the aquarium tank, from air exhausted thereon from the end of the opening of the exhaust hose.
Further, the exhaust and intake of air are repeatedly performed by using the exhaust hose when a normal operation is carried out. Thus, even if water is accumulated in the exhaust hose owing to some cause, this stagnant water is blown up in the exhaust hose every exhaust or intake. This is very noisy. In the case of the filtration device of the present invention provided with no exhaust hose is omitted, such noises can be prevented from being caused.
Further, even if the water having been contained in the main body of the filtration device flows into the exhaust unit, for example, when the drainage pump stops operating owing to failure or the like, the water can be prevented by the exhaust unit from being drained to the exterior.
The nature and further characteristic features of the present invention will be made more clear from the following descriptions made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is a diagram for illustrating an entire configuration of an aquarium unit applicable to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective diagram for illustrating a configuration of a main body of a filtration device of tidal type according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the configuration of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a filtration device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a disassembled perspective view of a feed water pipe and elements associated therewith to be incorporated in the filtration device of the present invention;
FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate an operational stage of a flow rate control unit of FIG. 4, in which FIG. 6A is a diagram for illustrating an operation at the time when water has a low-tide water level and FIG. 6B is a diagram for illustrating an operation when the water level rises from the low-tide water level;
FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate an operational stage of the flow rate control unit of FIG. 4, in which FIG. 7A is a diagram for illustrating an operation at the time when the water level rises up to a high-tide water level and FIG. 7B is a diagram for illustrating an operation of closing a water inlet by using a slider sleeve when the water level reaches the high-tide water level;
FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate an operational stage of the flow rate control unit of FIG. 4, in which FIG. 8A is a diagram for illustrating an operation at the time when the water level falls from the high-tide water level and FIG. 8B is a diagram for illustrating an operation when the water level is lowered to the low-tide water level;
FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective diagram for illustrating the configuration of the main body of a filtration device of a sealed type;
FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the configuration of FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a diagram for illustrating the entire configuration of an aquarium unit applicable to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view for illustrating a state of an exhaust unit of FIG. 11 prior to an operation thereof; and
FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view for illustrating a state of the exhaust unit of FIG. 11 during the operation thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. Incidentally, in FIGS. 1 to 10, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts.
FIG. 1 is a diagram for illustrating an entire configuration of an aquarium unit having a filtration device of the present invention, namely, a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this FIG. 1, the aquarium unit 1 has a filtration device 4 of the tidal type for cleaning up water 3 contained in the aquarium tank 2, which is provided in the aquarium unit 1.
The aquarium tank 2 accommodates aquarium and hatchery fishes and water weeds or the like together with water therein and has an inner bottom surface on which gravel is placed to entirely cover the same.
On the other hand, the filtration device 4 is placed at a position, which is lower than that of the aquarium tank 2 and is connected to a feed water hose 6, an exhaust hose 7 and a drainage hose 8. The feed water hose 6 has an end portion connected to a strainer 6a in the water contained in the aquarium tank 2. Water 3 filtered by the strainer 6a is supplied to the filtration device 4 by utilizing a natural rise and fall of water levels.
The exhaust hose 7 communicates with the outside air at an opened end portion thereof positioned above the surface of the water 3 and is operative to inhale or exhale the outside air in response to the high and low tide operations of the filtration device 4.
The drainage hose 8 has a water outlet end portion connected to a shower head 9 and is used for showering the water cleaned by the filtration device 4 into the aquarium tank 2 through the shower head 9. Incidentally, the shower head 9 may be omitted.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the filtration device 4 incorporates a unitized flow rate control unit 11 in a main body casing 10 to be detachable. The main body casing 10 has a top lid 10b attached onto the opened top end portion of a bottomed cylindrical main body 10a with a plurality of bucking devices, not shown. The top lid 10b is integral with or integrally provided with a short-pipe-shape water inlet end portion 6a connected to the feed water hose 6 water-tightly, and with a small-diameter short-pipe-shape exhaust port end portion 7a connected to the exhaust hose 7 air-tightly, and with a short-pipe-shape water outlet end portion 8a connected to the drainage hose 8 water-tightly in such a way that the portions 6a, 7a and 8a project from the top lid 10b.
The flow rate control unit 11 is operative to control the feed water flow rate in such a manner that the water level of the water stored in the main body casing 10 alternately has a high-tide water level and a low-tide water level. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the flow rate control unit 11 has an opened top end portion thereof as viewed in this figure, which is detachably water-tightly connected to an inner end part of the short-pipe-shape water inlet end portion 6b of a feed water pipe 12 through a seal, not shown. The feed water pipe 12 has a plurality of water inlets 12a opened in a side surface of the top end portion thereof and further has a sealed-up bottom end portion as viewed in this figure. A slider sleeve 13 is fitted to the outer periphery of the feed water pipe 12 in such a manner capable of sliding in the direction of the axis thereof. An open/close float 14 is fixed to a middle portion in the direction of the axis of the slider sleeve 13. The slider sleeve 13 is adapted to accomplish to-and-fro movements in the direction of the axis of the slider sleeve 13 according to a buoyant force of this float 14.
The feed water pipe 12 is fixed, as shown in the disassembled perspective view of FIG. 5, to the opened upper end portion of a center pipe 12c with an upper end pipe 12b being mounted. The upper end pipe 12b is formed with a plurality of water feed inlets 12a on the side surface thereof. The upper end screwed portion 12d thereof penetrates a hole 19b of the upper end portion 19A of the cover 19 and a hole 60a of the inner partition plate 60 fixed to the upper cover 10b and is screwed with an upper nut 61 to thereby fix the upper end portion 19A and the inner partition plate 60. The upper end portion 19A is perforated with a plurality of water feed holes 19a.
A slider sleeve 13 is mounted to the outer periphery of the center pipe 12a of the water feed pipe 12 to be axially slidable. The open/close float 14 is secured to an axially intermediate portion of the slider sleeve 13 so as to move the slider sleeve 13 reciprocally in the axial direction thereof in accordance with the floating force of the float 14.
On the other hand, a bottomed lower end pipe 12e is mounted to the lower end portion of the center pipe 12a of the water feed pipe 12. The lower end pipe 12e is provided with a lower end screw portion 12f, which penetrates a hole 19d of a lower end portion 19B of the cover 19 and is clamped by a lower nut 62. The lower end portion 19B is perforated with a plurality of water feed holes 19c.
Further, as also illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of filter cases 15 and 16, each of which is filled with porous filtering materials, not shown, made of ceramics or aluminum, are concentrically stacked as two layers, for instance, upper and lower stages in the main body 10a of the main body casing 10. Aerobic bacteria or the like, which live in the water, adhere to these porous filtering materials when the water having been contained in the tank is passed therethrough. Each of the filter cases 15 and 16 consists of an open-bottomed tube having a rectangular cylindrical shape. Further, side surfaces 15a and 16a, which face the flow rate control unit 11, are constituted by blind patches. On the other hand, a large number of water openings are bored in bottom and side surface portions other than these side surface portions 15a and 16a.
The blind patches acting as the side surfaces 15a and 16a of the filter cases 15 and 16 are configured as partitioning walls for partitioning a passage Ra, for the raw water which is fed by being guided from the water inlet 12a of the flow rate control unit 11 to an upper part of each of the filter cases 15 and 16, from a passage Rb for the clean water cleaned up by being passed through these filter cases 15 and 16. Thus, the raw water can be prevented from being mixed with the clean water. Moreover, because there is no necessity of providing a separate partitioning wall for partitioning both of the passages Ra and Rb, both of the reduction in number of the components and the simplification of the configuration can be achieved.
Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 7B, the flow rate control unit 11 is provided with a pivotally movable high-tide water level float 17 at a high-tide water level position Wa, at which the top surface of the filter case 15 shown as the upper stage in these figures is covered with water, of the main body casing 10, and on the other hand, with a pivotally movable low-tide water level float 18 at a low-tide water level Wb which is lower than the bottom surface of the filter case 16 serving as a lower stage.
A high-tide water level float 17 has an upper engaging hook fixed to a side surface of a rectangular cylindrical upper float 17a floated on the liquid such as the water to be controlled by the flow rate control unit. The upper engaging hook 17b has an end portion which is downwardly bent at a predetermined angle. The bent end portion thereof is disengageably engaged with the top edge of the slider sleeve 13 as illustrated in, for example, FIG. 6B.
The bent portion of the upper engaging hook 17b is provided with a pin 17c in such a way that the pin 17c penetrates the bent portion thereof in the direction of the thickness thereof and projects therefrom. Both end portions of the pin 17c are rotatably inserted into small holes bored in a pair of left and right support fittings fixed to the inner side surfaces of the top end portion 19A of a rectangular cylindrical cover 19 which is opened at both of the top and bottom ends thereof. When the water level W of the water contained in the main body casing 10 rises up to the high-tide water level Wa, the upper float 17 pivotally moves, so that the upper engaging hook 17b is disengaged from the top edge of the slider sleeve 13. The cover 19 contains the feed water pipe 12, the slide sleeve 13, the high-tide water level float 17 and the low-tide water level float 18. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the cover 19 is integrally formed with a lead-in tube 19e communicating with the water inlet 12a in such a fashion that the lead-in tube 19e projects from the cover 19. The water supplied from the water inlet 12a is guided by the lead-in tube 19e to the upper portion of the upper-stage filter case 15.
On the other hand, the low-tide wave level float 18 has a lower engaging hook 18b fixed to a side surface of the rectangular cylindrical lower float 18a. The lower engaging hook 18b has an end portion which is bent downwardly at a predetermined angle. The bent end portion thereof is disengageably engaged with the bottom edge of the slider sleeve 13, as shown in, for instance, FIG. 8A.
The bent portion of the lower engaging hook 18b is provided with a pin 18c in such a way that the pin 18c penetrates the bent portion thereof in the direction of the thickness thereof and projects therefrom. Both end portions of the pin 18c are rotatably inserted into small holes bored in a pair of left and right support fittings fixed to the inner side surfaces of the lower end portion 19B of the cover 19 which is opened at both of the top and bottom ends thereof. When the water level W of the water contained in the main body casing 10 rises up to the low-tide water level Wb, the lower float 18a pivotally moves, so that the lower engaging hook 18b is disengaged from the bottom edge of the slider sleeve 13. Incidentally, in FIG. 4, reference character 20 designates a heater which is used for heating the water stored in the main body casing 10, as occasion demands, but may be omitted.
Further, the main body casing 10 has an drainage pump 21 provided on the top lid 10b thereof. The drainage pump 21 is adapted to always drain the water stored in the main body casing 10 at a drainage flow rate per unit time which is less than a feed flow rate per unit time by a predetermined flow rate. A suction opening of the drainage pump 21 is opened in the main body casing 10. A drainage extension pipe 23 is detachably provided at the suction-opening side by being fastened with a nipple-like mounting ring 22 rotatably attached thereto. An end of the drainage extension pipe 23 extends to a position which is lower than the bottom surface of the lower-stage filter case 18. The clean water having been cleaned up by each of the filtering materials of the upper-stage and lower-stage filter cases 15 and 16 is sucked into the end of the drainage extension pipe 23 and is then put back into the aquarium tank 2 through a drainage path 24, the water outlet end portion 8a and the drainage hose 8 in sequence.
The tidal operation of the flow rate control unit 11 will be described hereinbelow.
First, as illustrated in FIG. 6A, when the water level W of the water stored in the main body casing 10 is the low-tide water level Wb, the open/close float 14 is not floated by the stored water, so that the slider sleeve 13 falls to the bottom of the feed water pipe 12 owing to the empty weight thereof and the water inlet 12a opens.
Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 2, after the water having been stored in the aquarium tank 2 is filtered by the strainer 6a, the water flows into the lead-in pipe 19e from the water inlet 12a through the feed water hose 6 owing to the natural fall. Moreover, the water is fed from this lead-in tube 19e to the upper portion of the filter case 15 in the main body casing 10. During this operation, the drainage pump 21 is operated at all times. Thus, the clean water contained in the main body casing 10 is drained at all times by the drainage extension pipe 23 and the drainage pump 21. The flow rate of the drained water is smaller than the feed water flow rate supplied from the lead-in pipe 19e. The water of an amount, which corresponds to the difference therebetween, is stored in the main body casing 10. The water level W of the water stored therein raises gradually.
Then, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, when the water level W rises above the open/close float 14, the open/close float 14 is going to float. At that time, the tip end of the upper engaging hook 17b of the high-tide water level float 17 is engaged with the top edge of the slider sleeve 13 as viewed in this figure. Thus, the open/close float 14 cannot float, so that the water inlet 12a remains closed. Consequently, the water is kept supplied from the water inlet 12a.
The water level W further rises, and when the water level W reaches the high-tide water level Wa as illustrated in FIG. 7A, the upper float 17a floats and moves upwardly and pivotally around the pin 17c. Then, the tip end of the upper engaging hook 17b is leftwardly turned as viewed in this figure. Consequently, the engagement between the tip end of the upper engaging hook 17b and the top edge of the slider sleeve 13 is released.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7B, the buoyant force of the open/close float 14 causes the slider sleeve 13 to slide on the feed water pipe 12 and moves upwardly as viewed in this figure. Thus, the water inlet 12a is closed by the slider sleeve 13.
Accordingly, the feeding of the water from the water inlet 12a is stopped. However, since there is a little clearance between the water inlet 12a and the inner peripheral surface of the slider sleeve 13, a very small amount of water is kept supplied from this clearance. On the other hand, the drainage pump 21 always drains water at a predetermined flow rate. This time, the water level W of the water contained in the main body casing 10 gradually decreases, as illustrated in FIG. 8A. When the water level W becomes lower than the open/close float 14, the slider sleeve 13 is going to fall downwardly owing to the empty weight thereof. At that time, the lower engaging hook of the low-tide water level float 18 is engaged with the bottom edge of the slider sleeve 13 in such a manner as to support the slider sleeve from below. Thus, the slider sleeve 13 cannot fall, so that the water inlet 12a is kept closed.
The water level W further lowers, and when the water level W is lowered to the low-tide water level Wb as shown in FIG. 8B, the buoyant force of the lower float 18a is reduced. Therefore, after the engagement between the slider sleeve and the lower engaging hook is forcibly released, the open/close float 14 and the slider sleeve 13 falls further downwardly owing to the empty weight thereof. Consequently, as illustrated in FIG. 6A, the water inlet 12a is opened. Thus, the feeding of the water is started from the water inlet 12a, and the aforementioned operation is repeated.
Therefore, the water level of the water W stored in the main body casing 10 is changed alternately and repeatedly between a low-tide water level Wb and a high-tide water level Wa at a predetermined period. Thus, at the time when the water level is this low-tide water level Wb, the filtering material contained in the main body casing 10 is uncovered from the stored water. Moreover, at such a time, air is supplied from the exhaust hose 7 to the main body casing 10. Thus, the aerobic bacteria having adhered to the porous filtering material can be proliferated and activated by supplying air thereto sufficiently and periodically. Consequently, the ability to resolve organic substances can be further enhanced. Further, the efficiency in cleaning up the water can be improved. Moreover, the lives of the bacteria can be lengthened.
Further, when the water level of the stored water W is raised to the high-tide water level Wa, the top surface or upper portion of the upper-stage filtering material 15 is covered with the stored water W. Thus, the flow rate of the raw water supplied through the filtering material can be increased. Thereby, the efficiency in cleaning up the raw water can be enhanced. Moreover, as a result of the rise of the water surface of the stored water W, the air above the water surface thereof is forced up in the main body casing 10 and is then exhausted to the exterior through the exhaust hose 8. Therefore, the aerobic bacteria having adhered to the filtering material in the main body are allowed to breathe in air.
Further, the flow rate control unit 11 mechanically detects the high-tide water level Wa and the low-tide water level Wb by means of the high-tide water level float 17 and the low-tide water level float 18, respectively. The electrical configuration of the device can be simplified in comparison with the case that the high-tide and low-tide water levels are detected by a lead switch, for example. Moreover, both of the reduction in cost of the device and the simplification of maintenance thereof can be achieved. Furthermore, the water 3 contained in the aquarium tank 2 can be cleaned up by being passed through the filtration device.
Further, this flow rate control unit of the tidal type is formed as a unit or module. Therefore, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the configuration of the filtration device can be changed easily and speedily into that of the filtration device 31 of the sealed type in which the main body casing 10 is always filled with water. Namely, the feed water pipe 12 of the flow rate control unit 11 is detached from the water inlet end portion 6b by being simply strongly pulled out. Moreover, the drainage extension pipe 23 is detached from the suction opening of the drainage pump 21 by unfastening the nipple-like mounting ring 22.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the configuration of the filtration device can be changed easily and quickly into that of the filtration of the sealed type by strongly pushing an elbow 32 into the inner end portion of the water inlet end portion 6b to thereby attach the elbow 32 thereto detachably and water-tightly. The water outlet end portion of the elbow 32 projects above the upper-stage filter case 15, so that water can be supplied thereto. Incidentally, in the case of this device of the sealed type, the water contained in the main body casing 10 does not have high-tide and low-tide water levels alternately and repeatedly. Thus, the aerobic bacteria can be activated by oxygen dissolved in the water.
Moreover, conversely, the configuration of the filtration device 31 of the sealed type of FIGS. 9 and 10 can be changed easily and speedily into that of the filtration device of the tidal type of FIGS. 2 and 3. Namely, after the elbow 32 is strongly pulled out of the inner end part of the water inlet end portion 6a of FIGS. 9 and 10 and is thus removed therefrom, the configuration of the filtration device of the sealed type can be changed easily and surely into that of the filtration device of the tidal type by strongly pushing the top end portion of the feed water pipe 12 of the flow rate control unit 11 of the tidal type into this water inlet end portion 6a to thereby attach the feed water pipe 12 thereto and by, on the other hand, attaching the drainage extension pipe 23 to the suction opening of the drainage pump 21 as a result of being fastened with the mounting ring 22.
Furthermore, the opened end portion of the exhaust pipe 7 is placed on the aquarium tank 2. Further, even if the water contained in the filtration device 4 is drained through the exhaust hose 7, the drained water can be received by the aquarium tank 2. Therefore, the surroundings can be prevented from being wetted by the drained water. Incidentally, in the foregoing description of the aforementioned embodiment, there has been described the case that the flow rate control unit 11 is mechanically constituted by the low-tide water level float 18 and the high-tide water level float 17. The present invention is not limited to this structure. For example, the flow rate control unit 11 can be configured as of the tidal type that detects the low-tide water level and the high-tide water level by the electrical means such as a lead switch.
FIG. 11 is a diagram for illustrating the entire configuration of a second embodiment of the present invention. A characteristic aspect of this aquarium unit 1A resides in that the exhaust hose 7 of FIG. 1 is omitted and an exhaust unit 41 is detachably attached to the exhaust port end portion 7a of the filtration device 4.
Namely, in the case of using the exhaust hose 7, it is necessary to hang or suspend the opened end portion thereof on the opening end portion of the aquarium tank 1. Such a sequence of operations are troublesome. In addition, the aesthetic outside appearance of the device is spoiled.
Further, in the case of using the exhaust hose 7, the air contained in the main body casing 10 of the filtration device 4 is blown away on the water surface of the water contained in the aquarium tank 2 to the exterior according to the high-tide and low-tide of the water contained in the main body casing 10 thereof and is thus exhausted, while an intake operation of breathing in the outside air is performed. Thus, the filtration device using the exhaust hose provides problems in that many bubbles are formed on the water surface of the water contained in the aquarium tank 2 and that the outside appearance thereof is spoiled.
Further, the exhaust and intake of air are repeatedly performed by using the exhaust hose during a normal operation is carried out. Thus, even if water is accumulated in the exhaust hose owing to some cause, this stagnant water is blown up in the exhaust hose every exhaust or intake. This is very noisy.
Thus, in order to solve such a problem, in the case of this embodiment, the exhaust hose 7 is omitted and the exhaust unit 41 is provided in the device.
The exhaust unit 41 is configured as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, in which a float chamber 44 for accommodating a float 43 floating on water is formed in a main body casing 42. The main body casing 42 is formed integrally with an inlet end portion 45 and an outlet end portion 46, each of which communicates with the float chamber 44.
The float 43 has a left end to which a horizontal pivot link 47 is fixed, and an end portion of the pivot link 47 is pivotally movably attached to the top end portion of a vertical fixed link 48, as viewed in the figures. The bottom portion of the fixed link 48 is fixed to an inner wall of a main body case 45, as illustrated in the figures.
An erect up-and-down link 49 is pivotally movably attached to the side end portion of the float 43 through the pivot link 47. A valve element 50, which can freely go into and out of the outlet end portion 46, is attached to the top portion of the up-and-down link 49. Normally, an outlet passage 46a is opened by the empty weight of each of the valve element 50 and the float 43. Further, an O-ring is fixedly fitted onto the outer peripheral surface of the body of the valve element 50, so that the valve element 50 is water-tightly brought into intimate contact with the outlet passage 46a. Further, the inlet end portion 45 of the main body case 42 is connected air-tightly, water-tightly and detachably with the outlet end portion 7a of the filtration device 4 through the O-ring fixed onto the outer peripheral surface of the body thereof.
Next, an operation of the exhaust unit 41 having the structure described above will be described hereunder.
In the case that the drainage pump 21 of FIG. 4 is normally operated, the water contained in the main body casing 10 of the filtration device 4 repeatedly performs rising and falling operations by the tidal action of the flow rate control unit 11 as described above.
Further, in the case that the water contained in the main body casing 10 rises to the high-tide water level, the air contained in the main body casing 10 is thrusted by the rising water surface. Subsequently, the air flows into the float chamber 44 through the inlet end portion 45 of the exhaust unit 41 from the outlet end portion 7a. At that time, the passage 46a in the outlet end portion 46 is opened as a result of the descent of the valve element 50 and the float 43 owing to the empty weight thereof. Thus, the air having flown into the float chamber 44 is exhausted to the exterior through the opened outlet passage 46a.
In contrast, in the case that the water contained in the main body casing 10 falls to the low-tide water level, the pressure caused by the space in the main body casing 10 is reduced to a negative pressure by the falling water surface. Thus, the air is drawn into the main body casing 10 through the opened outlet passage 46, the float chamber 44 and the inside of the inlet end portion 45 of the exhaust unit 41 and through the outlet end portion 7a of the filtration device 4 in sequence.
Namely, the air contained in the filtration device 4 is exhausted to the exterior through the exhaust unit 41 according to the high-tide or low-tide water level, while the outside air is drawn into the main body casing 10.
Namely, in the case of this embodiment, since the exhaust hose of FIG. 1 is omitted, the aesthetic outside appearance of the device can be improved. Moreover, the exhaust gas is blown on the water surface of the water contained in the aquarium tank 2, whereas the outside air is not drawn thereinto. Consequently, bubbles can be prevented from being generated on the water surface of the water contained in the aquarium tank 2. Further, the aesthetic outside appearance can be improved.
Moreover, the exhaust and intake of air are repeatedly performed by using the exhaust hose 7 when a normal operation is carried out. Thus, even if water is accumulated in the exhaust hose 7 owing to some cause, this stagnant water is blown up in the exhaust hose every exhaust or intake. This is very noisy. In the case of the device of this embodiment, this exhaust hose 7 is omitted. Consequently, such noises can be prevented from being caused.
Furthermore, even if the water having been contained in the main body casing 10 of the filtration device 4 flows from the outlet end portion 7a through the inlet end portion 45 of the exhaust unit 41 into the float chamber 44 and comes to have a predetermined water level when the drainage pump 21 stops operating owing to failure or the like, the float 43 is floated as illustrated in FIG. 13. Thus, the valve element 50 is caused to rise and the outlet passage 50 is closed water-tightly.
Therefore, the water having flown into the float chamber 44 can be prevented from being drained to the exterior from the outlet end portion 46. Consequently, the surroundings can be prevented from being stained by the drained water.
|
A filtration device for filtering and cleaning water to be supplied to a water tank comprises a main body having an upper end opening selectively closed by a lid mounted thereon in an installed state, a filtering unit detachably disposed in the main body, an air exhaust element communicating with an inside and outside of the main body, a water inlet connected to the main body, a feed water pipe connected to the water inlet for supplying water into the main body, a drainage pump for draining clean water cleaned up by the filtering unit, a water outlet operatively connected to the filtering unit to supply the cleaned-up water to the water tank, and a flow rate control unit, which is detachably incorporated into the main body and is connected to an inner portion of the water inlet, for controlling a flow rate of raw water, which is introduced from the water inlet to the main body, in a manner that a water level of water contained in the main body alternately has a high-tide water level, at which the filtering unit is covered with water and a low-tide water level which is lower than a location of the filtering unit.
| 0
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from Australian Patent Application No. AU 2003903841 , filed on May 24, 2003.
[0002] All of the foregoing applications, as well as all documents cited in the foregoing applications (“application documents”) and all documents cited or referenced in the application documents are incorporated herein by reference. Also, all documents cited in this application (“herein-cited documents”) and all documents cited or referenced in herein-cited documents are incorporated herein by reference. In addition, any manufacturer's instructions or catalogues for any products cited or mentioned in each of the application documents or herein-cited documents are incorporated by reference. Documents incorporated by reference into this text or any teachings therein can be used in the practice of this invention. Documents incorporated by reference into this text are not admitted to be prior art.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The invention relates to a fodder radish. More particularly, a fodder radish ( Raphanus species) suitable for use as a multiple grazing fodder crop for livestock is provided. The invention also relates to the seeds, and to the plants of the radish. It also relates to methods of producing a Raphanus plant type having the characteristics of recovery from grazing to give the potential for multiple grazings over many cycles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Animal producers worldwide use fodder crops as an inexpensive means of feeding animals during times of forage shortfall, usually during dry summer periods or during cold winter periods. Fodder crops which can be grazed many times rather than once only have potential to lower the cost of production for many farmers.
[0005] Plants of Raphanus are used widely throughout the world for many purposes.
[0006] For example, Raphanus sativus , domestic radish is used as a vegetable for human consumption, predominantly the root but also to a lessor extent of the leaves, stems and pods.
[0007] Raphanus sativus can also be used as an oilseed crop where the seed is harvested and oil extracted. The sprouted seed may also be consumed as a sprout by humans.
[0008] Raphanus sativus is also used as a biofumigant in crop rotations to suppress pathogens such as fungal diseases, or cyst nematodes in subsequent crops particularly with Sugar Beet ( Beta vulgaris ) in Europe. These crops are frequently ploughed under but may also be grazed once.
[0009] Raphanus sativus may be used as a single grazing fodder crop. However, the cultivars used will usually not recover sufficiently from grazing to allow multiple grazings. Many of these cultivars are relatively early to flower, bolting with 3 months of sowing. The cultivars usually also have hairy leaves and stems which on occasion can be prickly and rejected by grazing animals.
[0010] Raphanus sativus with large bulbs may be grown for animal fodder, notably in South Africa. The cultivars used are relatively early flowering and will usually bolt to flower within 3 months of sowing.
[0011] The nutritive value of fodder radish for animal feed is known to be high and the species possesses some valuable characteristics for livestock farming. However it is clear that there are a number of features of existing cultivars which have limited its ability to provide a flexible source of grazing on farms.
[0012] The typical radish used for grazing purposes is an annual which bolts to flower very readily and rapidly. This limits its use to a single grazing before flowering as the nutritional value declines considerably at flowering. Later flowering forms would provide more flexibility on farm by allowing farmers to keep the feed until needed.
[0013] This is very apparent in the related Brassica species fodder rape ( Brassica napus ), turnip ( Brassica rapa ) and kale ( Brassica oleracea ) where both annual and biennial forms exist. As a result in these species the biennial forms are more widely used for animal fodder than the annual forms. The delayed flowering of the biennials allows the energy they assimilate to accumulate into storage organs such as bulbs, leaf or stems. From this perspective later flowering or biennial radishes with a long growing period would be valuable for grazing over the summer, or kept until autumn and winter in a nutritious vegetative state.
[0014] When typical fodder radish crops are grazed by animals the growing point of the plant is above ground and it is damaged, limiting any regrowth. It would be valuable for a plant to have multiple low growing points to avoid grazing damage and allow maximum recovery.
[0015] The majority of traditional fodder and vegetable radish forms of Raphanus sativus are covered in short prickly hairs or trichomes and this feature can render the plant less palatable to livestock than glabrous types. Raphanus plants which lack trichomes are preferred by grazing livestock.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] It is an object of the invention to provide a better fodder radish plant for livestock grazing which can be grazed more than once or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.
[0017] The invention provides a fodder Raphanus plant which can be grazed more than once by livestock.
[0018] The invention also provides seeds, pollen, ovules and vegetative propagules of the plant.
[0019] The fodder radish is preferably Raphanus species.
[0020] Within this specification the term “Raphanus” is intended to include any radish species including but not limited to Raphanus sativus, Raphanus maritimus, Raphanus landra and Raphanus raphanistrum.
[0021] The Raphanus is preferably very late flowering or biennial in habit which allows grazing over a longer period than more rapidly flowering or annual crops.
[0022] The Raphanus preferably has a low crown to allow recovery from grazing by livestock.
[0023] The Raphanus preferably has multiple growing points to enhance the ability to recover from grazing by livestock.
[0024] The Raphanus preferably has minimal leaf and stem trichomes (or hairs) to enhance the palatability of the plant to grazing livestock.
[0025] The invention also provides fodder radish which can be multiply grazed and which has at least one of the following characteristics:
a) palatable and nutritious; b) able to establish quickly under diverse field conditions; c) provide a useful amount of fodder into a drought period; d) tolerant or resistant to common pests, viruses and diseases affecting Brassica crops; e) persistent over a number of grazing cycles; f) provide a useful amount of fodder during the winter period; g) have a yellow seed coat; h) have minimal anthocyanin expression anywhere on the plant; or i) recovers to produce a useful amount of herbage.
[0035] The Raphanus species may contain genetic introgression from other species such as Brassica.
[0036] The invention provides the plant or its parts producing seed, pollen of the plant, an ovule of the plant and vegetative propagules of the fodder species adapted for multiple grazing.
[0037] In particular the invention provides a Raphanus seed designated PG545.
[0038] The invention also provides a Raphanus plant having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of the Raphanus plant derived from the seed of the Raphanus PG545.
[0039] The invention also provides a method for producing a hybrid Raphanus seed which seed produces a plant capable of being multiple grazed, comprising crossing a first parent Raphanus sativus plant with a second parent Raphanus plant and harvesting the resultant hybrid Raphanus.
[0040] The invention also provides a hybrid seed produced by the method above.
[0041] The invention also provides a hybrid plant or its parts produced by growing said hybrid Raphanus seed above.
[0042] The invention also provides vegetative propagules of the fodder Raphanus species.
[0043] The invention also provides a method for the production of Raphanus with the ability to regrow after grazing to be suitable for multiple grazing which comprises:
a) crossing or backcrossing Raphanus sativus with Raphanus maritimus to produce hybrid plants b) selecting for low crown and improved recovery from grazing in the progeny over subsequent generations
[0046] The invention also provides a method of the production of Raphanus cultivars with glabrous leaves which comprises:
a) crossing or backcrossing the common phenotype with trichomes on the leaves of Raphanus with Raphanus plants containing genes for glabrous leaves to produce hybrid plants b) selecting for the presence of glabrous leaves in the progeny of subsequent generations
[0049] The invention also provides a method of the production of Raphanus with an extremely late flowering behaviour which comprises:
a) crossing or backcrossing the common early flowering Raphanus with extremely late flowering Raphanus plants to produce hybrid plants b) selecting for late flowering in the progeny of subsequent generations
[0052] The invention further provides the plant or its parts producing tetraploid seed or pollen for the production of tetraploid seed of the fodder Raphanus which can be multiply grazed by livestock.
[0053] The invention further provides an ovule of the tetraploid plants and vegetative propagules of the tetraploid plants.
[0054] The invention also provides a tetraploid Raphanus plant having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of a Raphanus plant derived from the seed of the Raphanus which can be multiply grazed by livestock.
[0055] The invention also provides a method for producing a tetraploid hybrid Raphanus seed comprising crossing a tetraploid first parent Raphanus plant with a second parent tetraploid Raphanus plant and harvesting the resultant hybrid Raphanus seeds, wherein said first or second parent Raphanus plant a tetraploid Raphanus plant which can be multiply grazed by livestock.
[0056] The invention also provides a tetraploid hybrid seed produced by any method above.
[0057] The invention also provides a tetraploid hybrid plant or its parts produced by growing hybrid Raphanus sativus seed produced by any method above.
[0058] The invention also provides vegetative propagules of tetraploid plants.
[0059] Preferably the fodder Raphanus plant is grown from the seed PG545. It may be grown however from any seed having these characteristics such as, for example PG534 and PG560.
[0060] The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0061] The following Detailed Description, given by way of example, but not intended to limit the invention to specific embodiments described, may be understood in conjunction with the accompanying Figures, incorporated herein by reference, in which:
[0062] FIG. 1 shows plants of the multiple graze radish in the second summer after sowing, showing the survival alongside winter forage cultivars of rape ( Brassica napus ) and leaf turnip ( Brassica rapa ), both of which had failed to survive into the second summer.
[0063] FIG. 2 shows a cow grazing multigraze forage radish.
[0064] FIG. 3 shows a clipped plant of multiple grazing radish showing the many stems developing from a large crown.
[0065] FIG. 4 shows a single crown of multigraze radish showing the multiple regrowth sites after five grazing cycles.
[0066] FIGS. 5 and 6 show roots of the multigraze radish showing the branched nature of the root and large crown with many emerging stems.
[0067] FIG. 7 shows a plant of multiple grazing radish showing the multiple stems developing from a large crown after five grazing cycles.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0068] As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, and the like can have the meaning ascribed to them in U.S. Patent Law and can mean “includes”, “including” and the like.
[0069] In order to develop a multiple grazing fodder radish it was necessary to obtain a series of parental germplasm lines which contained the range of necessary features, or “phenotypes”. The necessary features were available in 2 different Raphanus species:
Feature Raphanus maritimus Raphanus sativus Very Late flowering + Mostly − few + Multiple growing points + − Deep crown + − Forked root + − Persistent for 2 years + − Regrowth from grazing + − Trichomes (unpalatable hairs) − Mostly − few + Dehiscent pods − + Harvestable seed − +
[0070] Raphanus maritimus occurs on the sea coast of Europe and southern England. It has features which are of valuable for multiple grazing purposes such as a very low crown and a deep forked root. It is also very late to flower and may survive up to 2 or more years. It also has useful amounts of salt tolerance. However, it can not be used directly for grazing due to the extreme prickly nature of the trichomes (leaf hairs) on the leaves and stem and the silique or pods are non-dehiscent and do not release the seed and must be sown as pod pieces making it difficult to domesticate the plant for modem agriculture. In order to take advantage of the desirable features it is necessary to first cross this species with domesticated Raphanus sativus to combine the useful features into one population. These two species had previously been successfully crossed, indicating that no crossing barrier existed between the species (McNaughton 1976).
[0071] Raphanus sativus used for production have dehiscent pods enabling a high seed yield. They are also rapid to establish and many cultivars have a high forage yield for a single grazing. These features are of value for a multiple grazing radish.
[0072] Within Raphanus sativus there is a variation in the number of plant trichomes (hairs on the leaf and stem). Glabrous forms are more palatable to grazing animals and are desirable in a multiple grazing fodder radish. The glabrous form Biser was used as a source of this feature in crosses. This feature of Biser originated as a result of introgression from cabbage ( Brassica oleracea ) (Bonnet 1979). Although this source was used it would be possible to use other glabrous sources of germplasm.
[0073] Within Raphanus sativus there is a large variation for flowering time. Most forms are early flowering but less common late flowering forms requiring a degree of vemalisation also exist. For a multiple grazing fodder radish late flowering forms are desirable and a selection for very late flowering within Long Black Spanish were used as a basis of late flowering in subsequent crosses. Although this source was used it would be possible to use other late flowering sources of germplasm.
[0074] To obtain all the necessary features of Raphanus sativus which are of value for a multiple grazing fodder radish it was necessary to cross 2 populations together and select for the desirable features. The very late flowering selection from Long Black Spanish was crossed with the glabrous line Biser. This gave a late flowering glabrous radish suitable for crossing with Raphanus maritimus.
[0075] Further selection over 4 cycles gave a very late flowering glabrous radish. The population resulting from 3 cycles of selection was crossed with Raphanus maritimus and selected over 3 cycles for glabrous leaves and late flowering. However, this population still had a proportion of non-dehiscent pods so was crossed back to the 4th cycle of selection from the late flowering selection from Black Spanish cross Biser.
[0076] This population was then selected for all the features required in a multiple grazing radish, including the following:
Late flowering habit with a long vegetative period A deep large forked root with a low crown Multiple growing points Recovery from grazing over many cycles Glabrous leaves A dehiscent pod or silique for ease of seed harvest High forage yield The ability to survive for more than 1 year in suitable environments High disease and pest resistance Rapid establishment Yellow seed coat Low expression of anthocyanin pigment on all parts of the plant
[0089] This resulted in 3 multiple grazing radish lines PG534, PG545 and PG560. Seed of these are deposited in the Margot Forde Germplasm Centre at AgResearch, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
[0090] The invention has resulted from a series of complex crosses and selection from a range of germplasm sources and species over 16 years, as outlined in the breeding history of Table 1. All crosses were carried out in the field by placing a few plants of one parent among many plants of the other parent. A high selection pressure was maintained with between 1000 and 1 million plants being planted in each generation. Each cycle of selection resulted in 7 to 20 parents, which were allowed to interpollinate together in isolation.
[0091] The resulting selections have a complex origin incorporating germplasm from three species in the approximate proportions as determined by pedigree; Raphanus sativus (86.7%), Raphanus maritimus (7.5%) and Brassica oleracea (5.8%).
[0092] Although this Figure outlines the crosses and selections undertaken to develop the multiple grazing fodder radish it would be possible to develop such types using slightly different materials and methods. It would be important to use germplasm lines which contain all the desirable features as outlined above and then cross between them and to select for a combination of these features over many cycles of selection.
[0093] Whilst the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as described in this specification and the following claims.
[0094] The invention is further described by the following numbered paragraphs:
1. A fodder Raphanus plant which can be grazed more than once by livestock. 2. A fodder Raphanus plant according to paragraph 1 that is a Raphanus species selected from the group Raphanus sativus, Raphanus maritimus, Raphanus landra and Raphanus raphanistrum. 3. A fodder Raphanus plant according to paragraph 1 that is very late flowering or biennial in habit which allows grazing over a longer period than more rapidly flowering or annual crops. 4. A fodder Raphanus plant according to paragraph 1 that has a low crown to allow recovery from grazing by livestock. 5. A fodder Raphanus plant according to paragraph 1 that has multiple growing points to enhance the ability to recover from grazing by livestock. 6. A fodder Raphanus plant according to paragraph 1 that has minimal leaf and stem trichomes (or hairs) to enhance the palatability of the plant to grazing livestock. 7. A fodder radish that can be grazed many times and which recovers to produce a useful amount of herbage. 8. A fodder radish that can be multiply grazed and which has at least one of the following characteristics:
a) palatable and nutritious; b) able to establish quickly under diverse field conditions; c) provide a useful amount of fodder into a drought period; d) tolerant or resistant to common pests, viruses and diseases affecting Brassica crops; e) persistent over a number of grazing cycles; f) provide a useful amount of fodder during the winter period; g) have a yellow seed coat; h) have minimal anthocyanin expression anywhere on the plant;
9. A fodder radish according to paragraph 8 that contains genetic introgression from other species such as Brassica. 10. Seeds, pollen, ovules, vegetative propagules of the fodder Raphanus plant according to any one of paragraphs 1-9. 11. Raphanus seed designated PG545. 12. Raphanus seed having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of the Raphanus plant derived from the seed of the Raphanus PG545. 13. A method for producing a hybrid Raphanus seed which seed produces a plant capable of being multiple grazed, comprising crossing a first parent Raphanus sativus plant with a second parent Raphanus plant and harvesting the resultant hybrid Raphanus. 14. Hybrid seed produced by the method of paragraph 13. 15. A hybrid plant or its parts produced by growing hybrid seed of paragraph 14. 16. A method for the production of Raphanus with the ability to regrow after grazing to be suitable for multiple grazing which comprises: a) crossing or backcrossing Raphanus sativus with Raphanus maritimus to produce hybrid plants b) selecting for low crown and improved recovery from grazing in the progeny over subsequent generations 17. A method of the production of Raphanus cultivars with glabrous leaves which comprises:
a) crossing or backcrossing the common phenotype with trichomes on the leaves of Raphanus with Raphanus plants containing genes for glabrous leaves to produce hybrid plants b) selecting for the presence of glabrous leaves in the progeny of subsequent generations
18. A method of the production of Raphanus with an extremely late flowering behaviour which comprises:
a) crossing or backcrossing the common early flowering Raphanus with extremely late flowering Raphanus plants to produce hybrid plants b) selecting for late flowering in the progeny of subsequent generations
19. A plants or its parts producing tetraploid seed or pollen for the production of tetraploid seed of the fodder Raphanus which can be multiply grazed by livestock. 20. An ovule of the tetraploid plants and vegetative propagules of the tetraploid plants of paragraph 19. 21. A tetraploid Raphanus plant having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of a Raphanus plant derived from the seed of the Raphanus which can be multiply grazed by livestock. 22. A method for producing a tetraploid hybrid Raphanus seed comprising crossing a tetraploid first parent Raphanus plant with a second parent tetraploid Raphanus plant and harvesting the resultant hybrid Raphanus seeds, wherein said first or second parent Raphanus plant a tetraploid Raphanus plant which can be multiply grazed by livestock. 23. A tetraploid hybrid seed produced by any method of paragraph 22. 24. A tetraploid hybrid plant or its parts produced by growing hybrid Raphanus sativus seed produced by the method of paragraph 22. 25. Vegetative propagules of tetraploid plants according to paragraph 24.
[0134] 26. A Raphanus plant grown from the seed PG545 or any seed having these characteristics such as, for example PG534 and PG560.
TABLE 1 Grazing radish pedigree
REFERENCES
Bonnet A 1979 Inheritance of some characters in radish ( Raphanus sativus ). Cruciferae Newsletter 4: 31 George R A T, Evans D R 1981 A classification of winter radish cultivars Euphytica 30: 483-492 Johnston T D 1963 The fodder radish. Welsh Plant breeding Station Annual Report 1963: 135-139 Johnston T D 1977 Breeding aspects of Raphanus and Brassica. Cruciferae Newsletter 2: 13 McNaughton I H 1976 The possibility of leafy, biennial radishes from hybridisation of Raphanus sativus (fodder radish) and R. maritimus (sea radish). Cruciferae Newsletter 1: 21-22 Rethman N F G, Heyns G 1987 Grazing of Raphanus sativus L (Japanese radish) Journal of the Grassland Society of South Africa 4:154 Verschoor A, Rethman N F G 1992 Forage potential of Japanese radish ( Raphanus sativus ) as influenced by planting date and cultivar choice. Journal of the Grassland Society of South Africa 9:176-177
|
The invention relates to a fodder radish. More particularly, a fodder radish ( Raphanus species) suitable for use as a multiple grazing fodder crop for livestock is provided. The invention also relates to the seeds, and to the plants of the radish. It also relates to methods of producing a Raphanus plant type having the characteristics of recovery from grazing to give the potential for multiple grazings over many cycles.
| 0
|
This application is a U.S. National Stage Application under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Patent Application No. PCT/AU2011/000520 filed 5 May 2011, which claims the benefit of priority to Australian Patent Application No. 2010901927 filed 5 May 2010 and Australian Patent Application No. 2010901959 filed 7 May 2010, the disclosures of all or which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. The International Application was published in English on 10 Nov. 2011 as WO 2011/137492. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to each of the above disclosed applications.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to organic electroluminescent devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a typical organic electroluminescence device (OLED), a pair of electrodes (an anode and a cathode) sandwich one or more layers comprising of a hole injection material, an emission material (with either fluorescent or phosphorescent material), and an electron transporting material. These materials are organic. Into the organic layer(s), holes and electrons are injected from the anode and the cathode, respectively. Thus, excitons form within the emission material, and when the excitons fall to the ground state the organic layer, and hence the organic luminescence device, emits light.
According to the first study by Eastman Kodak Co. (“Appl. Phys. Lett”, vol. 51, pp. 913 (1987)), an organic electroluminescence device, that comprised a layer of an aluminium quinolinol complex (as a combined electron transporting and luminescent material) and a layer of a triphenylamine derivative (as a hole transporting material), resulted in luminescence of about 1,000 cd/m 2 under an applied voltage of 10 V. Further studies by Baldo et al. revealed a promising OLED using phosphorescent material as a dopant. The quantum yield of the phosphorescent OLED was significantly higher (U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,828). These systems may be referred to as small molecule OLEDs (SMOLEDs).
In addition to the above-mentioned OLEDs, a polymer based organic electroluminescent device (PLED) using a conjugated polymeric material, has been reported by a Cambridge University group (Nature, vol. 347, pp. 539 (1990), U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,247,190; 5,514,878 and 5,672,678). PLEDs have an advantage in terms of device fabrication as a printing methodology may be adopted for soluble polymer materials. Solution deposition of polymer material is a useful method to reduce the manufacturing cost for displays and light sources.
However, the problem associated with PLEDs is that the quantum efficiency and device lifetime are poor relative to SMOLEDs.
Polymer materials are usually synthesized by polymerisation of monomers of one or of several kinds and the resulting polymer materials tend to have a broad molecular weight distribution. PLEDs based on such polymers are difficult to manufacture due to solubility and reproducibility issues, which significantly affect the device operation lifetime, and have poor quantum efficiency. Also, quality control is difficult with PLEDs as the uniformity of the thin polymeric films, and the electronic properties of the materials, vary significantly depending on the particular method employed in forming the films and specific conditions used in the treating of the films.
Accordingly, novel organic polymeric luminescent materials in the production of PLEDs are needed, which are suitable for solution processing and which have narrow molecular weight distributions, good solubility, high thermal stability, high quantum efficiency, and good film uniformity.
Reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common 15 , general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides light emitting polymer materials which posses narrow molecular weight distribution, high quantum efficiency and good surface uniformity of the film formed by solution deposition processing. It is also desirable that the present invention provides a PLED device with sufficient durability and higher efficiency, which is applicable to large area display and a variety of light sources and manufacturable by solution processing methods.
According to the present invention there is provided a device comprising
a pair of electrodes comprising an anode and a cathode, and one or more layers of organic compound disposed between the electrodes, wherein at least one layer comprises a polymer of the general formula (1);
wherein the polymer comprises X 1 , Y 1 , Y 2 , and Y 3 in which
X 1 is an emitting component, Y 1 is a first polymeric component, Y 2 is a second polymeric component, and Y 3 is a third polymeric component; n1, n2, n3 are valency units; X 1 is either univalent, bivalent, trivalent, or tetravalent, with n1 an integer from 1 to 4 and depending on the valence number of X 1 ; n2, n3 is an integer from 0 to 4; and n1 is equal to or greater than n2, which in turn is equal to or greater than n3.
n1, n2, n3 are valency units and not monomeric repeat units. For example, if n1 is 3 there are 3 Y 1 units on X 1 .
The polymer is a non-conjugated (co)-polymer. The active monomer units are pendant to the polymer backbone and conjugated through π-π bonding interaction. The backbone repeat unit is however not conjugated.
The polymer is prepared by living radical polymerisation.
In a preferred form of the polymer of formula (1), polymeric component Y 1 , the second polymeric component Y 2 , and the third polymeric component Y 3 are of formula (2a), (2b), and (2c), respectively:
wherein
Y 1 comprises spacer Q 1 and carrier transporting component Z 1 , spacer Q 1 being connected with X 1 ; Y 2 comprises an emitting moiety X 2 , spacer Q 2 and carrier transporting component Z 2 , X 2 being connected with Z 1 ; Y 3 comprises an emitting moiety X 3 , spacer Q 3 and carrier transporting component Z 3 , with X 3 being connected with Z 2 ; X 2 and X 3 may be the same emitting component or different; and m 1 , p 1 , m 2 , p 2 , m 3 , p 3 are positive integer monomeric repeat units.
m 1 , P 1 , m 2 , p 2 , m 3 , p 3 are preferably from 1 to 100, and more preferably from 5 to 20.
Another aspect of the invention may provide a polymer particularly for use in a PLED device for the general formula (1) above.
As used herein, except where the context requires otherwise, the term “comprise” and variations of the term, such as “comprising”, “comprises” and “comprised”, are not intended to exclude further additives, components, integers or steps.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross section of a first embodiment of the organic electroluminescent device of the present invention showing a single organic layer.
FIG. 2 is a schematic cross section of another embodiment of the organic electroluminescent device of the present invention showing multiple organic layers comprising a hole transporting layer and an emission layer.
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross section of yet another embodiment of the organic electroluminescent device of the present invention showing multiple organic layers comprising a hole transporting layer, an emission layer, and an electron transporting layer.
FIG. 4 is a schematic cross section of yet another embodiment of the organic electroluminescent device of the present invention showing multiple organic layers comprising a hole injection layer, a hole transporting layer, an emission layer, and an electron transporting layer.
FIG. 5 is the UV-Vis absorption and PL spectra of Host monomer (142a).
FIG. 6 is the UV-Vis absorption and PL spectra of Dopant monomer 91 and 85.
FIG. 7 is the UV-Vis absorption and PL spectra Host polymer 184.
FIG. 8 is the UV-Vis absorption and PL spectra of polymer 184a.
FIG. 9 is the UV-Vis absorption and PL spectra of 186a.
FIG. 10 is the UV-Vis absorption and PL spectra of 186.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
Living radical polymerisation (LRP) is a process known to the skilled person. In brief, LRP is a process which proceeds by a mechanism whereby most chains continue to grow throughout the polymerisation without termination and where further addition of monomer results in continued polymerisation. The molecular weight is controlled by the stoichiometry of the reaction components, and narrow molecular weight distribution polymers can be produced. LRP methods used are of the following three main types: Reversible Addition Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerisation [as, for example, in WO9801478], Atom Transfer Radical Polymerisation (ATRP) [as, for example, in Chem. Rev. 2001, 101, 2921-2990] and Nitroxide Mediate Radical Polymerisation (NMRP) [as, for example, in Chem. Rev. 2001, 101, 3661-3688].
The polymer ( 1 ) of the invention may comprise (1a), (1b), (1c), a combination of (1a) and (1b), a combination of (1a) and (1c), or all of (1a), (1b) and (1c), wherein (1a), (1b) and (1c) are as follows:
The desired emission colour output from the device can be selected based on the selection of (1a), (1b) and/or (1c) as above. The desired emission colour may be selected from 400 nm to 800 nm including white colour emission.
Further, the polymer may include at least one additive selected to optimise the desired polymer properties including the hole mobility, emission colour and quantum efficiency in the device. For example, the additive(s) may be small molecule(s), oligomer(s) or polymer molecule. In more detail, the additive(s) may be selected from small molecules of hole transporting compound, electron transporting compound and emission compound of fluorescence or phosphorescence or both. Oligomer molecule(s) may be selected from small molecules of hole transporting compound, electron transporting compound and emission compound of fluorescence or phosphorescence or both Polymer molecule may be selected from hole transporting polymer and emission polymer of fluorescent or phosphorescent emission or both selected from conjugated or non-conjugated polymer.
The light emitting component X 1 is polymerised into the polymer of formula (1) using LRP. To achieve this, an X 1 precursor, which is a LRP agent bonded via a linker A to an emitting component, is used. After polymerisation, the end-capping LRP agent may be either retained or removed from the X 1 precursor to form X 1 . That is, X 1 can either be the same as the X 1 precursor (LRP agent retained) or different to the X 1 precursor (LRP agent removed).
The LRP agent is selected from the group consisting of RAFT polymerisation, ATRP and NMRP agents.
The emitting component X 1 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted organic fluorescent materials, substituted or unsubstituted phosphorescent organic metal complexes, or substituted or unsubstituted phosphorescent organic complexes, wherein the phosphorescent organic metal complex is provided as a complex of organic ligand and a metal selected from a transition metal group or rare earth metal group. The emission colour of X 1 may be selected from 400 nm to 800 nm.
The LRP moiety can be directly linked to the emitting component or through a linker, A. The linker A may be for instance, heteroalkyl, silyl, siloxane, alkyl group
Some examples of the precursors to the emitting component X 1 using linker are shown below. RAFT precursors are shown below as compounds 1 to 27 and 1-27a, In these structures, the ‘Z’, which is different to Z 1 , Z 2 , and Z 3 , is the activating group, on the RAFT agent, that modifies the addition and fragmentation rates. Z may be, for instance, Ar—, AlkS—, Alk-, PyrrolN—, PyrrolidoneN—, ArO—, AlkO—, (Alk)(Ar)N—, or (Alk) 2 N—.
ATRP precursors are shown as compounds 28 to 51 and 28a to 51a, and NMRP precursors are shown as compounds 52 to 75 and 52a to 75a. In both ATRP and NMRP, the initiators examples are not limited to the structures as described in the examples and may include other initiator structures based on those reported in the literature [ Chem Rev 2001, 101 2921 , Chem. Rev. 2001, 101, 3661].
A may be, for instance, heteroalkyl, silyl, siloxane, alkyl group.
R may be, for instance, alkyl (linear/branched), O-alkyl, cyclic alkyl, aryl, fused aryl, heteroaryl.
The light emitting components X 2 and X 3 have vinyl functional groups connected to an emitting component. The emitting components X 2 and X 3 are selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted organic fluorescent materials, substituted or unsubstituted phosphorescent organic metal complexes, and substituted or unsubstituted phosphorescent organic complexes, wherein the phosphorescent organic metal complex is provided as a complex of organic ligand and a metal selected from a transition metal group or rare earth metal group.
The emission colour of X 2 and X 3 may be selected from 400 nm to 800 nm.
The vinyl functionality is connected to the emitting component directly or by a linker A. The linker A may be selected independently from, for instance, the group consisting of heteroalkyl, silyl, siloxane, alkyl group.
The vinyl functional group R″ is selected from the group consisting of vinyl, N-vinyl, vinyl ester, meth(acrylate), meth(acrylamide), maleic anhydride and maleimide.
R may be, for instance, alkyl (linear/branched), O-alkyl, cyclic alkyl, aryl, fused aryl, heteroaryl.
Some examples of the emitting components X 2 and X 3 are shown below as compounds 76 to 125 and 76a to 125a.
In formula (2a), (2b) and (2c), Q (ie Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 ) is a spacer connected with emitting component X (ie X 1 , X 2 , X 3 , respectively) and carrier transporting component Z (ie Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 , respectively). The spacer will help improve solubility and maximise energy transfer by placing proper distance in the polymer chain, by creating controlled spacing between the energy carrier and dopant monomer units. This is achieved by selecting an appropriate spacer in the polymer chain and making alternating, random or block copolymer with the energy carrier monomers.
Spacer Q is a small polymer of specific precursor monomers. Suffix m (ie m 1 , m 2 , m 3 ) is a monomeric repeat unit of the spacer Q being a positive integer from 1 to 100, and more preferably from 5 to 20.
The precursor monomers of the spacer Q have vinyl function. Some examples of the monomer precursor of spacer Q are shown below as compounds 126 to 135, 135a,
The charge transporting moiety Z (ie Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 ) may be selected from the group consisting of a hole transporting material, an electron transporting material and/or a host material having both hole and electron transporting characteristics.
Charge transporting moiety Z is a small polymer of specific precursor monomers. The precursor monomers of the charge transporting moiety Z have vinyl functional group, or a vinyl function with substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, substituted or unsubstituted heterocycles, substituted or unsubstituted alkylamine group, substituted or unsubstituted amido group, substituted or unsubstituted alkyloxy group, substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy group and substituted or unsubstituted thioalkyloxy group.
Some examples of the monomer precursor of charge transporting moiety Z are shown below as compounds 136-141, 136a-141a, 164, 165, 164a, 165a, 165′, 165′a, 172-183, 172a-183a and examples of emissive materials 142-163, 142′-163′, 142a-162a, 142′a-162′a.
The device may emit white luminescence by selecting an emission colour combination of either X 1 of (1a) and X 2 of (1b), X 1 and X 3 of (1c), or X 1 , X 2 and X 3 or by doping either small molecule(s) or polymer molecule(s) into (1a), where n 2 and n 3 are 0, wherein the emission colour temperature is in the range of 4000 K to 10,000 K depending upon the kind of white colour. Some examples of the polymer of this invention are shown below from 184, to 215 and 184a, 184′ and 186a.
The polymer may be prepared by living radical polymerisation and end capped by the living radical functional group may be either retained or replaced with a functional group, including hydrogen.
The halogen content of the polymer, as an impurity, is less than about 50 ppm.
The polydispersity index of the polymer is preferably between about 1.05 to 2.0 more preferably between about 1.05 to 1.5 and most preferably between about 1.05 to 1.3.
A small molecule additive selected from the groups of fluorescent compounds or phosphorescent compounds may be added to the polymer. The small molecule additive may be either a fluorescent polymer compound additive or phosphorescent polymer compound additive.
The polymer may be cross-linked using monomers like 4-vinyl-1,2-dihydrocyclobutabenzene that won't cross-link at the polymerisation temperature between 60-120° C. The cross-linking can be conducted by simply heating the polymer films above 170° C., as known in the prior art ( Chem. Mater. 2007, 19, 4827, Macromolecules, 2008, 41, 9570-9580). The cross-linked polymer prepared will have better solvent resistance compared to the non-cross-linked polymer film, and thus will allow deposition of multilayered films in the device of the invention while minimising the effect on device performance.
As described above, each layer of organic compound may comprise: the polymer and/or the polymer doped with separate dopant(s) selected from small molecule(s), oligomer(s) or another polymer(s).
During manufacture, the polymer is mixed with an organic solvent to form an ink having a viscosity of more than about 1×10 −3 Pa·s at 25° C.
In the organic luminescence device of the present invention, the organic compound layer comprising the above-mentioned compound of the formula (1) may be formed separately, or together, with the other layers (if any other layers are present) between the pair of electrodes (cathode and anode). Suitable formation techniques include vacuum deposition or solution process.
The thickness of the organic compound layer may be preferably less than at most about 10 micron, more preferably less than about 0.5 micron, even more preferably from about 0.001 micron to about 0.5 micron. In other embodiments each layer of organic compound in the device preferably has a thickness of from about 1 nm to about 1 micron more preferably from about 5 nm to about 50 nm.
Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying figures, which illustrate a range of possible arrangements for the device of the present invention.
The electroluminescent device of the present invention may have a single layer structure comprised of only polymer as defined by formula (1) as shown in FIG. 1 , or be a multiply layered structure comprising two or more layers as shown in FIG. 2, 3 or 4 .
More specifically, FIG. 1 is a schematic cross section of a first embodiment of the organic electroluminescent device of the present invention. In FIG. 1 , the organic electroluminescent device includes a substrate 1 , an anode 2 (deposited on, the substrate 1 ), an emission layer 3 (deposited on the anode 2 ) and a cathode 4 (deposited on the emission layer 3 ). In this embodiment, the emission layer 3 forms a single organic compound layer. This single layer may be comprised entirely of a single (co)-polymer having each of hole transporting ability, electron transporting ability and luminescence ability (associated with the re-combination of electrons and holes) based on its own properties, or through combination with a dopant that enhances the performances of the hole transporting ability, the electron transporting ability and/or luminescence ability of host compound.
In FIG. 1 , the emission layer 3 may preferably have a thickness of about 5 nm to about 1 micron, more preferably about 5 nm to about 50 nm.
FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the organic electroluminescent device of the present invention in the form of a multiple layer-type device comprised of a hole transporting layer 5 and a (co)-polymer layer 6 as an emission layer. Referring to FIG. 2 , the organic luminescent device includes a substrate 1 , an anode 2 (deposited on the substrate 1 ), the hole transporting layer 5 (deposited or coated on the anode 2 ), the (co)-polymer layer 6 (coated on the hole transporting layer 5 ) and a cathode (deposited on (co)-polymer layer 6 ).
In the embodiment of FIG. 2 , each of the hole transporting layer 5 and the emission layer 6 may have a thickness of about 5 nm to about 1 micron, more preferably about 5 nm to about 50 nm.
FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the organic electroluminescent device of the present invention in the form of a multiple layer device comprising a hole transporting layer 5 , a (co)-polymer layer 3 as an emission layer, an electron transporting layer 6 . In FIG. 3 , the organic luminescent device includes a substrate 1 , an anode 2 (deposited on the substrate 1 ), the hole transporting layer 5 (deposited or coated on the anode 2 ), the (co)-polymer layer 3 (coated on the hole transporting layer 5 ), the electron transporting layer 6 (deposited or coated on the emission layer 3 ) and a cathode (deposited on the electron transporting layer 6 ).
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the organic electroluminescent device of the present invention with multiple layers comprising a hole injection layer 7 , a hole transporting layer 5 , a (co)-polymer layer 3 as an emission layer and an electron transporting layer 6 . In FIG. 4 , the organic luminescent device includes a substrate 1 , an anode 2 (deposited on the substrate 1 ), the hole injection layer 7 (deposited or coated on the anode 2 ), the hole transporting layer 5 (deposited or coated on the hole injection layer), the (co)-polymer 3 (coated on the hole transporting layer 5 ), the electron transporting layer 6 (deposited or coated on the emission layer 3 ) and a cathode (deposited on the electron transporting layer 6 ). In this embodiment, each of the hole injection layer, the hole transporting layer, the emission layer and the electron transporting layer may be formed by use of a hole injection compound, a hole transporting compound, an emissive compound and an electron transporting compound, respectively or as a mixture of these kinds of compounds. The compound of formula 1 can form the hole injection layer 7 and/or the hole transporting layer 5 (or a component thereof).
In FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 , each layer of 3, 5, 6, and 7 may be formed by either vacuum deposition or wet process using small molecule(s) or oligomer(s) or polymer compound or mixture of small molecule and polymer compound. Each thickness of the layer 3 , 5 and 6 may preferably be ranging from 1 nm to 1 μm. Each of the thickness of the cathode and the anode may be preferably 100-200 nm.
The organic layer structures in the devices shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 represent the basic structure, respectively, so that the structure may be appropriately optimized depending on characteristics demanded. Examples of suitable modifications include the incorporation of one or more additional layers. For example, the hole transporting layer may be altered to comprise a hole injection layer (deposited on the anode) and hole transporting layer (deposited on the hole injection layer).
More alternative embodiments of the device structure other than those of the Figures are shown below, but are not restricted to these device structures.
1. Anode/hole transporting layer/emission layer/electron transporting layer/electron injection layer/cathode; 2. Anode/hole injection layer/emission layer/electron transporting layer/electron injection layer/cathode; 3. Anode/insulating layer/hole transporting layer/emission layer/electron transporting layer/cathode; 4. Anode/hole transporting layer/emission layer/electron transporting layer/insulating layer/cathode; 5. Anode/inorganic semiconductor/insulator/hole transporting layer/emission layer/insulator/cathode; 6. Anode/insulating layer/hole transporting layer/emission layer/electron transporting layer/insulating layer/cathode; 7. Anode/insulating layer/hole injection layer/hole transporting layer/emission layer/electron transporting layer/electron injection layer/cathode; and 8. Anode/insulating layer/hole injection layer/hole transporting layer/emission layer/electron transporting layer/electron injection layer/insulating layer/cathode.
In the embodiments described above, more preferable device structures are 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8, although this is not a restriction.
According to some embodiments, the polymer of the formula (1) may be formed as a hole injection layer or a hole generation layer. In this case, the hole injection layer or the hole generation layer has a thickness of about 1 nm to about 1 micron, more preferably about 1 nm to about 50 nm.
According to some embodiments, there is provided the use of the polymer of formula (1) as a hole injection material, or a hole generation material, as a hole injection layer or a hole generation layer, or as a dopant in a hole transporting layer.
In some embodiments, the polymer of formula (1) may be used in combination with a hole transporting material, an electron transporting compound and/or an emission compound.
The present invention will be described below in details with preparation and device examples, but the present invention is not intended to be restricted to these examples.
EXAMPLES
Example 1-7
Energy Carrier Materials
Example 1
9-(4′-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)biphenyl-4-yl)-3-(4-vinylphenyl)-9H-carbazole 162a
9-(4′-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)biphenyl-4-yl)-3-bromo-9H-carbazole (0.5 g, 0.88 mmol) and 4-vinyl boronic acid (0.14 g, 0.98 mmol) and Pd(dba) 3 (0.097 g, 0.01 mmol), CsCO 3 (0.289 g, 0.88 mmol) were dissolved in toluene (25 mL). Tri-t-butyl phosphine 10 wt % in hexane (0.053 g, 0.026 mmol) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred vigorously while refluxed at 85° C. for 24 h. The reaction mixture was cooled down to room temperature, diluted with toluene and filtered through a celite filter bed. The organic extract was evaporated to dryness and purified by silica column chromatography using dichloromethane and pet-ether (40-60° C.) to give slightly brownish colour powder as the product (0.3 g)
Example 2
3-(6-(4-vinylphenyl)naphthalene-2-yl)fluoranthene 152a
6-(fluoranthene-3-yl)naphthalene trifluoromethane sulfonate (0.16 g, 0.33 mmol), boronic acid (0.054 g, 0.36 mmol) and Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 (0.194 g, 0.17 mmol) were placed in a 2-neck RB flask and placed under nitrogen atmosphere. Toluene (25 mL) and Dimethoxyethane (25 mL) was then added to the reaction mixture followed by aq. Na 2 CO 3 (2 M, 1.0 ml). The reaction mixture was refluxed at 85° C. for 24 h and diluted with Toluene and filtered through a celite bed. The combined organic extracts was evaporated to dryness and purified by silica column chromatography using dichloromethane and pet-ether (40-60° C.) to give slightly yellow coloured powder the product (0.05 g).
Example 3
3-(9,9-dimethyl-7-(4-vinylphenyl)-9H-fluoren-2-yl)fluoranthene 151a
3-(7-bromo-9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)fluoranthene (0.4 g, 0.843 mmol), 4-vinyl boronic acid (0.137 g, 0.92 mmol) and Pd(dba) 3 (0.0096 g, 0.01 mmol), CsCO 3 (0.275 g, 0.84 mmol) were dissolved in dioxan (25 mL) under nitrogen atmosphere. Tri-t-butyl phosphine (0.005 g, 0.024 mmol) was added and the reaction mixture stirred at room temperature for few minutes and then heated to 85° C. for 24 h. The reaction mixture was cooled down and diluted with dioxan and filtered through celite. The combined organic extracts was evaporated to dryness and purified by column chromatography using dichloromethane and pet-ether (40-60° C.) to give slightly yellow coloured powder as the product (0.145 g).
Example 5
9-(naphthalene-1-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene 142a
9-bromo-10-(naphthalene-1-yl)anthracene (3.08 g, 8.03 mmol), and 4-vinyl boronic acid (1.3 g, 12.5 mmol) and Pd(dba) 3 (0.091 g, 0.1 mmol), CsCO 3 (2.61 g, 8.03 mmol) were dissolved in dioxan (25 mL). Tri-t-butyl phosphine (0.48 g, 0.24 mmol) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred while refluxed at 85° C. for 24 h. The reaction mixture was cooled down and diluted with Dioxan and filtered through celite bed. The combined organic extracts was evaporated to dryness and purified by column chromatography using dichloromethane and pet-ether (40-60° C.) to give the product 142 as a slightly yellow coloured powder (1.95 g). The product was eluted with 20% dichloromethane.
Example 6
N 3 ,N 3 ,N 10 ,N 10 ,7,14-hexaphenylacenaphtho[1,2-k]fluoranthene-3,10-diamine 85
3,10-dibromo-7,14-diphenylacenaphthol[1,2-k]fluoranthene (5.0 g, 7.85 mmol), diphenyl amine (2.65 g, 15.71 mmol), Pd (OAc) 2 (0.035 g, 0.157 mmol), sodium-tert-butoxide (1.05 g, 11.0 mmol) were weighed together in a 3 neck RB flask and placed under nitrogen atmosphere. Anhydrous toluene (150.0 ml) was added to the reaction mixture and stirred at RT. Tri-t-butyl phosphine 10 wt % in hexane (1.59 g, 0.78 mmol) was added then added through a syringe and reaction mixture warmed to 85° C. The reaction was left overnight at the above temperature under constant stirring. The reaction mixture was then precipitated into methanol and filtered. The dried powder was then purified by column chromatography using dichloromethane and pet-ether (40-60° C.) to give the product 152 as orange coloured powder (3.5 g).
Example 7-10
Red Dopant and RAFT Agent
Example 7
7,14-diphenyl-N 3 ,N 3 ,N 10 -trip-tolyl-N 10 -(4-vinylphenyl)acenaphtho[1,2-k]fluoranthene-3,10-diamine 86a
4-((10-(diphenylamino)-7,14-diphenylacenaphthol[41,2-k]fluoranthen-3-yl)(phenyl)aminophenyl trifluoromethyl sulfate (2.28 g, 2.27 mmol), vinyltrifluoroborate (0.365 g, 2.73 mmol), Pd(dppf)Cl 2 (0.371 g, 0.45 mmol) and Et 3 N (0.230 g, 2.27 mmol) was dissolved in 1-propoanol) under nitrogen atmosphere. The reaction mixture was heated to 97° C. for 3 hr. The reaction mixture was poured into iced-water and extracted with dichloromethane and the organic fraction dried over MgSO 4 and evaporated to dryness. The crude product thus obtained was purified by column chromatography with dichloromethane and pet-ether (40-60° C.) to give the required product 86 (1.3 g)
Example 8
7,14-diphenyl-N 3 ,N 10 -dip-tolyl-N 3 ,N 10 -bis(4-vinylphenyl)acenaphtho[1,2-k]fluoranthene-3,10-diamine 87a
3,10-dibromo-7,14-diphenylacenaphthol{1,2-k}fluoranthene (3.35 g, 5.26 mmol), 4-methyl-N-(4-vinylphenyl)aniline (2.20 g, 10.52 mmol), Pd(OAc) 2 (0.023 g, 0.10 mmol) and sodium-tert-butoxide (0.70 g, 7.37 mmol) was dissolved in toluene under nitrogen atmosphere. Tri-t-butyl phosphine 10 wt % in n-hexane (1.06 g, 0.53 mmol) was added then added through a syringe and reaction mixture warmed to 85° C. The reaction was left overnight at the above temperature under constant stirring. The reaction mixture was then precipitated into methanol and filtered. The dried powder was then purified by column chromatography using dichloromethane and pet-ether (40-60° C.) to give 85 as an orange coloured powder (2.6 g).
Example 9
7,14-diphenyl-N 3 ,N 3 ,N 10 ,N 10 -tetrakis(4-vinylphenyl)acenaphtho[1,2-k]fluoranthene-3,10-diamine 89a
3,10-dibromo-7,14-diphenylacenaphthol[1,2-k]fluoranthene (1.43 g, 2.24 mmol), bis(4-vinylphenyl)amine (0.99 g, 4.49 mmol), Pd(OAc) 2 (0.010 g, 0.044 mmol) and sodium-tert-butoxide (0.30 g, 3.14 mmol) was dissolved in toluene under nitrogen atmosphere. Tri-t-butyl phosphine 10 wt % in hexane (0.45 g, 0.22 mmol) was added then added through a syringe and reaction mixture warmed to 85° C. The reaction was left overnight at the above temperature under constant stirring. The reaction mixture was then precipitated into methanol and filtered. The dried powder was then purified by silica column chromatography using dichloromethane and pet-ether (40-60° C.) to give 89 as the orange coloured powder (1.0 g).
Example 10
3-cyano-1(4-((10(dip-tolylamino)-7,14-diphenylacenaphthalol[1,2-k]fluoranthene-3-yl)(p-tolyl)amino)phenyl)-3-methylbutylmethyl carbonotrithioate 9a
7,14-pentaphenyl-N-(4-vinylphenyl)acenaphthol[1,2-k]fluoranthen-3-10-diamin (0.08 g, 1.0 mol), 2-cyanopropan-2-yl methyl carbonotrithioate (0.017 g, 0.88 mmol), AIBN (0.003 g, 0.018 mmol) was weighed into a glass vial. Toluene (0.25 ml) was added to the vial and warmed to dissolve the reaction mixture. The reaction mixture was then degassed by freeze-pump-thaw process cycles (×3), before the apparatus was sealed off. Then reaction mixture was heated for 24 hr at 80° C., then solvent was distilled off and the residue was purified by silica column chromatography using dichloromethane and pet-ether (40-60° C.) to give the above product (0.07 g)
The corresponding bis RAFT agents 1,1′-(4,4′-(7,14-diphenylacenaphtho[1,2-k]fluoranthene-3,10-diyl)bis(p-tolylazanediyl)bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(3-cyano-3-methylbutane-1,1-diyl)dimethyl dicarbonotrithioate 10 and tetra RAFT agents 1,1′,1″,1′″-(4,4′,4″,4′″-(7,14-diphenylacenaphtho[1,2-k]fluoranthene-3,10-diyl)bis(azanetriyl)tetrakis(benzene-4,1-diyl))tetrakis(3-cyano-3-methylbutane-1,1-diyl)tetramethyl tetracarbonotrithioate 12 were also prepared by above method under similar conditions to give corresponding yields.
Blue-Fluorescent-Dopant RAFT Agent
Example 11-13
Example 11
3-cyano-1-(4-(12-(diphenylamino)chrysen-6-yl)(phenyl)amino)phenyl)-3-methylbutyl methyl carbonotrithioate 16a
N 6 ,N 6 ,N 12 -triphenyl-N 12 -(4-vinylphenyl)chrysene-6,12-diamine (0.5 g, 0.73 mmol), 2-cyanopropan-2-yl methyl carbonotrithioate (0.278 g, 1.46 mmol), AIBN (0.0024 g, 0.02 mol) and toluene (3.0 mL) was poured into grass tube. The reaction mixture was degassed by following three freeze-pump-thaw process, before the apparatus was sealed off. Then reaction mixture was heated for 16 hr at 80° C., then solvent was distilled off and the residue was purified by column chromatography (eluent n-hexane:ethyl acetate=3:1) to give 16 (326 mg, 0.38 mol, Yield=52%)
Example 12
1,1′-(4,4′-(chrysene-6,12-diylbis(p-tolylazanediyl))bis(4,1-phenylene))bis(3-cyano-3-methylbutane-1,1-diyl)dimethyl dicarbonotrithioate 17a
N 6 ,N 12 -dip-tolyl-N 6 ,N 12 -bis(4-vinylphenyl)chrysene-6,12-diamine (0.3 g, 0.45 mmol), 2-cyanopropan-2-yl methyl carbonotrithioate (0.412 g, 2.16 mmol), AIBN (0.007 g, 0.05 mol) was weighed into a glass vial. Toluene (3.0 ml) was added to the vial and warmed to dissolve the reaction mixture. The reaction mixture was then degassed by three freeze-pump-thaw process before the apparatus was sealed off. Then reaction mixture was heated for 16 hr at 80° C., then solvent was distilled off and the residue was purified by column chromatography (1. n-hexane:ethyl acetate=1:1, 2. ethyl acetate) to give 17 (0.247 g, 0.24 mol, Yield=51%)
Example 13
1,1′,1″,1′″-(4,4′,4″,4′″-(chrysene-6,12-diylbis(azanetriyl))tetrakis(benzene-4,1-diyl))tetrakis(3-cyano-3-methylbutane-1,1-diyl)tetramethyl tetracarbonotrithioate 19a
N 6 ,N 6 ,N 12 ,N 12 -tetrakis(4-vinylphenyl)chrysene-6,12-diamine (0.3 g, 0.45 mmol), 2-cyanopropan-2-yl methyl carbonotrithioate (0.412 g, 2.16 mmol), AIBN (0.007 g, 0.05 mol) was weighed into a glass vial. Toluene (3.0 mL) was added to the vial and warmed to dissolved the reaction mixture. The reaction mixture was then degassed by three freeze-pump-thaw process before the apparatus was sealed off. Then reaction mixture was heated for 16 hr at 80° C., then solvent was distilled off and the residue was purified by column chromatography (1. n-hexane:ethyl acetate=1:1, 2. ethyl acetate) to give 19 (0.349 g, 0.24 mol, Yield=54%)
Red-Phosphorescent-Dopant with RAFT Agent
Example 14-15
Example 14
Ir(piq-n-Bu) 2 (pc-OCH 2 -phenyl-(3-cyano-3-methylbutane-1,1-diyl)methyl carbonotrithioate) 24a
Ir(piq-n-Bu) 2 (pc-OCH 2 -vinylphenyl) (100 mg, 0.1 mol), 2-cyanopropan-2-yl methyl carbonotrithioate (0.048 g, 0.24 mmol), AIBN (0.012 g, 0.06 mol) was weighed into a glass vial. Toluene (1.0 mL) was added to the vial and warmed to dissolve the reaction mixture. The reaction mixture was then degassed by three freeze-pump-thaw process before the apparatus was sealed off. Then reaction mixture was heated for 24 hr at 80° C., then solvent was distilled off and the residue was purified by column chromatography (chloroform:ethyl acetate=7:3) to give 24 (0.51 g, 0.04 mol, Yield=44%)
Example 15
Ir(btp) 2 (pc-OCH 2 -(3-cyano-3-methylbutane-1,1-diyl)methyl carbonotrithioate) 25a
Ir(btp) 2 (pc-OCH 2 -vinylphenyl) (0.131 g, 0.15 mol), 2-cyanopropan-2-yl methyl carbonotrithioate (0.086 g, 0.45 mmol), AIBN (0.012 g, 0.08 mol) was weighed into a glass vial. Chloroform (1.0 ml) was added to the vial and warmed to dissolve the reaction mixture. The reaction mixture was then degassed by three freeze-pump-thaw process before the apparatus was sealed off. The reaction mixture was heated for 18 hr at 80° C., then solvent was distilled off and the residue was purified by column chromatography (chloroform:ethyl acetate=4:1) to give 25 (0.086 g, 0.08 mol, Yield=53%)
Example 16-23
Polymer Synthesis
General Experimental Conditions.
In all instances, liquid monomers were purified (to remove inhibitors) by passing through a short basic alumina column immediately prior to use. The experiments referred to as controls were experiments run without a LRP controlling agent (i.e. RAFT, NMP or ATRP agent) unless otherwise specified. For the polymerisations performed in ampoules, degassing was accomplished by repeated freeze-evacuate-thaw cycles, till constant vacuum <1×10 −3 mbar. Once degassing was complete, the ampoules were flame sealed under vacuum and completely submerged in a thermostated oil bath at the specified temperature for the specified times. The percentage conversions were calculated by 1 H NMR unless otherwise stated.
Example 16
Poly(9-(naphthalen-1-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene-co-acrylonitrile) 184a
9-(naphthalen-1-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene monomer (1.92 g), acrylonitrile (0.250 g), cyanoisopropyl methyl trithiocarbonate (18 mg) and Vazo 88 initiator (2.3 mg) were transferred to an ampoule with toluene (16.6 mL). The ampoule was degassed, sealed and heated at 100° C. for 20 h. The monomer dissolved on heating to form a homogeneous solution. The ampoule was cooled to room temperature, opened and a sample taken for NMR. Conversion NMR styrenic=57%. After removal of the unreacted monomer, by precipitation of the polymer mixture diluted with additional chloroform into hexane:chloroform (4:1), 3 times, gave 184a (1.10 g), M n GPC =4570, M w /M n =1.27.
Example 17
Poly(9-(naphthalen-1-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene) 199
9-(naphthalen-1-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene monomer (50 mg), 3-butyl-2,5-diethyl-1-nitroxide-2,5-dimethylimidazolidin-4-one (0.30 mg), AIBN (0.29 mg) and VR 110 initiator (0.03 mg) were transferred to an ampoule with toluene (0.3 mL). The ampoule was degassed, sealed and heated at 130° C. for 20 h 26 min. The monomer dissolved on heating to form a homogeneous solution. The ampoule was cooled to room temperature, opened and a sample taken for NMR. Conversion NMR =80%. After removal of the unreacted monomer, by precipitation of the polymer mixture diluted with additional chloroform into hexane:chloroform (4:1), 3 times, gave 199 (1.10 g), M n GPC =5420, M w /M n =1.94.
Example 18
Poly[9-(naphthalen-2-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene-co-acrylonitrile)] 184′
9-(naphthalen-2-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene monomer (50 mg), acrylonitrile (6.5 mg), cyanoisopropyl methyl trithiocarbonate (0.47 mg) and Vazo 88 initiator (0.06 mg) were transferred to an ampoule with toluene (0.5 mL). The ampoule was degassed, sealed and heated at 100° C. for 21 h. The monomer dissolved on heating to form a homogeneous solution. The ampoule was cooled to room temperature, opened and a sample taken for NMR. Conversion NMR styrenic=36%. After removal of the unreacted monomer, by precipitation of the polymer mixture diluted with additional chloroform into hexane:chloroform (4:1), 3 times, gave 184′, M n GPC =4480 Da, M w /M n =1.21.
Poly(9-(naphthalen-1-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene) 184
9-(naphthalen-1-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene monomer (100 mg), cyanoisopropyl methyl trithiocarbonate (0.71 mg) and Vazo 88 initiator (0.06 mg) were transferred to an ampoule with toluene (1.1 mL). The ampoule was degassed, sealed and heated at 100° C. for 22 h. The monomer dissolved on heating to form a homogeneous solution. The ampoule was cooled to room temperature, opened and a sample taken for NMR. Conversion NMR =19%. After removal of the unreacted monomer, by precipitation of the polymer mixture diluted with additional chloroform into hexane:chloroform (4:1), 3 times, gave 184 (11.7 mg), M n GPC =2390 Da, M w /M n =1.13.
Example 19
Poly[(9-(naphthalen-1-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene-co-acrylonitrile)]-N 6 ,N 6 ,N 12 -triphenyl-N 12 -(4-vinylphenyl)chrysene-6,12-diamine 185
9-(naphthalen-1-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene monomer (1.00 g), acrylonitrile (0.13 g), 3-cyano-1-(4-((12-(diphenylamino)chrysen-6-yl)(phenyl)amino)phenyl)-3-methylbutyl methyl carbonotrithioate (38 mg) and Vazo 88 initiator (5.6 mg) were transferred to an ampoule with toluene (4 mL). The ampoule was degassed, sealed and heated at 100° C. for 16 h 45 min. The monomer dissolved on heating to form a homogeneous solution. The ampoule was cooled to room temperature, opened and a sample taken for NMR. Conversion NMR styrenic=97%. After removal of the unreacted monomer, by precipitation of the polymer mixture diluted with additional chloroform into hexane:chloroform (4:1), 3 times, gave 185 (1.02 g), M n GPC =12.9 kDa, M w /M n =1.84.
Example 20
Poly(9-(naphthalen-1-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene-co-7,14-diphenyl-N 3 ,N 3 ,N 10 -trip-tolyl-N 10 -(4-vinylphenyl)acenaphtho[1,2-k]fluoranthene-3,10-diamine) 186a
9-(naphthalen-1-yl)-10-(4-vinylphenyl)anthracene monomer (50 mg), 7,14-diphenyl-N 3 ,N 3 ,N 10 -trip-tolyl-N 10 -(4-vinylphenyl)acenaphtho[1,2-k]fluoranthene-3,10-diamine monomer (1.9 mg), cyanoisopropyl methyl trithiocarbonate (0.24 mg) and Vazo 88 initiator (0.03 mg) were transferred to an ampoule with toluene (0.5 mL). The ampoule was degassed, sealed and heated at 100° C. for 22 h. The monomer dissolved on heating to form a homogeneous solution. The ampoule was cooled to room temperature, opened and a sample taken for NMR. Conversion NMR styrenic=17%. After removal of the unreacted monomer, by precipitation of the polymer mixture diluted with additional chloroform into hexane:chloroform (4:1), 3 times, gave 186a, M n GPC =1470 Da, M w /M n =1.18.
Example 21
Poly[(9-(4′-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)biphenyl-4-yl)-3-(4-vinylphenyl)-9H-carbazole-co-acrylonitrile)]-Ir(piq-n-Bu) 2 (pc-OCH 2 -phenyl-(3-cyano-3-methylbutane-1,1-diyl) 189
9-(4′-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)biphenyl-4-yl)-3-(4-vinylphenyl)-9H-carbazole monomer (28.7 mg), acrylonitrile (2.6 mg), Ir(btp) 2 (pc-OCH 2 -(3-cyano-3-methylbutane-1,1-diyl)methyl carbonotrithioate) (1.13 mg) and VR 110 initiator (0.025 mg) were transferred to an ampoule with toluene (0.3 mL). The ampoule was degassed, sealed and heated at 120° C. for 20 h. The monomer dissolved on heating to form a homogeneous solution. The ampoule was cooled to room temperature, opened and a sample taken for NMR. Conversion NMR styrenic=61%. After removal of the unreacted monomer, by precipitation of the polymer mixture diluted with additional chloroform into hexane:chloroform (1:1), 2 times, gave 189 (9.0 mg), M n GPC =10.3 kDa, M w /M n =1.57.
Example 22
Poly(N 4 ,N 4 -di(biphenyl-4-yl)-N 4 ′-phenyl-N 4 ′-(4′-(4-vinylphenyl)biphenyl-4-yl)biphenyl-4,4′-diamine) 197
N 4 ,N 4 ,N 4 -di(biphenyl-4-yl)-N 4 ′-phenyl-N 4 ′-(4′-(4-vinylphenyl)biphenyl-4-yl)biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (1.50 g), cyanoisopropyl methyl trithiocarbonate (3.5 mg) and Vazo 88 initiator (0.45 mg) were transferred to an ampoule with toluene (9 mL). The ampoule was degassed, sealed and heated at 100° C. for 22 h. The monomer dissolved on heating to form a homogeneous solution. The ampoule was cooled to room temperature, opened and a sample taken for NMR. Conversion NMR =64% After removal of the unreacted monomer, by precipitation of the polymer mixture diluted with additional chloroform into hexane:chloroform (1:1), 3 times, gave 197 (0.91 g), M n GPC =16.6 kDa, M w /M n =1.19.
Example 23
RAFT Removal of Poly(N 4 ,N 4 -di(biphenyl-4-yl)-N 4 ′-phenyl-N 4 ′-(4′-(4-vinylphenyl)biphenyl-4-yl)biphenyl-4,4′-diamine) 198
poly(N 4 ,N 4 -di(biphenyl-4-yl)-N 4 ′-phenyl-N 4 ′-(4′-(4-vinylphenyl)biphenyl-4-yl)biphenyl-4,4′-diamine) methyl carbonotrithioate (0.422 g) 197, N-ethyl piperidine hypophosphite (45.5 mg) and Vazo 88 initiator (2.9 mg) were transferred to an ampoule with toluene (4.2 mL). The ampoule was degassed, sealed and heated at 100° C. for 16 h. The monomer dissolved on heating to form a homogeneous solution. The ampoule was cooled to room temperature, opened and the mixture precipitated to remove the biproducts from the polymer, the mixture was diluted with additional chloroform into methanol (MeOH). The precipitate was removed by filtration in a Buchner funnel and washed with MeOH, MeOH:water (1:1), MeOH and dried by air suction to give RAFT trithiocarbonate end-group removed poly(N 4 ,N 4 -di(biphenyl-4-yl)-N 4 ′-phenyl-N 4 ′-(4′-(4-vinylphenyl)biphenyl-4-yl)biphenyl-4,4′-diamine) 198 (0.399 g), M n GPC =16.6 kDa, M w /M n =1.20
Example 24
Poly(N 4 ,N 4 -di(biphenyl-4-yl)-N 4 ′-phenyl-N 4 ′-(4′-(4-vinylphenyl)biphenyl-4-yl)biphenyl-4,4′-diamine)-co-1,2-dihydrocyclobutabenzene 212
N 4 ,N 4 -di(biphenyl-4-yl)-N 4 ′-phenyl-N 4 ′-(4′-(4-vinylphenyl)biphenyl-4-yl)biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (2.05 g), 4-vinyl-1,2-dihydrocyclobutabenzene (VBCB) (17.7 mg), cyanoisopropyl methyl trithiocarbonate (5.04 mg) and Vazo 88 initiator (0.65 mg) were transferred to an ampoule with toluene (12.1 mL). The ampoule was degassed, sealed and heated at 100° C. for 20 h 35 min, the monomer dissolving on heating to form a homogeneous solution. The ampoule was cooled to room temperature, opened and a sample taken for NMR and GPC. Conversion NMR =80% After removal of the unreacted monomer, by precipitation of the polymer mixture diluted with additional chloroform into hexane:chloroform (1:1), 3 times, gave 212 (1.075 g), M n GPC =16.6 kDa, M w /M n =1.19 (see table 1 for additional results)
Hole Transport Polymer Properties (Table 1)
M n GPC
VBCB
VBCB
Polymer
(kDa)
M w /M n
(Mol %)
Mol % NMR
197
17.3
1.23
—
—
Control (198)
34.3
1.78
—
—
212
17.5
1.22
3
2.3
212
17.3
1.22
5
2.8
212
15.2
1.18
10
6.4
212
16.6
1.19
5
Example 25
Poly (N 4 -(9,9-dimethyl-7-vinyl-9H-fluoren-3-yl)-N 4 ′-(9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-3-yl)-N 4 ,N 4 ′-diphenylbiphenyl-4,4′-diamine-co-1,2-dihydrocyclobutabenzene 216
N 4 -(9,9-dimethyl-7-vinyl-9H-fluoren-3-yl)-N 4 ′-(9,9-dimethyl-9H-fluoren-3-yl)-N 4 ,N 4 ′-diphenylbiphenyl-4,4′-diamine (60.0 mg), 4-vinyl-1,2-dihydrocyclobutabenzene (VBCB) (0.55 mg), cyanoisopropyl methyl trithiocarbonate (0.16 mg) and VR 110 initiator (0.02 mg) were transferred to an ampoule with toluene (0.36 mL). The ampoule was degassed, sealed and heated at 110° C. for 22 h. The monomer dissolved on heating to form a homogeneous solution. The ampoule was cooled to room temperature, opened and a sample taken for NMR. Conversion NMR =80% After removal of the unreacted monomer, by precipitation of the polymer mixture diluted with additional chloroform into hexane:chloroform (1:1), 3 times, gave 216 (0.45 g), M n GPC =10.8 kDa, M w /M n =1.19.
Example 26
Monomers and Polymer Properties (Table 2)
UV-VIs (nm)
PL (nm)
Q.Y.
Remarks
Polymer
142a
397
417
0.80
FIG. 5
91
394
455
—
FIG. 6
85
500
591
0.83
FIG. 6
Host Polymer
184
398
437
0.35
FIG. 7
Host Copolymer
184a
398
437
0.68
FIG. 8
Host-Guest Copolymer
186a
398
584
0.70
FIG. 9
500
434
186
398
568
0.48
FIG. 10
500
434
Example 27
Device Properties
Device properties based on selected materials 85, 186 and 212, A summary of the demonstrated light emitting devices (Table 3)
Current Brightness Efficiency Voltage Density Color CIE (cd/m 2 ) (cd/A) (V) (mA/cm 2 ) Type 1 Device A Orange (0.58, 100 0.2 18.0 58 0.41) Type 2 Device B Blue- (0.25, 1000 5.3 5.6 20.0 White 0.30) Device C Blue- (0.28, 1000 8.0 5.2 14.5 white 0.32) Type 3 Device D Green (0.35, 1000 1.8 4.0 64.0 0.53) Device E Green (0.33, 1000 39.5 7.0 2.7 0.62)
Type 1: Material Used as a Single Emission Polymer
Device A
Structure: 145 nm ITO (anode)/40 nm PEDOT: PSS (hole transport layer)/80 nm 186 (emission layer)/100 nm Ca/100 nm Al (cathode); in accordance with FIG. 2
Process:
PEDOT: PSS layer was spin coated as a hole transport layer on top of pre-cleaned ITO substrate in the air. After baking at 150° C. for 15 minutes, substrates were transferred into glove box, where the amount of oxygen and moisture were controlled less than 0.1 ppm. A layer of light emitting polymer was spin coated on top of PEDOT: PSS layer and then baked at 80° C. for 30 minutes. Calcium and Aluminium were thermally deposited under a vacuum pressure of 1×10 −5 Pa as the cathode. An encapsulation with another cover glass was employed with a desiccant inside the device and sealed by the UV cured epoxy to avoid the contact with oxygen and moisture.
Results:
Light emitting devices showed a maximum current efficiency of 0.2 cd/A at a current density of 6.0 mA/cm 2 and a brightness of 10 cd/m 2 . The colour is orange and the CIE coordinate is (0.58, 0.41)
Type 2: Material Used as a Dopant in a Blended Polymer
Device B
Structure: 145 nm ITO (anode)/40 nm PEDOT:PSS (hole transport layer)/70 nm 186 (emission layer)/20 nm TPBi (electron transport layer)/1 nm LiF/120 nm Al (cathode); in accordance with FIG. 3
Process:
PEDOT: PSS layer was spin coated as a hole transport layer on top of pre-cleaned ITO substrate in the air. After baking at 150° C. for 15 minutes, substrates were transferred into glove box, where the amount of oxygen and moisture were controlled to less than 0.1 ppm. A solution of the blended polymer was prepared with a dopant ratio of 2 wt % of (186) in the host polyfluorene material. A layer of blended polymer was spin coated on top of PEDOT:PSS layer and then baked at 80° C. for 30 minutes. TPBi was thermally deposited as the electron transport layer and LiF and Aluminium were also thermally deposited under a vacuum pressure of 1×10 −5 Pa as the cathode. An encapsulation procedure with another cover glass was employed with a desiccant inside the device and sealed by the UV cured epoxy to avoid the contact with oxygen and moisture.
Results:
Light emitting devices showed a maximum current efficiency of 5.3 cd/A at a current density of 20.0 mA/cm 2 and a brightness of 1000 cd/m 2 . The colour is blue-white and the CIE coordinate is (0.25, 0.30)
Device C
Structure: 145 nm ITO (anode)/40 nm PEDOT: PSS (hole transport layer)/70 nm 186 (emission layer) 120 nm TPBi (electron transport layer)/1 nm LiF/120 nm Al (cathode); in accordance with FIG. 3
Process:
PEDOT: PSS layer was spin coated as a hole transport layer on top of pre-cleaned ITO substrate in the air. After baking at 150° C. for 15 minutes, substrates were transferred into glove box, where the amount of oxygen and moisture were controlled to less than 0.1 ppm. A solution of the blended polymer was prepared with a dopant ratio of 0.2 wt % of 85 in the host polyfluorene material. A layer of blended polymer was spin coated on top of PEDOT: PSS layer and then baked at 80° C. for 30 minutes. TPBi was thermally deposited as the electron transport layer and LiF and Aluminium were also thermally deposited under a vacuum pressure of 1×10 −5 Pa as the cathode. An encapsulation procedure with another cover glass was employed with a desiccant inside the device and sealed by the UV cured epoxy to avoid the contact with oxygen and moisture.
Results:
Light emitting devices showed a maximum current efficiency of 8.8 cd/A at a current density of 14.5 mA/cm 2 and a brightness of 5600 cd/m 2 . The colour is blue-white and the CIE coordinate is (0.28, 0.32)
Type 3: Material Used as a Hole Transport Layer in OLEDs
Device D
Structure: 145 nm ITO (anode)/40 nm PEDOT: PSS (hole injection layer)/30 nm polymer 198 (Hole transport layer)/30 nm Alq 3 (emission layer)/1 nm LiF/120 nm Al (cathode); in accordance with FIG. 3
Process:
PEDOT: PSS layer was spin coated as a hole injection layer on top of pre-cleaned ITO substrate in the air. After baking at 150° C. for 15 minutes, substrates were transferred into glove box, where the amount of oxygen and moisture were controlled to less than 0.1 ppm. A solution of the polymer 198 was prepared with the solvent of toluene. A layer of polymer 198 was spin coated on top of PEDOT:PSS layer and then baked at 80° C. for 30 minutes. LiF and Aluminium were thermally deposited under a vacuum pressure of 1×10 −5 Pa as the cathode. An encapsulation procedure with another cover glass was employed with a desiccant inside the device and sealed by the UV cured epoxy to avoid the contact with oxygen and moisture.
Results:
Light emitting devices showed a current efficiency of 1.8 cd/A at a current density of 64.0 mA/cm 2 and a brightness of 1000 cd/m 2 . The colour is green and the CIE coordinate is (0.35, 0.53)
Device E
Structure: 145 nm ITO (anode)/40 nm PEDOT:PSS (hole injection layer)/15 nm polymer 212 (hole transport layer)/40 nm CBP:Ir(ppy) 3 (emission layer)/10 nm BCP/30 nm Alq 3 (electron transport layers)/1 nm LiF/120 nm Al (cathode); in accordance with FIG. 3
Process:
PEDOT: PSS layer was spin coated as a hole injection layer on top of pre-cleaned ITO substrate in the air. After baking at 150° C. for 15 minutes, substrates were transferred into glove box, where the amount of oxygen and moisture were controlled to less than 0.1 ppm. The polymer 212 was first dissolved in toluene and then spun on top of the PEDOT:PSS layer to form a hole transport layer. This film was then annealed at 170° C. for 2 hours and 200° C. for 4 hours to complete the cross linking process. The emission layer consists of two materials, CBP and Ir(ppy) 3 , and was thermally deposited using the method of co-evaporation with the weight ratio of 94:6. After that, the electron transport layers, BCP and Alq 3 , were deposited to help the electron transport. Finally, LiF and Aluminium were also thermally deposited under a vacuum pressure of 1×10 −5 Pa as the cathode. An encapsulation procedure with another cover glass was employed with a desiccant inside the device and sealed by the UV cured epoxy to avoid the contact with oxygen and moisture.
Results:
Light emitting devices showed a maximum current efficiency of 39.5 cd/A at a current density of 2.7 mA/cm 2 and a brightness of 1000 cd/m 2 . The colour is green and the CIE coordinate is (0.33, 0.62)
It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.
|
An electroluminescence device having an emission layer comprising a single organic compound layer between a cathode and an anode. The single layer may comprise an emitter component on a single polymer chain of covalently linked (co)-polymer sections Y1, optionally in combination with Y2, and/or Y3, or different polymer chains Y1, optionally in combination with Y2, and/or Y3 blended together. Each of the (co)-polymer contains a spacer unit and a carrier transporting component and optionally an emitter moiety.
| 2
|
[0001] This nonprovisional application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/247,951, filed Nov. 13, 2000.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to identifying an ACE genotype which correlate with improved success in sodium excretion in hypertensive individuals engaged in exercise training.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Regular endurance exercise has been shown to lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients (see, e.g., Hagberg et al., J. Cardiov. Risk, vol. 2, pp. 296 et seq., 1995) and is widely recommended as an initial non-pharmacological treatment. One of the potential mechanisms underlying this effect of exercise training is an increase in sodium excretion. Unfortunately, some individuals, no matter how rigorously they exercise, are unable to improve their conditions, while others benefit to a much greater extent than predicted. These results underscore the fact that many factors contribute to an individual's well-being. Such factors include, for example, behaviors such as diet and exercise, genetic makeup, and environment. While behavior and environment can be controlled, altered or regulated, an individual's genetic makeup is essentially predetermined and set at birth.
[0004] Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) is the enzyme responsible for catalyzing the conversion of angiotensin I, a relatively inactive tissue and plasma vasopressor hormone, into the potent and highly active vasopressor hormone angiotensin II. This cascade of reactions is part of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system that has long been known to be an important regulator of arteriolar relaxation and vasoconstriction, and hence blood pressure, in humans and animals. The ACE gene is polymorphic with two common alleles designated “I” and “D”, resulting in three genotypes: “II”, “ID” and “DD”. The “D” allele has a 287-base pair marker in intron 16 of the ACE gene deleted, whereas the “I” allele has the 287-base pair marker inserted. The “D” allele is associated with increased levels of ACE in both plasma and ventricular tissues. Increased levels of ACE contributes to increased myocardial and vascular smooth muscle growth and increased arteriolar vasoconstriction. Thus, the presence of the “D” allele is hypothesized to have deleterious effects on the cardiovascular system, and, in fact, the “D” allele has been associated with increased risk of left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiovascular disease, and sudden cardiovascular death. Prior studies have sought to determine if an association exists between ACE “DD” genotype and blood pressure regulation. Results from human studies have been mixed, with most studies unable to identify an association between ACE gene variants and blood pressure in Caucasian and African Americans. (Schunkert et al., Hypertension, vol.29, pp. 628 et seq., 1997; Rotimi et al., Hypertension, vol. 24, pp. 591 et seq., 1994.) However, one study found an association between hypertension and the “D” allele in African Americans. (Duru et al. Am. J. Hypertension, vol. 7, pp. 759 et seq., 1994.)
[0005] Published PCT application WO 99/45383 (Hagberg et al.) discloses that hypertensive individuals with different ACE genotypes exhibited different degrees of success in reducing their blood pressure levels through exercise. The results were dependent on the duration of the exercise protocol. The inventors found that those individuals having an “II” or “ID” genotype exhibited more reduction in blood pressure levels than those with a “DD” genotype, after the long-term exercise protocol. However, after the most short-term exercise protocol, those subjects having “II” or “DD” genotypes exhibited more reduction in blood pressure levels than those with “ID” genotypes. After a limited exercise protocol that was more extensive than the short-term exercise protocol, those subjects having an “II” genotype exhibit more reduction in blood pressure levels than those with “ID” or “DD” genotypes.
[0006] In a separate study, it was reported that sodium excretion rate in African American hypertensive women increased 37% after 7 days of exercise. (Brown et al., Hypertension, vol. 30, pp. 1549 et seq., 1997.) However, no genotyping was reported in this study, and thus there was no identification with respect to whether those individuals with a certain genotype derived more benefit from the exercise. An object of the present invention is to identify those hypertensive individuals who are more likely to benefit from exercise in increasing sodium excretion, based on their genotype.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present inventors have discovered that the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene serves as a genetic marker which positively correlates with improved success in increasing sodium excretion levels in hypertensive individuals. Specifically, the inventors have found that those individuals possessing the “II” ACE genotype increased their sodium excretion levels significantly more than those individuals possessing either the “ID” or “DD” ACE genotype. The present invention is directed to a method of increasing sodium excretion levels in a hypertensive subject, comprising:
[0008] identifying a hypertensive subject having an II genotype for an angiotensin converting enzyme gene; and
[0009] engaging the subject in limited exercise training for a period of time sufficient to increase the subject's sodium excretion levels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] [0010]FIG. 1 shows the sodium excretion levels of thirteen subjects, grouped by ACE genotype, before and after limited exercise training.
[0011] [0011]FIG. 2 shows the change in sodium excretion levels of the same thirteen subjects, grouped by either having or not having a “D” allele.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The inventors have found that the ACE genetic marker positively correlates with improved success in increasing sodium excretion levels in hypertensive individuals, such that those individuals having an II genotype have improved success as compared with other genetic makeup at the same gene locus.
[0013] Sodium excretion may be measured in body fluids such as urine, sweat, saliva or blood. After establishing baseline levels, in order to determine the change in sodium excretion levels, sample collection can occur at any time period before or after a single course of exercise. However, it is preferred that sample collection be conducted 0-24 hours after a single course of exercise, most preferably about 14-18 hours after a single course of exercise.
[0014] The term “single course of exercise”, as used throughout this application, means a cardiovascular exercise session of any type which is conducted during one day. An exercise session may comprise an aerobics class, treadmill training, step machine, cycling, or any other suitable cardiovascular exercise regimen. For most cases, exercise may be completed in, for example, 30 minutes to 3 hours, preferably between 45 minutes and 90 minutes, with optional brief rest periods of 3-15 minutes, however this amount would vary depending on the health and endurance of the subject. It is preferred that the exercise regimen be selected to ensure that each subject's exercise heart rate corresponds to between 50 and 80%, most preferably about 65%, of their heart rate reserve.
[0015] The term “limited exercise” means about 5-9 single courses of exercise, preferably about 6-8, or 7 single courses of exercise, over the exercise period. The exercise period in the case of a limited exercise protocol is preferably about 5-30 days, more preferred about 5-20 days, most preferred about 5-12 days. The exercise period can also be a daily single course of exercise (i.e., daily exercise for about 5-9 days, depending on the number of single courses of exercise in the protocol).
[0016] The time between exercise periods may be from 2-60 days or more. The term “between exercise periods” means that time during which the subject is not in a limited exercise program.
[0017] The present inventors have discovered that hypertensive individuals with different ACE genotypes exhibit different degrees of success in increasing their sodium excretion levels through exercise. These results could not have been predicted from initial patient screening.
[0018] The inventors have found that those individuals having “II” genotype exhibit more increase in sodium excretion levels than those with “ID” or “DD” genotypes, after limited exercise.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Variations in Increase of Sodium Excretion in Thirteen (13) Subjects After Limited Exercise
[0019] Thirteen subjects aged 51±8 years were obese (body fat>35%), sedentary (VO 2 max 21.8±4.8 ml/kg/min), hypertensive (BP 143±3 over 91±2 mmHg) male and female African Americans. The insertion/deletion ACE gene (“II” n=5; “ID” n=4; “DD” n=4) polymorphism was determined using standard PCR procedures.
[0020] Exercise consisted of seven (7) consecutive days of treadmill walking and stationary cycling for 50 min/d at 65% of heart rate reserve. Sodium excretion was determined by 24-hour urine collection at baseline, and beginning 14-18 hours after the last exercise session. Subjects consumed diets identical in macronutrient and sodium content during the testing periods. Baseline sodium excretion, fasting insulin and glucose levels, percent body fat, VO 2 max and casual mean blood pressure (MBP) were similar in the ACE genotype groups, as shown in Table 1 below:
TABLE 1 ACE Genotype Variable II (n = 5) ID (n = 4) DD (n = 4) Age (yrs) 51 ± 6 56 ± 9 45 ± 5 Body Fat (%) 42.4 ± 13.4 39.2 ± 2.9 44.8 ± 2.0 VO 2 max (ml/kg/min) 22.5 ± 6.6 24.2 ± 3.7 19.9 ± 2.0 MBP (mmHg) 110.3 ± 2.4 108.1 ± 1.8 113.2 ± 3.5 Fasting Insulin 8.4 ± 2.3 9.8 ± 5.1 11.8 ± 5.0 (uU/ml) Urinary Sodium 119 ± 26 102 ± 16 138 ± 11 (mmol/d)
[0021] After seven days of exercise training, sodium excretion was significantly increased in all three genotype groups, as shown in Table 2 below:
TABLE 2 ACE Genotype Variable II (n = 5) ID (n = 4) DD (n = 4) Urinary Sodium (mmol/d) 186 ± 42 125 ± 13 160 ± 12 (p = 0.03) (p = 0.043) (p = 0.024)
[0022] The increase in sodium excretion in response to limited exercise training tended to be higher in the “II” genotype group (57% increase) compared to the “ID” (23% increase) and “DD” (16% increase) genotype groups (p=0.079). FIG. 1 shows the “before and after” results in graph form. FIG. 2 shows the change in sodium excretion levels in the subjects grouped by either having or not having a “D” allele.
Example 2
Variations in Increase of Sodium Excretion in Thirty (30) Subjects After Limited Exercise
[0023] The study of Example 1 was increased to a total of thirty male and female African American subjects, aged 51±8years, obese (body fat>35%), sedentary (VO 2 max21.8±4.8 ml/kg/min) and hypertensive (BP 145±4 over 90±3 mmHg). The insertion/deletion ACE gene (“II” n=8; “ID” n=10; “DD” n=12) polymorphism was determined using standard PCR procedures.
[0024] Exercise consisted of 7 consecutive days of treadmill walking and stationary cycling for 50 min/d at 65% of heart rate reserve. Sodium excretion was determined by 24-hour urine collection at baseline and beginning 14-18 hours after the last exercise session. Subjects consumed diets identical in macronutrient and sodium content during the testing periods. Baseline sodium excretion, fasting insulin and glucose levels, percent body fat, VO 2 max, and casual mean blood pressure (MBP) were similar in the ACE genotype groups.
[0025] After seven days of exercise training, sodium excretion was significantly increased in all three genotype groups, as shown in Table 3:
TABLE 3 ACE Genotype II (n = 5) ID (n = 4) DD (n = 4) Urinary Sodium (before) (mmol/d) 119 ± 26 110 ± 16 138 ± 11 Urinary Sodium (after) (mmol/d) 166 ± 42 130 ± 13 160 ± 12 P value 0.04 0.04 0.02
[0026] The increase in sodium excretion tended to be higher in the “II” genotype group (39% increase) compared to the “ID” (18% increase) and “DD” (16% increase) genotype groups (p=0.06).
|
A method of increasing sodium excretion levels in a hypertensive subject by identifying a subject having an II genotype for an angiotensin converting enzyme gene, and engaging the subject in limited exercise training for a period of time sufficient to increase the subject's sodium excretion levels.
| 2
|
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of International Application No. PCT/US/2012/034408 filed Apr. 20, 2012 which in turn is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/478,012 filed Apr. 21, 2011, which documents are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to RNA interference-based methods for inhibiting the expression of the myotilin gene. Recombinant adeno-associated viruses of the invention deliver DNAs encoding microRNAs that knock down the expression of myotilin. The methods have application in the treatment of muscular dystrophies such as Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 1A.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF THE SEQUENCE LISTING
[0003] This application contains, as a separate part of disclosure, a Sequence Listing in computer-readable form (filename: 46208PCT_SeqListing.txt; 1,721,237 bytes—ASCII text file) which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0004] Muscular dystrophies (MDs) are a group of genetic diseases. The group is characterized by progressive weakness and degeneration of the skeletal muscles that control movement. Some forms of MD develop in infancy or childhood, while others may not appear until middle age or later. The disorders differ in terms of the distribution and extent of muscle weakness (some forms of MD also affect cardiac muscle), the age of onset, the rate of progression, and the pattern of inheritance.
[0005] One group of MDs is the limb girdle group (LGMD) of MDs. LGMDs are rare conditions and they present differently in different people with respect to age of onset, areas of muscle weakness, heart and respiratory involvement, rate of progression and severity. LGMDs can begin in childhood, adolescence, young adulthood or even later. Both genders are affected equally. LGMDs cause weakness in the shoulder and pelvic girdle, with nearby muscles in the upper legs and arms sometimes also weakening with time. Weakness of the legs often appears before that of the arms. Facial muscles are usually unaffected. As the condition progresses, people can have problems with walking and may need to use a wheelchair over time. The involvement of shoulder and arm muscles can lead to difficulty in raising arms over head and in lifting objects. In some types of LGMD, the heart and breathing muscles may be involved.
[0006] There are at least nineteen forms of LGMD, and the forms are classified by their associated genetic defects.
[0000]
Type
Pattern of Inheritance
Gene or Chromosome
LGMD1A
Autosomal dominant
Myotilin gene
LGMD1B
Autosomal dominant
Lamin A/C gene
LGMD1C
Autosomal dominant
Caveolin gene
LGMD1D
Autosomal dominant
Chromosome 7
LGMD1E
Autosomal dominant
Desmin gene
LGMD1F
Autosomal dominant
Chromosome 7
LGMD1G
Autosomal dominant
Chromosome 4
LGMD2A
Autosomal recessive
Calpain-3 gene
LGMD2B
Autosomal recessive
Dysferlin gene
LGMD2C
Autosomal recessive
Gamma-sarcoglycan gene
LGMD2D
Autosomal recessive
Alpha-sarcoglycan gene
LGMD2E
Autosomal recessive
Beta-sarcoglycan gene
LGMD2F
Autosomal recessive
Delta-sarcoglycan gene
LGMD2G
Autosomal recessive
Telethonin gene
LGMD2H
Autosomal recessive
TRIM32
LGMD2I
Autosomal recessive
FKRP gene
LGMD2J
Autosomal recessive
Titin gene
LGMD2K
Autosomal recessive
POMT1 gene
LGMD2L
Autosomal recessive
Fukutin gene
[0007] Specialized tests for LGMD are now available through a national scheme for diagnosis, the National Commissioning Group (NCG).
[0008] LGMD1A is caused by gain-of-function missense mutations in the myotilin (MYOT) gene [Hauser et al., Am. J. Hum. Genet, 71: 1428-1432 (2002); Hauser et al., Hum. Mol. Genet., 9: 2141-2147 (2000); Shalaby et al., J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol., 68: 701-707 (2009)]. LGMD1A patients develop proximal leg and arm weakness in early adulthood (25 years is mean onset age), which progresses to the distal limb musculature. At the histological level, patients show myofiber degeneration and size variability, fiber splitting, centrally located myonuclei, autophagic vesicles, and replacement of myofibers with fat and fibrotic tissue, which are all common features of muscular dystrophy. Patients with LGMD1A also develop intramuscular myofibrillar protein aggregates, rimmed vacuoles, and severe Z-disc disorganization (called Z-disc streaming), which completely disrupt the sarcomeric structure. A transgenic mouse model, the T571 mouse model, using a mutant human MYOT allele has been developed [Garvey et al., Hum. Mol. Genet. 15: 2348-2362 (2006)]. Importantly, T57I mice recapitulate the progressive histological and functional abnormalities associated with LGMD1A, including reduced muscle size, muscle weakness, intramuscular myofibrillar aggregates, Z-disc streaming, and centrally located myonuclei.
[0009] The myotilin gene encodes a 57 kDa protein expressed primarily in skeletal and cardiac muscle. Myotilin appears to function as a structural component of the Z-disc, and may therefore contribute to sarcomere assembly, actin filament stabilization, and force transmission in striated muscle. Nevertheless, myotilin is not required for normal muscle development or function, since myotilin null mice are overtly and histologically normal. Specifically, mouse muscles lacking myotilin are indistinguishable from wild type in muscle mass, myofiber size, contractile strength (specific force), and sarcolemmal integrity. Moreover, MYOT null mice develop normally, live a normal life span, and show no histological evidence of muscular dystrophy or Z-disc malformations. Mouse and human myotilin transcripts are expressed in the same tissues, have the same genomic structures, and protein sequences are highly conserved (90% identity; 94% similarity), which indicates a conserved functional.
[0010] RNA interference (RNAi) is a mechanism of gene regulation in eukaryotic cells that has been considered for the treatment of various diseases. RNAi refers to post-transcriptional control of gene expression mediated by microRNAs (miRNAs). The miRNAs are small (21-25 nucleotides), noncoding RNAs that share sequence homology and base-pair with cognate messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The interaction between the miRNAs and mRNAs directs cellular gene silencing machinery to prevent the translation of the mRNAs. The RNAi pathway is summarized in Duan (Ed.), Section 7.3 of Chapter 7 in Muscle Gene Therapy, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC (2010). Section 7.4 mentions MYOT RNAi therapy of LGMD 1A in mice to demonstrate proof-of-principle for RNAi therapy of dominant muscle disorders.
[0011] As an understanding of natural RNAi pathways has developed, researchers have designed artificial miRNAs for use in regulating expression of target genes for treating disease. As described in Section 7.4 of Duan, supra, artificial miRNAs can be transcribed from DNA expression cassettes. The miRNA sequence specific for a target gene is transcribed along with sequences required to direct processing of the miRNA in a cell. Viral vectors such as adeno-associated virus have been used to deliver miRNAs to muscle [Fechner et al., J. Mol. Med., 86: 987-997 (2008).
[0012] Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a replication-deficient parvovirus, the single-stranded DNA genome of which is about 4.7 kb in length including 145 nucleotide inverted terminal repeat (ITRs). There are multiple serotypes of AAV. The nucleotide sequences of the genomes of the AAV serotypes are known. For example, the complete genome of AAV-1 is provided in GenBank Accession No. NC — 002077; the complete genome of AAV-2 is provided in GenBank Accession No. NC — 001401 and Srivastava et al., J. Virol., 45: 555-564 {1983); the complete genome of AAV-3 is provided in GenBank Accession No. NC — 1829; the complete genome of AAV-4 is provided in GenBank Accession No. NC — 001829; the AAV-5 genome is provided in GenBank Accession No. AF085716; the complete genome of AAV-6 is provided in GenBank Accession No. NC — 00 1862; at least portions of AAV-7 and AAV-8 genomes are provided in GenBank Accession Nos. AX753246 and AX753249, respectively; the AAV-9 genome is provided in Gao et al., J. Virol., 78: 6381-6388 (2004); the AAV-10 genome is provided in Mol. Ther., 13(1): 67-76 (2006); and the AAV-11 genome is provided in Virology, 330(2): 375-383 (2004). Cis-acting sequences directing viral DNA replication (rep), encapsidation/packaging and host cell chromosome integration are contained within the AAV ITRs. Three AAV promoters (named p5, p19, and p40 for their relative map locations) drive the expression of the two AAV internal open reading frames encoding rep and cap genes. The two rep promoters (p5 and p19), coupled with the differential splicing of the single AAV intron (at nucleotides 2107 and 2227), result in the production of four rep proteins (rep 78, rep 68, rep 52, and rep 40) from the rep gene. Rep proteins possess multiple enzymatic properties that are ultimately responsible for replicating the viral genome. The cap gene is expressed from the p40 promoter and it encodes the three capsid proteins VP1, VP2, and VP3. Alternative splicing and non-consensus translational start sites are responsible for the production of the three related capsid proteins. A single consensus polyadenylation site is located at map position 95 of the AAV genome. The life cycle and genetics of AAV are reviewed in Muzyczka, Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, 158: 97-129 (1992).
[0013] AAV possesses unique features that make it attractive as a vector for delivering foreign DNA to cells, for example, in gene therapy. AAV infection of cells in culture is noncytopathic, and natural infection of humans and other animals is silent and asymptomatic. Moreover, AAV infects many mammalian cells allowing the possibility of targeting many different tissues in vivo. Moreover, AAV transduces slowly dividing and non-dividing cells, and can persist essentially for the lifetime of those cells as a transcriptionally active nuclear episome (extrachromosomal element). The AAV proviral genome is infectious as cloned DNA in plasmids which makes construction of recombinant genomes feasible. Furthermore, because the signals directing AAV replication, genome encapsidation and integration are contained within the ITRs of the AAV genome, some or all of the internal approximately 4.3 kb of the genome (encoding replication and structural capsid proteins, rep-cap) may be replaced with foreign DNA. The rep and cap proteins may be provided in trans. Another significant feature of AAV is that it is an extremely stable and hearty virus. It easily withstands the conditions used to inactivate adenovirus (56° to 65° C. for several hours), making cold preservation of AAV less critical. AAV may even be lyophilized. Finally, AAV-infected cells are not resistant to superinfection.
[0014] There remains a need in the art for a treatment for LGMD1A.
SUMMARY
[0015] The present invention provides methods and products for preventing or inhibiting the expression of the MYOT gene. The methods of the invention utilize RNAi to prevent or inhibit the expression of the MYOT gene. The methods involve delivering inhibitory RNAs specific for the MYOT gene to muscle cells. The MYOT inhibitory RNAs contemplated include, but are not limited to, antisense RNAs, small inhibitory RNAs (siRNAs), short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) or artificial microRNAs (MYOT miRNAs) that inhibit expression of MYOT. Use of the methods and products is indicated, for example, in preventing or treating LGMD1A. Some embodiments of the invention exploit the unique properties of AAV to deliver DNA encoding MYOT inhibitory RNAs to muscle cells. Other embodiments of the invention utilize other vectors (for example, other viral vectors such as adenovirus, retrovirus, lentivirus, equine-associated virus, alphavirus, pox viruses, herpes virus, polio virus, sindbis virus and vaccinia viruses) to deliver polynucleotides encoding MYOT inhibitory RNAs.
[0016] In one aspect, the invention provides MYOT miRNAs. In another aspect, the invention provides rAAV encoding the MYOT miRNAs wherein the rAAV lack rep and cap genes. In some embodiments, the MYOT miRNA comprises an miRNA antisense guide strand selected from those set out in SEQ ID NO: 7 through SEQ ID NO: 11266. These sequences comprise antisense “guide” strand sequences of the invention of varying sizes. The antisense guide strand is the strand of the mature miRNA duplex that becomes the RNA component of the RNA induced silencing complex ultimately responsible for sequence-specific gene silencing. See Section 7.3 of Duan, supra. For example, the first antisense guide strand in SEQ ID NO: 7 corresponds to (is the reverse complement of) the 3′ end of the myotilin sequence set out in FIG. 1 . The second antisense guide strand (SEQ ID NO: 8) is offset one nucleotide from the first and so on. In some embodiments, the GC content of the antisense guide strand is 60% or less, and/or the 5′ end of the antisense guide strand is more AU rich while the 3′ end is more GC rich. Exemplified MYOT miRNA are encoded by the DNAs set out in SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3 and 4. In some embodiments, rAAV are self-complementary (sc) AAV. In some embodiments, the MYOT miRNA encoding sequences are under the control of a muscle-specific tMCK or CK6 promoter.
[0017] In another aspect, the invention provides a composition comprising the rAAV encoding the MYOT miRNA.
[0018] In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method of preventing or inhibiting expression of the MYOT gene in a cell comprising contacting the cell with a rAAV encoding an MYOT miRNA, wherein the miRNA is encoded by the DNA set out in SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 3 or 4 and wherein the rAAV lacks rep and cap genes. Expression of MYOT is inhibited by at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 95 or 99 percent.
[0019] In still another aspect, the invention provides a method of delivering DNA encoding the MYOT miRNA set out in SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 3 or 4 to an animal in need thereof, comprising respectively administering to the animal a rAAV encoding the MYOTmi RNA, wherein the rAAV lacks rep and cap genes.
[0020] In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method of preventing or treating a musclular dystrophy (including, but not limited to, LGMD1A) comprising administering a rAAV encoding an MYOT miRNA, wherein the miRNA is encoded by the DNA set out in SEQ ID NO: 1, 2, 3 or 4 and wherein the rAAV lacks rep and cap genes. “Treating” may include ameliorating one or more symptoms of the muscular dystrophy (such as LGMD1A). Molecular, biochemical, histological, and functional endpoints demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of MYOT miRNAs. Endpoints contemplated by the invention include one or more of: the reduction or elimination of mutant MYOT protein in affected muscles, MYOT gene knockdown, reduction or elimination of (for example, LGMD1A-associated) pathogenic protein aggregates in muscle, increase in myofiber diameters, and improvement in muscle strength.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Recombinant AAV genomes of the invention comprise one or more AAV ITRs flanking a polynucleotide encoding, for example, one or more MYOT miRNAs. The polynucleotide is operatively linked to transcriptional control DNA, specifically promoter DNA that is functional in target. Commercial providers such as Ambion Inc. (Austin, Tex.), Darmacon Inc. (Lafayette, Colo.), InvivoGen (San Diego, Calif.), and Molecular Research Laboratories, LLC (Herndon, Va.) generate custom inhibitory RNA molecules. In addition, commercially kits are available to produce custom siRNA molecules, such as SILENCER™ siRNA Construction Kit (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.) or psiRNA System (InvivoGen, San Diego, Calif.). Embodiments include a rAAV genome comprising: the DNA set out in SEQ ID NO: 1 encoding the MYOT miRNA (named “miMyoT-1291”), the DNA set out in SEQ ID NO: 2 encoding the MYOT miRNA (named “miMyoT-1321”), the DNA set out in SEQ ID NO: 3 encoding the MYOT miRNA (named “miMyoT-1366”) or the DNA set out in SEQ ID NO: 4 encoding the MYOT miRNA (named “miMyoT-1490”).
[0022] The rAAV genomes of the invention lack AAV rep and cap DNA. AAV DNA in the rAAV genomes may be from any AAV serotype for which a recombinant virus can be derived including, but not limited to, AAV serotypes AAV-1, AAV-2, AAV-3, AAV-4, AAV-5, AAV-6, AAV-7, AAV-8, AAV-9, AAV-10 and AAV-11. As noted in the Background section above, the nucleotide sequences of the genomes of various AAV serotypes are known in the art.
[0023] DNA plasmids of the invention comprise rAAV genomes of the invention. The DNA plasmids are transferred to cells permissible for infection with a helper virus of AAV (e.g., adenovirus, E1-deleted adenovirus or herpesvirus) for assembly of the rAAV genome into infectious viral particles. Techniques to produce rAAV particles, in which an AAV genome to be packaged, rep and cap genes, and helper virus functions are provided to a cell are standard in the art. Production of rAAV requires that the following components are present within a single cell (denoted herein as a packaging cell): a rAAV genome, AAV rep and cap genes separate from (i.e., not in) the rAAV genome, and helper virus functions. The AAV rep and cap genes may be from any AAV serotype for which recombinant virus can be derived and may be from a different AAV serotype than the rAAV genome ITRs, including, but not limited to, AAV serotypes AAV-1, AAV-2, AAV-3, AAV-4, AAV-5, AAV-6, AAV-7, AAV-8, AAV-9, AAV-10 and AAV-11. Production of pseudotyped rAAV is disclosed in, for example, WO 01/83692 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
[0024] A method of generating a packaging cell is to create a cell line that stably expresses all the necessary components for AAV particle production. For example, a plasmid (or multiple plasmids) comprising a rAAV genome lacking AAV rep and cap genes, AAV rep and cap genes separate from the rAAV genome, and a selectable marker, such as a neomycin resistance gene, are integrated into the genome of a cell. AAV genomes have been introduced into bacterial plasmids by procedures such as GC tailing (Samulski et al., 1982, Proc. Natl. Acad. S6. USA, 79:2077-2081), addition of synthetic linkers containing restriction endonuclease cleavage sites (Laughlin et al., 1983, Gene, 23:65-73) or by direct, blunt-end ligation (Senaphthy & Carter, 1984, J. Biol. Chem., 259:4661-4666). The packaging cell line is then infected with a helper virus such as adenovirus. The advantages of this method are that the cells are selectable and are suitable for large-scale production of rAAV. Other examples of suitable methods employ adenovirus or baculovirus rather than plasmids to introduce rAAV genomes and/or rep and cap genes into packaging cells.
[0025] General principles of rAAV production are reviewed in, for example, Carter, 1992, Current Opinions in Biotechnology, 1533-539; and Muzyczka, 1992, Curr. Topics in Microbial. and Immunol., 158:97-129). Various approaches are described in Ratschin et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 4:2072 (1984); Hermonat et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 81:6466 (1984); Tratschin et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 5:3251 (1985); McLaughlin et al., J. Virol., 62:1963 (1988); and Lebkowski et al., 1988 Mol. Cell. Biol., 7:349 (1988). Samulski et al. (1989, J. Virol., 63:3822-3828); U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,414; WO 95/13365 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,776; WO 95/13392; WO 96/17947; PCT/U598/18600; WO 97/09441 (PCT/US96/14423); WO 97/08298 (PCT/US96/13872); WO 97/21825 (PCT/US96/20777); WO 97/06243 (PCT/FR96/01064); WO 99/11764; Perrin et al. (1995) Vaccine 13:1244-1250; Paul et al. (1993) Human Gene Therapy 4:609-615; Clark et al. (1996) Gene Therapy 3:1124-1132; U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,211; U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,982; U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,595; and McCarty, Mol. Ther., 16(10): 1648-1656 (2008). The foregoing documents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety herein, with particular emphasis on those sections of the documents relating to rAAV production. The production and use of sc rAAV are specifically contemplated.
[0026] The invention thus provides packaging cells that produce infectious rAAV. In one embodiment packaging cells may be stably transformed cancer cells such as HeLa cells, 293 cells and PerC.6 cells (a cognate 293 line). In another embodiment, packaging cells are cells that are not transformed cancer cells, such as low passage 293 cells (human fetal kidney cells transformed with E1 of adenovirus), MRC-5 cells (human fetal fibroblasts), WI-38 cells (human fetal fibroblasts), Vero cells (monkey kidney cells) and FRhL-2 cells (rhesus fetal lung cells).
[0027] Recombinant AAV (i.e., infectious encapsidated rAAV particles) of the invention comprise a rAAV genome. Embodiments include, but are not limited to, the rAAV including a genome encoding the MYOT miRNA set out in SEQ ID NO: 1(named “AAV-U6-miMyoT-1291”), the rAAV including a genome encoding the MYOT miRNA set out in SEQ ID NO: 2 (named “AAV-U6-miMyoT-1321”), the rAAV including a genome encoding the MYOT miRNA set out in SEQ ID NO: 3 (named “AAV-U6-miMyoT-1366”) and the rAAV including a genome encoding the MYOT miRNA set out in SEQ ID NO: 4 (named “AAV-U6-miMyoT-1490”). The genomes of the rAAV lack AAV rep and cap DNA, that is, there is no AAV rep or cap DNA between the ITRs of the genomes.
[0028] The rAAV may be purified by methods standard in the art such as by column chromatography or cesium chloride gradients. Methods for purifying rAAV vectors from helper virus are known in the art and include methods disclosed in, for example, Clark et al., Hum. Gene Ther., 10(6): 1031-1039 (1999); Schenpp and Clark, Methods Mol. Med., 69 427-443 (2002); U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,118 and WO 98/09657.
[0029] In another embodiment, the invention contemplates compositions comprising rAAV of the present invention. Compositions of the invention comprise rAAV in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The compositions may also comprise other ingredients such as diluents and adjuvants. Acceptable carriers, diluents and adjuvants are nontoxic to recipients and are preferably inert at the dosages and concentrations employed, and include buffers such as phosphate, citrate, or other organic acids; antioxidants such as ascorbic acid; low molecular weight polypeptides; proteins, such as serum albumin, gelatin, or immunoglobulins; hydrophilic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone; amino acids such as glycine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine or lysine; monosaccharides, disaccharides, and other carbohydrates including glucose, mannose, or dextrins; chelating agents such as EDTA; sugar alcohols such as mannitol or sorbitol; salt-forming counterions such as sodium; and/or nonionic surfactants such as Tween, pluronics or polyethylene glycol (PEG).
[0030] Titers of rAAV to be administered in methods of the invention will vary depending, for example, on the particular rAAV, the mode of administration, the treatment goal, the individual, and the cell type(s) being targeted, and may be determined by methods standard in the art. Titers of rAAV may range from about 1×10 6 , about 1×10 7 , about 1×10 8 , about 1×10 9 , about 1×10 10 , about 1×10 11 , about 1×10 12 , about 1×10 13 to about 1×10 14 or more DNase resistant particles (DRP) per ml. Dosages may also be expressed in units of viral genomes (vg).
[0031] Methods of transducing a target cell with rAAV, in vivo or in vitro, are contemplated by the invention. The in vivo methods comprise the step of administering an effective dose, or effective multiple doses, of a composition comprising a rAAV of the invention to an animal (including a human being) in need thereof. If the dose is administered prior to development of a disorder/disease, the administration is prophylactic. If the dose is administered after the development of a disorder/disease, the administration is therapeutic. In embodiments of the invention, an effective dose is a dose that alleviates (eliminates or reduces) at least one symptom associated with the disorder/disease state being treated, that slows or prevents progression to a disorder/disease state, that slows or prevents progression of a disorder/disease state, that diminishes the extent of disease, that results in remission (partial or total) of disease, and/or that prolongs survival. An example of a disease contemplated for prevention or treatment with methods of the invention is LGMD1A.
[0032] Combination therapies are also contemplated by the invention. Combination as used herein includes both simultaneous treatment or sequential treatments. Combinations of methods of the invention with standard medical treatments (e.g., corticosteroids) are specifically contemplated, as are combinations with novel therapies.
[0033] Administration of an effective dose of the compositions may be by routes standard in the art including, but not limited to, intramuscular, parenteral, intravenous, oral, buccal, nasal, pulmonary, intracranial, intraosseous, intraocular, rectal, or vaginal. Route(s) of administration and serotype(s) of AAV components of the rAAV (in particular, the AAV ITRs and capsid protein) of the invention may be chosen and/or matched by those skilled in the art taking into account the infection and/or disease state being treated and the target cells/tissue(s) that are to express the MYOT miRNAs.
[0034] In particular, actual administration of rAAV of the present invention may be accomplished by using any physical method that will transport the rAAV recombinant vector into the target tissue of an animal. Administration according to the invention includes, but is not limited to, injection into muscle, the bloodstream and/or directly into the liver. Simply resuspending a rAAV in phosphate buffered saline has been demonstrated to be sufficient to provide a vehicle useful for muscle tissue expression, and there are no known restrictions on the carriers or other components that can be co-administered with the rAAV (although compositions that degrade DNA should be avoided in the normal manner with rAAV). Capsid proteins of a rAAV may be modified so that the rAAV is targeted to a particular target tissue of interest such as muscle. See, for example, WO 02/053703, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Pharmaceutical compositions can be prepared as injectable formulations or as topical formulations to be delivered to the muscles by transdermal transport. Numerous formulations for both intramuscular injection and transdermal transport have been previously developed and can be used in the practice of the invention. The rAAV can be used with any pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for ease of administration and handling.
[0035] For purposes of intramuscular injection, solutions in an adjuvant such as sesame or peanut oil or in aqueous propylene glycol can be employed, as well as sterile aqueous solutions. Such aqueous solutions can be buffered, if desired, and the liquid diluent first rendered isotonic with saline or glucose. Solutions of rAAV as a free acid (DNA contains acidic phosphate groups) or a pharmacologically acceptable salt can be prepared in water suitably mixed with a surfactant such as hydroxypropylcellulose. A dispersion of rAAV can also be prepared in glycerol, liquid polyethylene glycols and mixtures thereof and in oils. Under ordinary conditions of storage and use, these preparations contain a preservative to prevent the growth of microorganisms. In this connection, the sterile aqueous media employed are all readily obtainable by standard techniques well-known to those skilled in the art.
[0036] The pharmaceutical forms suitable for injectable use include sterile aqueous solutions or dispersions and sterile powders for the extemporaneous preparation of sterile injectable solutions or dispersions. In all cases the form must be sterile and must be fluid to the extent that easy syringability exists. It must be stable under the conditions of manufacture and storage and must be preserved against the contaminating actions of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, polyol (for example, glycerol, propylene glycol, liquid polyethylene glycol and the like), suitable mixtures thereof, and vegetable oils. The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of a dispersion and by the use of surfactants. The prevention of the action of microorganisms can be brought about by various antibacterial and antifungal agents, for example, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, sorbic acid, thimerosal and the like. In many cases it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars or sodium chloride. Prolonged absorption of the injectable compositions can be brought about by use of agents delaying absorption, for example, aluminum monostearate and gelatin.
[0037] Sterile injectable solutions are prepared by incorporating rAAV in the required amount in the appropriate solvent with various other ingredients enumerated above, as required, followed by filter sterilization. Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the sterilized active ingredient into a sterile vehicle which contains the basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those enumerated above. In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum drying and the freeze drying technique that yield a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from the previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.
[0038] Transduction with rAAV may also be carried out in vitro. In one embodiment, desired target muscle cells are removed from the subject, transduced with rAAV and reintroduced into the subject. Alternatively, syngeneic or xenogeneic muscle cells can be used where those cells will not generate an inappropriate immune response in the subject.
[0039] Suitable methods for the transduction and reintroduction of transduced cells into a subject are known in the art. In one embodiment, cells can be transduced in vitro by combining rAAV with muscle cells, e.g., in appropriate media, and screening for those cells harboring the DNA of interest using conventional techniques such as Southern blots and/or PCR, or by using selectable markers. Transduced cells can then be formulated into pharmaceutical compositions, and the composition introduced into the subject by various techniques, such as by intramuscular, intravenous, subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injection, or by injection into smooth and cardiac muscle, using e.g., a catheter.
[0040] Transduction of cells with rAAV of the invention results in sustained expression of MYOT miRNAs. The present invention thus provides methods of administering/delivering rAAV which express MYOT miRNAs to an animal, preferably a human being. These methods include transducing tissues (including, but not limited to, tissues such as muscle, organs such as liver and brain, and glands such as salivary glands) with one or more rAAV of the present invention. Transduction may be carried out with gene cassettes comprising tissue specific control elements. For example, one embodiment of the invention provides methods of transducing muscle cells and muscle tissues directed by muscle specific control elements, including, but not limited to, those derived from the actin and myosin gene families, such as from the myoD gene family [See Weintraub et al., Science, 251: 761-766 (1990], the myocyte-specific enhancer binding factor MEF-2 [Cserjesi and Olson, Mol Cell Biol 11: 4854-4862 (1990], control elements derived from the human skeletal actin gene [Muscat et al., Mol Cell Biol, 7: 4089-4099 (1987)], the cardiac actin gene, muscle creatine kinase sequence elements [See Johnson et al., Mol Cell Biol, 9:3393-3399 (1989)] and the murine creatine kinase enhancer (mCK) element, control elements derived from the skeletal fast-twitch troponin C gene, the slow-twitch cardiac troponin C gene and the slow-twitch troponin I gene: hypozia-inducible nuclear factors [Semenza et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 88: 5680-5684 (1990], steroid-inducible elements and promoters including the glucocorticoid response element (GRE) [See Mader and White, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 90: 5603-5607 (1993)], the tMCK promoter [see Wang et al., Gene Therapy, 15: 1489-1499 (2008)], the CK6 promoter [see Wang et al., supra] and other control elements.
[0041] Muscle tissue is an attractive target for in vivo DNA delivery, because it is not a vital organ and is easy to access. The invention contemplates sustained expression of miRNAs from transduced myofibers.
[0042] By “muscle cell” or “muscle tissue” is meant a cell or group of cells derived from muscle of any kind (for example, skeletal muscle and smooth muscle, e.g. from the digestive tract, urinary bladder, blood vessels or cardiac tissue). Such muscle cells may be differentiated or undifferentiated, such as myoblasts, myocytes, myotubes, cardiomyocytes and cardiomyoblasts.
[0043] The term “transduction” is used to refer to the administration/delivery of MYOT miRNAs to a recipient cell either in vivo or in vitro, via a replication-deficient rAAV of the invention resulting in expression of a MYOT miRNA by the recipient cell.
[0044] Thus, the invention provides methods of administering an effective dose (or doses, administered essentially simultaneously or doses given at intervals) of rAAV that encode MYOT miRNAs to a patient in need thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0045] This patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.
[0046] FIG. 1 shows target sites in the myotilin sequence (SEQ ID NO: 11266) for exemplified miRNAs.
[0047] FIG. 2 sets out sequences of two MYOT-targeted miRNAs. In each panel, the top sequences indicate the DNA templates from which each respective miRNA is transcribed. In the top panel, the DNA template miMYOT.1321 is SEQ ID NO: 2. In the bottom panel, the DNA template miMYOT.1366 is SEQ ID NO: 3. The folded miRNA transcripts are shown as hairpin structures. The miMYOT.1321 folded miRNA is SEQ ID NO: 11268. The miMYOT.1366 folded miRNA is SEQ ID NO: 11271. The mature miMYO.1321 (SEQ ID NO: 11270 which pairs with SEQ ID NO: 11269 in the figure) and miDUX4.1366 (SEQ ID NO: 11273 which pairs with SEQ ID NO: 11272 in the figure) sequences arise following processing in target cells by host miRNA processing machinery (including Drosha, DGCR8, Dicer, and Exportin-5). Sequences shaded in gray indicate sites used for cloning each miRNA into the U6T6 vector. The nucleotides corresponding to the mature miRNA antisense guide strand that ultimately helps catalyze cleavage of the MYOT target mRNA are underlined in the miRNA hairpin portions of this diagram. The gray and black arrowheads indicate Drosha- and Dicer-catalyzed cleavage sites, respectively. The numbers 13, 35, 53, and 75 are provided for orientation. The sequences between (and including) positions 35-53 are derived from the natural human mir-30a sequence, except the A at position 39, which is a G is the normal mir-30a sequence. This was changed to an A to facilitate folding of the miRNA loop, based on in silico RNA folding models. The base of the stem (5′ of position 13 and 3′ of position 75) is also derived from mir-30a structure and sequence with some modifications depending on the primary sequence of the guide strand. Specifically, the nucleotide at position 13 can vary to help facilitate a required mismatched between the position 13 and 75 nucleotides. This bulged structure is hypothesized to facilitate proper Drosha cleavage.
[0048] FIG. 3 shows the effect of MYOT-targeted miRNAs in LGMD1A mice expressing mutant myotilin (MYOT). FIG. 3A is a Western blot showing knockdown of mutant mytotilin expression is muscle extracts from three-month old LGMD1A mice, where Left (L)=miMYOT treatment side and Right (R)=miGFP control treated side. FIG. 3B shows real-time PCR results confirming the Western data.
[0049] FIG. 4 shows AAV.miMYO.1321 (labeled miMYOT in the figure) improves histopathology and muscle weight in 3-mo old TgT57I mice. FIG. 4A . AAV vectors used in 3-mo studies. The miMYOT and control miGFP RNAs are expressed from the mouse U6 promoter. Both vectors contain a CMV.hrGFP reporter gene cassette. Red rectangles indicated AAV inverted terminal repeats (ITRs). FIG. 4B . Representative serial sections from T57I mice injected with AAV.miMYOT (top panels) or AAV.miGFP (bottom panels) controls show reductions in MYOT-seeded protein aggregates. Red spots are protein aggregates stained by immunofluorescence with MYOT antibodies. Middle panels show overlay with H&E-stained serial sections. Arrows indicate fibers containing centrally-located myonuclei. Right panels, aggregates are visible as dark blue spots within the myofiber in serial sections stained with Gomori's Trichrome, while nuclei are purple. Scale bar, 50 μm. Images shown are representative of 8 independently injected animals per virus. FIG. 4C . Quantification of aggregate staining 3 months after injecting TgT57I GAS muscles with AAV.miMYOT or AAV.miGFP. MYOT knockdown significantly reduced the average area of MYOT-positive aggregates by 69% (N=5 muscles per group; 5 randomly sampled fields per muscle; paired t-test, p=0.0069; errors bars represent s.e.m.) FIG. 4D . Graphs show the distribution and average size of TgT57I and wild-type (WT) muscles treated with AAV.miMYOT or AAV.miGFP controls, 3 months post-injection. MYOT knockdown in TgT57I muscles significantly improved myofiber diameter by 4.9 microns (54.8 μm versus 49.9μm in control-treated TgT57I mice; t-test, p=0.047). WT fiber diameters were 57 and 57.7 microns, in miMYOT- and miGFP-treated animals, respectively. N=5 muscles per group; 5 randomly selected fields per muscle; an average of 1,205 fibers counted per wild-type animals and 1,433 fibers per TgT57I animal). (e) AAV.miMYOT significantly improved GAS muscle weight by 9.5 mg in 3-mo old TgT57I mice (t-test, p<0.001; N=12 muscles per group). AAV.miMYOT treated muscles averaged 134.4 mg in weight versus 124.9 mg in AAV.miGFP-treated animals; WT controls: miMYOT, 136.0 mg; miGFP, 140.8 mg). (f) The mild degeneration-regeneration effects in TgT57I muscles, as indicated by the presence of myofibers with centrally-located nuclei, were significantly improved 2.1-fold with AAV.miMYOT treatment compared to controls (t-test, p=0.0004). Both group of TgT57I mice were still significantly different from respective WT controls (t-test, p<0.006). *, indicates significant difference between miMYOT- and miGFP-treated TgT57I animals. Wild-type animals were not significantly different from one another by all measures, regardless of treatment.
[0050] FIG. 5 shows AAV.miMYO.1321 (labeled miMYOT in the figure) improves histopathology and muscle weight in 9-mo old TgT57I mice. FIG. 5A . AAV vectors used in 9-mo studies. The miMYOT and control miLacZ RNAs are expressed from the mouse U6 promoter. Both vectors contain a CMV.eGFP reporter gene cassette. Red rectangles indicated AAV inverted terminal repeats (ITRs). FIG. 5B . Representative serial sections from T57I mice injected with AAV.miMYOT (top panels) or AAV.miLacZ (bottom panels) controls show reductions in MYOT-seeded protein aggregates. Red spots are protein aggregates stained by immunofluorescence with MYOT antibodies. Middle panels show overlay with H&E-stained serial sections. Arrows indicate fibers containing centrally-located myonuclei. Right panels, aggregates are visible as dark blue spots within the myofiber in serial sections stained with Gomori's Trichrome, while nuclei are purple. Scale bar, 50 μm. Images shown are representative of 8 independently injected animals per virus. FIG. 5C . Quantification of aggregate staining 9 months after injecting TgT57I GAS muscles with AAV.miMYOT or AAV.miLacZ. MYOT knockdown significantly reduced the average area of MYOT-positive aggregates by 52% (N=5 muscles per group; 5 randomly sampled fields per muscle; paired t-test, p=0.0085; errors bars represent s.e.m.) FIG. 5 D. Graphs show the distribution and average size of TgT57I and wild-type (WT) muscles treated with AAV.miMYOT or AAV.miLacZ controls, 9 months post-injection. MYOT knockdown in TgT57I muscles significantly improved myofiber diameter by 9.1 microns (54 μm versus 44.9 μm in control-treated TgT57I mice; t-test, p=0.0006). WT fiber diameters were 62.5 and 62.2 microns, in miMYOT- and miLacZ-treated animals, respectively. These values were significantly larger than either TgT57I group (p<0.001, t-test). N=5 muscles per group; 5 randomly selected fields per muscle; an average of 993 fibers counted per wild-type animals and 1,554 fibers per TgT57I animal). (e) AAV.miMYOT significantly improved GAS muscle weight by 15 mg in 9-mo old TgT57I mice (t-test, p=0.002; N=8 muscles per group). AAV.miMYOT treated muscles averaged 116 mg in weight versus 101 mg in AAV.miLacZ-treated animals; WT controls: miMYOT, 148 mg; miGFP, 154 mg). (f) The mild degeneration-regeneration effects in TgT57I muscles, as indicated by the presence of myofibers with centrally-located nuclei, were significantly improved 2.1-fold with AAV.miMYOT treatment compared to controls (t-test, p=0.0004). Both group of TgT57I mice were still significantly different from respective WT controls (t-test, p<0.0001). *, indicates significant difference between miMYOT- and miLacZ-treated TgT57I animals. Wild-type animals were not significantly different from one another by all measures, regardless of treatment.
[0051] FIG. 6 shows AAV.miMYO.1321 (labeled miMYOT in the figure) significantly improves whole muscle strength in TgT57I mice 9 months after treatment. AAV.miMYOT-treated TgT57I GAS muscles showed statistically significant 38% and 25% improvements in absolute force ( FIG. 6A ) and specific force ( FIG. 6B ) compared to AAV.miLacZ-treated controls (N=6-8 legs; p=0.02 for (a) and p=0.0009 for (b), t-test). Both TgT57I groups were significantly weaker than their WT counterparts (p<0.0001, t-test), while wild-type groups were not significantly different from one another.
EXAMPLES
[0052] Aspects and embodiments of the invention are illustrated by the following examples. Example 1 describes miRNAs specific for the MYOT gene. Example 2 describes the effect of the miRNAs on the expression of MYOT as measured by real-time PCR. Example 3 describes rAAV encoding the miRNAs. Example 4 describes the effect of the U6T6 expressing the miRNAs on the expression of MYOT as measured by Western blot. Example 5 describes delivery of MYOT miRNA to newborn mice. Example 6 describes delivery of MYOT miRNA to adult mice.
Example 1
MicroRNAs Specific for the MYOT Gene
[0053] Six DNAs encoding miRNAs specific for the MYOT gene were generated by PCR. The PCR primers used had the following sequences.
[0000]
Primer 775 (miMyoT-592-Forward)
(SEQ ID NO: 11274):
AAAACTCGAGTGAGCGACCTGATTACAATAGCAGTAAACTGTAAAGCCAC
AGATGGG
Primer 776 (miMyoT-592-Reverse)
(SEQ ID NO: 11275):
TTTTACTAGTAGGCAGCCTGATTACAATAGCAGTAAACCCATCTGTGGCT
TTACAG
Primer 777 (miMyoT-1291-Forward)
(SEQ ID NO: 11276):
AAAACTCGAGTGAGCGACTGGATGTCCTTGCAAAAGAACTGTAAAGCCAC
AGATGGG
Primer 778 (miMyoT-1291-Reverse)
(SEQ ID NO: 11277):
TTTTACTAGTAGGCAGCTGGATGTCCTTGCAAAAGAACCCATCTGTGGCT
TTACAG
Primer 779 (miMyoT-1321-Forward)
(SEQ ID NO: 11278):
AAAACTCGAGTGAGCGCGCACCAATGTTTATCTACAAACTGTAAAGCCAC
AGATGGG
Primer 780 (miMyoT-1321-Reverse)
(SEQ ID NO: 11279):
TTTTACTAGTAGGCAAGCACCAATGTTTATCTACAAACCCATCTGTGGCT
TTACAG
Primer 781 (miMyoT-1366-Forward)
(SEQ ID NO: 11280):
AAAACTCGAGTGAGCGAGGAGATTCAGTGAAACTAGAACTGTAAAGCCAC
AGATGGG
Primer 782 (miMyoT-1366-Reverse)
(SEQ ID NO: 11281):
TTTTACTAGTAGGCAGGGAGATTCAGTGAAACTAGAACCCATCTGTGGCT
TTACAG
Primer 783 (miMyoT-1490-Forward)
(SEQ ID NO: 11282):
AAAACTCGAGTGAGCGCGAAGAGTTACTTTACTGATAACTGTAAAGCCAC
AGATGGG
Primer 784 (miMyoT-1490-Reverse)
(SEQ ID NO: 11283):
TTTTACTAGTAGGCAGGAAGAGTTACTTTACTGATAACCCATCTGTGGCT
TTACAG
Primer 785 (miMyoT-1603-Forward)
(SEQ ID NO: 11284):
AAAACTCGAGTGAGCGAGCACGTCCAAACCAAACTCTTCTGTAAAGCCAC
AGATGGG
Primer 786 (miMyoT-1603-Reverse)
(SEQ ID NO: 11285):
TTTTACTAGTAGGCAGGCACGTCCAAACCAAACTCTTCCCATCTGTGGCT
TTACAG
[0054] DNA encoding a miRNA designated miMyoT-592 was generated using primers 775 and 776. DNA encoding miRNA designated miMyoT-1291 was generated using primers 777 and 778. DNA encoding miRNA designated miMyoT-1321 was generated using primers 779 and 780. DNA encoding miRNA designated miMyoT-1366 was generated using primers 781 and 782. DNA encoding miRNA designated miMyoT-1490 was generated using primers 783 and 784. DNA encoding miRNA designated miMyoT-1603 was generated using primers 785 and 786. The DNAs are set out below, wherein the number in the names indicates the 5′ target nucleotide in the myotylin sequence (SEQ ID NO: 11267). See FIG. 1 where the target sequences for the miRNAs in the myotilin sequence are underlined.
[0000]
miMyoT-592
(SEQ ID NO: 5)
CTCGAGTGAGCGACCTGATTACAATAGCAGTAAACTGTAAAGCCACAGATGGGTTTACTGCT
ATTGTAATCAGGCTGCCTACTAGA
miMyoT-1291
(SEQ ID NO: 1)
CTCGAGTGAGCGACTGGATGTCCTTGCAAAAGAACTGTAAAGCCACAGATGGGTTATTTTGC
AAGGACATCCAGCTGCCTACTAGA
miMyoT-1321
(SEQ ID NO: 2)
CTCGAGTGAGCGCGCACCAATGTTTATCTACAAACTGTAAAGCCACAGATGGGTTTGTAGAT
AAACATTGGTGCTTGCCTACTAGA
miMyoT-1366
(SEQ ID NO: 3)
CTCGAGTGAGCGAGGAGATTCAGTGAAACTAGAACTGTAAAGCCACAGATGGGTTCTAGTTT
CACTGAATCTCCCTGCCTACTAGA
miMyoT-1490
(SEQ ID NO: 4)
CTCGAGTGAGCGCGAAGAGTTACTTTACTGATAACTGTAAAGCCACAGATGGGTTATCAGTA
AAGTAACTCTTCCTGCCTACTAGA
miMyoT-1603
(SEQ ID NO: 6)
CTCGAGTGAGCGAGCACGTCCAAACCAAACTCTTCTGTAAAGCCACAGATGGGAAGAGTTTG
GTTTACGTGCCTGCCTACTAGA
[0055] FIG. 2 shows the DNA templates miMyoT.1321 and miMyoT.1366 and their corresponding folded and mature miRNAs.
[0056] One μg of each primer was added to a 1 cycle primer extension reaction: 95° C. for 5 min.; 94° C. for 2 min.; 52° C. for 1 min.; 72° C. for 15 min.; and then holding at 4° C. The PCR products were cleaned up with the Qiagen QIAquick PCR Purification kit before being digested overnight with XhoI and SpeI restriction enzymes. The digestion product was then run on a 1.5% TBE gel and the band excised and purified using the Qiagen QIAquick Gel Extraction Kit.
[0057] The PCR products were ligated to a U6T6 vector (via XhoI and XbaI) overnight. This vector contains a mouse U6 promoter and an RNA polymerase III termination signal (6 thymidine nucleotides). miRNAs are cloned into XhoI+XbaI restriction sites located between the 3′ end of the U6 promoter and the termination signal (SpeI on the 3′ end of the DNA template for each miRNA has complementary cohesive ends with the XbaI site). The ligation product was transformed into chemically competent E-coli cells with a 42° C. heat shock and incubated at 37° C. shaking for 1 hour before being plated on kanamycin selection plates. The colonies were allowed to grow overnight at 37°. The following day they were mini-prepped and sequenced for accuracy.
Example 2
Real-Time PCR Reaction for Effect of Expression of MYOT miRNAs
[0058] Expression of the MYOT target sequence in the presence of the MYOT miRNAs was assayed. A lipofectamine 2000 transfection was done in C2C12 cells in a 12-well, white-walled assay plate. 52,000 cells were transfected with 100 ng of AAV-CMV-mutMyoT and 1500 ng of one of the U6T6 vectors described in Example 1 containing miRNA-encoding DNA. The assay was performed 48 hours later.
[0059] The media was removed from the cells and 1 μl of Trizol was added per well. Then the cells were resuspended and the lysates were transferred to 1.5 ml EP tubes. Samples were incubated at room temperature for 5 min and 200 μl chloroform was added. The tubes were shaken vigorously for 15 sec, incubated at room temperature for 3 min and centrifuged at 12,000 g for 15 min at 4° C. Then the aqueous phase was transferred to a fresh tube and 0.5 ml isopropyl alcohol was added. The samples were incubated at room temperature for 10 min and centrifuged at 12,000 g for 10 min at 4° C. The RNA pallet was washed once with 1 ml 75% ethanol and aired dry. 20 μl of RNase-Free water was added to dissolve the pellet and the concentration/purification were measured by Nano-drop. 1.5 ug total RNA was added to cDNA generation reaction: 5° C. for 10 min.; 37° C. for 120 min.; 85° C. for 5 sec and then holding at 4° C. The cDNA products were diluted at 1:10 and 4.5 μl was added to real-time PCR reaction. Human Myotilin was used to check the expression of the MYOT and the relative expression was normalized to mouse GAPDH expression.
[0060] U6T6-miMyoT-592 (SEQ ID NO: 5) showed higher expression of MYOT than U6T6-miGFP control. U6T6-miMyoT-1291 (SEQ ID NO: 1) reduced the expression of MYOT to 60%, U6T6-miMyoT-1321 (SEQ ID NO: 2) reduced the expression of MYOT to 19%, U6T6-miMyoT-1366 (SEQ ID NO: 3) reduced the expression of MYOT to 41.7%, U6T6-miMyoT-1490 (SEQ ID NO: 4) reduced the expression of MYOT to 55.3%, U6T6-miMyoT-1603 (SEQ ID NO: 6) reduced the expression of MYOT to 34.9%, when compared to U6T6-miGFP control.
Example 3
Production of rAAV Encoding MYOT MicroRNAs
[0061] The U6-miMYOT DNAs were cut from U6T6-miMYOT constructs at EcoRI sites and then respectively cloned into AAV6-hrGFPs to generate rAAV-U6-miMyoT vectors. These rAAV vectors express miRNA and hrGFP
Example 4
Western Blot Assay for Effect of Expression of MYOT miRNAs from U6T6 Vectors and rAAV
[0062] The effect of expression of MYOT miRNAs from the U6T6 vectors described in Example 1 and the rAAV described in Example 3 was assayed by Western blot.
[0063] One day before transfection, 293 cells were plated in a 24-well plate at 1.5×10 5 cells/well. The cells were then transfected with U6T6-miMyoT (592, 1291, 1321, 1366, 1490 or 1603) using Lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen, Cat. No. 11668-019).
[0064] Forty-eight hours after transfection, cells were collected and washed with cold PBS once. Seventy μl lysis buffer (137 mM NaCl, 10 mM Tris pH=7.4, 1% NP40) were then added. The cells were resuspended completely and incubated on ice for 30 min. The samples were centrifuged for 20 min at 13,000 rpm at 4° C. and the supernatant was collected. The cell lysate was diluted 5-fold for the Lowry protein concentration assay (Bio-Rad Dc Protein Assay Reagent A, B, S; Cat. No. 500-0113, 500-0114, 500-115). Twenty μg of each sample was taken and 2× sample buffer (100 mM Tris pH=6.8, 100 mM DTT, 10% glycerol, 2% SDS, 0.006% bromophenol blue) was added. The samples were boiled for 10 min and then put on ice.
[0065] The samples were loaded onto a 10% polyacrylamide gel (based on 37.5:1 acrylamide:bis acrylamide ratio, Bio-Rad, Cat. No. 161-0158), 15 μg on a gel for each sample. Proteins were transferred to PVDF membranes at 15 V for 1 h using semi-dry transfer (Trans-Blot SD Semi-Dry Transfer Cell, Bio-Rad, Cat. No. 170-3940). The blots were placed into blocking buffer (5% non-fat dry milk, 30 mM Tris pH=7.5, 150 mM NaCl, 0.05% Tween-20) and agitated for 1 h at room temperature. The blocking buffer was decanted and anti-myotilin primary antibody solution (rabbit polyclonal generated by Bethyl Laboratories using a peptide corresponding to myotilin residues 473-488) was added and incubated with agitation overnight at 4° C. The membranes were then washed for 30 min, changing the wash buffer (150 mM NaCl, 30 mM Tris pH=7.5, 0.05% Tween-20) every 10 min. Peroxidase-conjugated Goat Anti-Mouse Antibody (Jackson ImmunoReserch, Cat. No. 115-035-146, 1: 100,000) was added and incubated at room temperature for 2 h. The membranes were then washed for 30 min, changing the wash buffer every 10 min. The blots were placed in chemiluminescent working solution (Immobilon Weatern Chemiluminescent HRP Substrate, Millipore, Cat. No. WBKLS0500), incubated with agitation for 5 min at room temperature, and then exposed to X-ray film.
[0066] The membranes were washed for 20 min, changing the wash buffer every 10 min. Next, stripping buffer (2% SDS, 62.5 mM Tris pH=6.7, 100 mM b-ME) was added to the blots and incubated at 50° C. for 30 min. The membranes were washed again for 30 min, changing the wash buffer every 10 min. Then, the membranes were blocked again and re-probed with Anti-GAPDH primary antibody solution (Chemicon, Cat. No. MAB374, 1:200) and peroxidase-conjugated Goat Anti-Mouse Antibody (Jackson ImmunoReserch, Cat. No. 115-035-146, 1:100,000) was used as secondary antibody.
[0067] The film was scanned and the density ratio of MYOT to GAPDH was calculated. Compared to U6T6-miGFP control, the expression of MYOT was higher (1.08) in samples of U6T6-miMyoT-592 (SEQ ID NO: 5) and the expression of MYOT was reduced to 78.9% by U6T6-miMyoT-1291 (SEQ ID NO: 1), 50.2% by U6T6-miMyoT-1321 (SEQ ID NO: 2), 60.2% by U6T6-miMyoT-1366 (SEQ ID NO: 3), 76.2% by U6T6-miMyoT-1490 (SEQ ID NO: 4), 87% by U6T6-miMyoT-1603 (SEQ ID NO: 6).
[0068] U6T6-miMYOT-1321 most effectively knocked down myotilin expression both in the real-time PCR and western-blot experiments. The knockdown effect by AAV-miMyoT-1321 was also confirmed by western-blot experiment.
Example 5
Delivery to Newborn Mice
[0069] The PCR genotype of newborn pups was determined to identify female WT or T571 MYOT mice (using human MYOT primers and Y chromosome primers). Bilateral intramuscular injections of 5×10 10 AAV6.miMYOT-1321 or control AAV6.miGFP particles per leg in 1-2 day old mice were sufficient to saturate the lower limb musculature.
[0070] Phenotypic correction was then determined initially by histological analyses. Specifically, 3 months after viral delivery, muscles were harvested and cryopreserved. Ten micron serial cryosections were cut and stained with antibodies to detect myotilin-positive protein aggregates in T571 myofibers. AAV6.miMYOT-1321 muscles had significantly reduced numbers of aggregates per section compared to AAV6.miGFP or untreated controls. In addition, when AAV6.miMYOT-132-treated muscles did show occasional aggregates, they were significantly smaller than those seen in control-treated or untreated T571 animals. AAV6.miMYOT-132 treatment also improved muscle size deficits relative to the control treatment.
[0071] MYOT knockdown was confirmed by Western blot and real-time PCR as shown in FIG. 3 . The AAV delivered miMYOT-1321 significantly reduced mutant MYOT protein ( FIG. 3A ) and mRNA ( FIG. 3B ) in the muscles.
[0072] These results support therapeutic efficacy. Continuing experiments include determining the functional effects of MYOT knockdown in whole muscles by measuring EDL specific force.
Example 6
Delivery to Adult Mice
[0073] The PCR genotype of weanlings is determined, and 3-month old or 9-month old mice which have significant pre-existing LGMD1A-associated pathology are chosen for treatment. 5×10 10 AAV6 vectors are delivered to lower limb musculature by isolated leg perfusion. Phenotypic correction (including hindlimb grip strength, gross muscle parameters and EDL specific force are then measured using various methods over the following months.
[0074] Male P1 or P2 mice were injected in the lower limbs with 5×10 10 DNAse resistant particles AAV6.miMYOT.1321 or control AAV6.miGFP particles per leg. Muscles were harvested for analysis at 3 months and 9 months of age. All mouse protocols were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) at The Research Institute of Nationwide Children's Hospital.
[0075] Imaging and Histology.
[0076] In vivo AAV transduction was determined by GFP epifluorescence using a fluorescent dissecting microscope (MZ16FA, Leica, Wetzlar, Germany). Dissected muscles were placed in O.C.T. Compound (Tissue-Tek, Torrance, Calif.) and frozen in liquid nitrogen-cooled 2-methylbutane. The blocks were cut onto slides as 10 μm cryosections, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E; following standard protocols), or anti-MYOT polyclonal antibodies. For MYOT immunohistochemistry, cryosections were fixed in methanol and blocked in GFTP + buffer (5% normal goat serum, 0.1% pig gelatin, 1% BSA, 0.2% Triton X-100, in phosphate-buffered saline). Slides were incubated overnight at 4° C. with MYOT primary antibody (1:400), and then with AlexaFluor-594 conjugated goat anti-rabbit secondary antibodies (1:500; 1 hour at RT; Molecular Probes, Carlsbad, Calif.). Images were taken from mouse tissue harvested from 3- and 9-month old male mice. Muscle cross-sectional fiber diameters and percentage of myofibers with centrally-located nuclei were determined as previously described from five different animals per group (five fields per leg).
[0077] Contractile Measurements of Gastrocnemius Muscle.
[0078] Mice were anesthetized with intraperitoneal injection of Avertin (250 mg/kg) with supplemental injections given to maintain an adequate level of anesthesia during the whole procedure. The gastrocnemius muscle was exposed and the distal tendon was isolated and cut. The exposed muscle and tendon were kept moist by periodic applications of isotonic saline. Knot was tied at the proximal end of the tendon and the mouse was placed on a heated platform maintained at 37° C. The tendon was tied securely to the lever arm of a servomotor (6650LR, Cambridge Technology) via the suture ends. The muscle was then stimulated with 0.2 ms pulses via the peroneal nerve using platinum electrodes. Stimulation voltage and muscle length were adjusted for maximum isometric twitch force (Pt). The muscle was stimulated at increasing frequencies until a maximum force (Po) was reached at optimal muscle length (Lo). Optimum fiber length (Lf) was determined by multiplying Lo by the gastrocnemius Lf/Lo ratio of 0.45. Total fiber CSA was calculated by dividing the muscle mass (mg) by the product of muscle fiber length (mm) and the density of mammalian skeletal muscle, 1.06 g/cm2. Specific Po (N/cm2) was calculated by dividing Po by total fiber CSA for each muscle. Immediately after muscle mass was measured, muscles were coated in tissue freezing medium (Triangle Biomedical Sciences, Durham, N.C.), frozen in isopentane cooled by dry ice, and stored at −80° C. until needed.
[0079] EDL Muscle Contractile Measurements (Supplemental Data).
[0080] The EDL muscle was completely removed from the animal and the proximal and distal tendons of the muscle were tied with suture. The muscle was immersed in a bath containing Krebs' mammalian Ringer solution with 0.25 mM tubocurarine chloride. The solution was maintained at 25° C. and bubbled with 95% O 2 and 5% CO 2 . The distal tendon was attached to a servomotor (model 305B, Aurora Scientific, Aurora, ON). The proximal tendon was attached to a force transducer (model BG-50, Kulite Semiconductor Products, Leonia, N.J.). The muscle was stimulated by square-wave pulses delivered by two platinum electrodes connected to a high-power biphasic current stimulator (model 701B, Aurora Scientific, Aurora, ON). The voltage of pulses was increased, and optimal muscle length (L o ) was subsequently adjusted to produce maximum twitch force. Muscles were held at L o and stimulus frequency was increased until the P o was achieved. The sP o was determined by dividing P o by the cross-sectional area (CSA). The L f -to-L o ratios of 0.44 for EDL muscles was used to calculate L f . The physiological CSA of muscles was determined by dividing the mass of the muscle by the product of L f and 1.06 g/cm 3 , the density of mammalian skeletal muscle.
[0081] Statistical Analysis.
[0082] All data are expressed as mean±SEM. Statistical analyses were performed using the GraphPad Prizm software package. Statistical tests used for each experiment, and accompanying N's, are indicated in the Figure Legends.
[0083] MYOT knockdown improved histopathology and muscle weight in 3-month (3-mo) old TgT57I mice
[0084] TgT57I mice recapitulate the progressive MYOT protein aggregation defects that characterize LGMD1A. In 3 mo-old TgT57I mice, aggregates are associated with additional generalized muscle pathology, including deficits in myofiber size and gastrocnemius muscle weight, as well as slight but significant increase in myofibers with centrally located nuclei, which is a histological indicator that muscles underwent degeneration and were subsequently repaired. Importantly, these phenotypes are useful outcome measures for RNAi therapy. We therefore examined the effects of miMYOT-mediated MYOT gene silencing on aggregate formation, myofiber diameter, muscle weight, and central nuclei defects associated with LGMD1A in young adult TgT57I mice.
[0085] Aggregate accumulation was examined by staining AAV6.miMYOT- and AAV6.control-treated TgT57I gastrocnemius muscle cryosections with MYOT immunoreactive antibodies, trichrome, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) ( FIGS. 4A and B). Microscopic image analysis showed that MYOT knockdown significantly reduced the abundance of protein aggregates by 69% in 3-mo old TgT57I gastrocnemius muscles ( FIGS. 4B and C).
[0086] Next, the impact of MYOT inhibition on cross-sectional myofiber size was determined using H&E stained muscle cryosections. Myofibers from AAV.control-treated TgT57I muscles were significantly smaller (49.9 μm average diameter; p<0.05) than those from either wild-type group (57.0 μm and 57.7 μm in wild-type mice receiving miMYOT or miGFP, respectively; FIG. 4D ). In contrast, MYOT knockdown by our therapeutic AAV6.miMYOT vectors improved average myofiber diameter in TgT57I mice by 4.9 μm (a 9.8% improvement), to levels not significantly different than wild-type (54.8 μm in AAV6.miMYOT-treated TgT57I mice; FIG. 4D ). This improvement in myofiber size defects evident at the cellular level translated to whole muscle as well. Indeed, weights of AAV6.miMYOT-treated TgT57I gastrocnemius muscles were not significantly different than those measured in wild-type treated controls, while TgT57I muscles that received control AAV6.miGFP vector weighed an average of 15.9 mg less (11% decrease) than their wild-type counterparts (p<0.001; FIG. 4E ). Finally, comparing the AAV6.miMYOT- and AAV6.miGFP-treated TgT57I animals, that MYOT knockdown improved 3-mo TgT57I gastrocnemius muscle weight by an average of 9.5 mg, representing a significant 7.1% improvement (p<0.001).
[0087] As a final measure of the effects of MYOT knockdown on LGMD1A-associated histopathology in 3-mo old TgT57I mice, the percentage of myofibers containing centrally-located nuclei was quantified. Typically ˜98-99% of myonuclei in uninjured wild-type muscles are localized to the cell periphery. Consistent with this, gastrocnemius muscles from our AAV6.miMYOT- and AAV6.miGFP-treated wild-type animals showed 1.1% and 1.9% central nuclei, respectively. In contrast, 7.7% of 3-mo TgT57I myofibers from control AAV6.miGFP-treated gastrocnemius muscles contained central nuclei. This value is consistent with mild degeneration and regeneration in dystrophic animals. Importantly, MYOT knockdown by AAV6.miMYOT reduced the percentage of myofibers with central nuclei to 3.6% in TgT57I mice, representing a significant 2.1-fold decrease (p<0.001; FIG. 4F ).
[0088] MYOT knockdown also improves histopathology, muscle weight, and specific force in 9-mo old TgT57I mice
[0089] Gastrocnemius is among the most severely involved muscles in TgT57I mice and LGMD1A patients. Considering this, prospective LGMD1A-targeted therapies should ideally treat gastrocnemius muscle weakness related to mutant MYOT accumulation. Although 3-mo old TgT57I muscles display LGMD1A-associated changes in histology and weight, our pilot studies showed that significant muscle weakness did not manifest until later in adulthood (9 months of age; data not shown). Therefore, a second cohort of animals were treated with AAV6.miMYO.1321 or control AAV6.miLacZ vectors for 9 months, with the goal of correcting whole muscle functional deficits in aged TgT57I gastrocnemius muscles.
[0090] Before measuring specific force, MYOT suppression by AAV6.miMYOT (79% mRNA; 63% protein; FIG. 1 c ) was confirmed to be still benefiting TgT57I animals at 9-months of age, using the outcome measures established in our younger, 3-mo cohort. AAV6.miMYOT-treated TgT57I animals showed significant correction by all measures, compared to AAV6.miLacZ control-treated counterparts. Specifically, in 9-mo old AAV6.miMYOT-treated TgT57I animals, aggregates were reduced by 52% (p<0.01); myofibers were 9.1 μm (20%) larger (54 μm average versus 44.9 μm average in AAV6.miLacZ-treated TgT57I; p<O); gastrocnemius muscles weighed 12% more (116 mg average versus 101 mg average in AAV6.miLacZ-treated TgT57I; p>0.002); and central nuclei were reduced 1.5-fold (10.6% in AAV6.miMYOT-treated versus 15.5% in AAV6.miLacZ-treated TgT57I; p<0.04). The improvements afforded by AAV6.miMYOT were partial, as TgT57I animals treated with this therapeutic vector were still significantly different from wild-type groups using all outcome measures at 9-mos ( FIG. 5 ).
[0091] Importantly, MYOT knockdown by AAV6.miMYOT caused significant functional improvement in Tg571 gastrocnemius muscles, as determined by whole muscle physiology tests. Specifically, MYOT knockdown improved absolute and specific force in 9-mo TgT57I gastrocnemius muscles by 38% and 25%, respectively ( FIG. 5 ). As with the other outcome measures described above, this represented a partial functional recovery, as both groups of TgT57I animals were significantly different from their wild-type treated counterparts ( FIG. 6 ).
[0092] While the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is understood that variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, only such limitations as appear in the claims should be placed on the invention.
[0093] All documents referred to in this application are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
|
The present invention relates to RNA interference-based methods for inhibiting the expression of the myotilin gene. Recombinant adeno-associated viruses of the invention deliver DNAs encoding microRNAs that knock down the expression of myotilin. The methods have application in the treatment of muscular dystrophies such as Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Type 1A.
| 2
|
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/607,783, filed Jan. 28, 2015, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/469,107, filed Aug. 26, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,029,923, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/177,459, filed Feb. 11, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,823,066, which is a divisional patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/891,655, filed May 10, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,697,511, which claims benefit pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/648,817, filed May 18, 2012. The entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor integrated circuits, in particular, integrated circuits that use MOS transistors, are becoming more and more highly integrated. As the circuits achieve higher integration, the size of MOS transistors used therein is reduced to a nanometer range. With smaller MOS transistors, it sometimes becomes difficult to suppress leak current and to decrease the area occupied by the circuit since a particular amount of current is required. Under these circumstances, a surrounding gate transistor (hereinafter referred to as SGT), which includes a source, a gate, and a drain arranged in perpendicular to a substrate, the gate surrounding a pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, has been proposed (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2-71556, 2-188966, and 3-145761).
Using a metal in the gate electrode instead of polysilicon helps suppress depletion and decrease the resistance of the gate electrode. However, this requires a production process that always takes into account metal contamination caused by the metal gate in the steps subsequent to formation of the metal gate.
To produce existing MOS transistors, a metal-gate-last process in which a metal gate is formed after a high temperature process is put into practice so as to avoid incompatibility between the metal gate process and the high temperature process (for example, refer to A 45 nm Logic Technology with High-k+Metal Gate Transistors, Strained Silicon, 9 Cu Interconnect Layers, 193 nm Dry Patterning, and 100% Pb-free Packaging, IEDM2007 K. Mistry et. al, pp 247-250).
That is, a MOS transistor has been made by forming a gate with polysilicon, depositing an interlayer insulating film on the polysilicon, exposing the polysilicon gate by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), etching the polysilicon gate, and depositing a metal. In order to avoid incompatibility between the metal gate process and the high temperature process, it is also necessary for producing a SGT to employ a metal-gate-last process with which a metal gate is formed after a high temperature process. Since the upper part of a pillar-shaped silicon layer of a SGT is located at a position higher than the gate, some adjustment must be made in employing the metal-gate-last process.
An existing MOS transistor uses a first insulating film in order to decrease the parasitic capacitance between the gate line and the substrate. For example, in making a FINFET (refer to High performance 22/20 nm FinFET CMOS devices with advanced high-K/metal gate scheme, IEDM2010, C C. Wu, et. al, 27.1.1-27.1.4, for example), a first insulating film is formed around one fin-shaped semiconductor layer and then etched back so as to expose the fin-shaped semiconductor layer and to decrease the parasitic capacitance between the gate line and the substrate. In making a SGT also, a first insulating film is needed to reduce the parasitic capacitance between the gate line and the substrate. Since a SGT includes not only a fin-shaped semiconductor layer but also a pillar-shaped semiconductor layer, some adjustment must be made in order to form a pillar-shaped semiconductor layer.
According to a known SGT manufacturing process, a contact hole for a pillar-shaped silicon layer is formed by etching through a mask and then contact holes for a gate line and a planar silicon layer are formed by etching through a mask (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-258780). That is, conventionally, two masks have been used for forming contacts.
SUMMARY
The present invention has been made under the above-described circumstances. An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device having reduced parasitic capacitance between a gate line and a substrate.
A method for producing a semiconductor device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes:
a first step of forming a fin-shaped silicon layer on a silicon substrate, forming a first insulating film around the fin-shaped silicon layer, and forming a pillar-shaped silicon layer in an upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer so that a width of the pillar-shaped silicon layer is equal to a width of the fin-shaped silicon layer; the second step of implanting an impurity to an upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer, an upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer, and a lower portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer to form diffusion layers, the second step being performed after the first step; the third step of forming a gate insulating film, a polysilicon gate electrode, a polysilicon gate line, and a polysilicon gate pad so that the gate insulating film covers the periphery and an upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer and the polysilicon gate electrode covers the gate insulating film, that, after the formation of the polysilicon gate electrode, the polysilicon gate line, and the polysilicon gate pad, an upper surface of the polysilicon is located at a position higher than the gate insulating film located on the diffusion layer in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer, and that the width of the polysilicon gate electrode and the width of the polysilicon gate pad are larger than the width of the polysilicon gate line, the third step being performed after the second step; the fourth step of forming a silicide in an upper portion of the diffusion layer in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer, the fourth step being performed after the third step; the fifth step of depositing an interlayer insulating film, exposing the polysilicon gate electrode, polysilicon gate line, and the polysilicon gate pad, and etching the polysilicon gate electrode, polysilicon gate line, and the polysilicon gate pad, and depositing a metal layer so as to form a metal gate electrode, a metal gate line, and a metal gate pad, the metal gate line extending in a direction perpendicular to the fin-shaped silicon layer and being connected to the metal gate electrode, the fifth step being performed after the fourth step; and the sixth step of forming a contact directly connected to the diffusion layer in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer, the sixth step being performed after the fifth step.
Preferably, a first resist for forming the fin-shaped silicon layer on the silicon substrate is formed, the silicon substrate is etched by using the first resist so as to form the fin-shape silicon layer, and then the first resist is removed.
Preferably, the first insulating film is deposited around the fin-shaped silicon layer and the first insulating film is etched back to expose the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer.
Preferably, a second resist is formed so as to perpendicularly intersect the fin-shaped silicon layer, the fin-shaped silicon layer is etched by using the second resist, and the second resist is removed so that the part where the fin-shaped silicon layer and the second resist intersect forms the pillar-shaped silicon layer.
Preferably, a second oxide film is deposited from above a structure that includes the fin-shaped silicon layer formed on the silicon substrate, the first insulating film formed around the fin-shaped silicon layer, and the pillar-shaped silicon layer formed in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer, a first nitride film is formed on the second oxide film, and the first nitride film is etched so as to be left as a sidewall.
Preferably, an impurity is then implanted so as to form the diffusion layers in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer and the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer, the first nitride film and the second oxide film are removed, and then a heat-treatment is performed.
In a structure that includes the fin-shaped silicon layer formed on the silicon substrate, the first insulating film formed around the fin-shaped silicon layer, the pillar-shaped silicon layer formed in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer, the diffusion layer formed in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer and the lower portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer, and the diffusion layer formed in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer,
preferably, a gate insulating film is formed, polysilicon is deposited and planarized, and an upper surface of the planarized polysilicon is located at a position higher than the gate insulating film on the diffusion layer in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer; and preferably, a second nitride film is deposited, a third resist for forming the polysilicon gate electrode, the polysilicon gate line, and the polysilicon gate pad is formed, the second nitride film and the polysilicon are etched by using the third resist so as to form the polysilicon gate electrode, the polysilicon gate line, and the polysilicon gate pad, the gate insulating film is etched, and then the third resist is removed.
Preferably, a third nitride film is deposited and etched so as to be left as a sidewall, a metal layer is deposited, and a silicide is formed in an upper portion of the diffusion layer in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer.
Preferably, a fourth nitride film is deposited, an interlayer insulating film is deposited and planarized, the polysilicon gate electrode, the polysilicon gate line, and the polysilicon gate pad are exposed, the polysilicon gate electrode, the polysilicon gate line, and the polysilicon gate pad are removed, and spaces where the polysilicon gate electrode, the polysilicon gate line, and the polysilicon gate pad had existed are filled with a metal, and the metal is etched to expose the gate insulating film on the diffusion layer in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer and to form the metal gate electrode, the metal gate line, and the metal gate pad.
Preferably, a fifth nitride film thicker than a half of the width of the polysilicon gate line and thinner than a half of the width of the polysilicon gate electrode and a half of the width of the polysilicon gate pad is deposited to form contact holes on the pillar-shaped silicon layer and the metal gate pad.
A semiconductor device according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a fin-shaped silicon layer on a silicon substrate;
a first insulating film around the fin-shaped silicon layer; a pillar-shaped silicon layer on the fin-shaped silicon layer, a width of the pillar-shaped silicon layer being equal to a width of the fin-shaped silicon layer; a first diffusion layer in an upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer and in a lower portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer; a second diffusion layer in an upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer; a gate insulating film around the pillar-shaped silicon layer; a metal gate electrode around the gate insulating film; a metal gate line extending in a direction perpendicular to the fin-shaped silicon layer and connected to the metal gate electrode; a metal gate pad connected to the metal gate line; a contact on the metal gate line; and a nitride film on an entire top surface of the metal gate electrode and the metal gate line except the bottom of the contact and a nitride film on the sidewall of the metal gate electrode and gate line; wherein a vertical thickness of the nitride film on the entire top surface of the metal gate electrode and the metal gate line relative to the substrate is greater than a horizontal thickness of the nitride film on the sidewall of the metal gate electrode and gate line relative to the substrate, and wherein a height of the top surface of the metal gate electrode is equal to a height of the top surface of the metal gate line relative to the substrate.
According to the present invention, a method for producing a semiconductor device, the method being a gate-last process capable of reducing the parasitic capacitance between the gate line and the substrate and a semiconductor device produced through this method can be provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 1A , and FIG. 1C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 1A ;
FIG. 2A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 2A , and FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 2A ;
FIG. 3A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 3A , and FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 3A ;
FIG. 4A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 4A , and FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 4A ;
FIG. 5A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 5A , and FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 5A ;
FIG. 6A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 6A , and FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 6A ;
FIG. 7A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 7A , and FIG. 7C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 7A ;
FIG. 8A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 8A , and FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 8A ;
FIG. 9A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 9A , and FIG. 9C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 9A ;
FIG. 10A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 10A , and FIG. 10C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 10A ;
FIG. 11A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 11A , and FIG. 11C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 11A ;
FIG. 12A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 12A , and FIG. 12C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 12A ;
FIG. 13A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 13A , and FIG. 13C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 13A ;
FIG. 14A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 14A , and FIG. 14C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 14A ;
FIG. 15A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 15B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 15A , and FIG. 15C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 15A ;
FIG. 16A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 16B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 16A , and FIG. 16C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 16A ;
FIG. 17A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 17A , and FIG. 17C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 17A ;
FIG. 18A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 18B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 18A , and FIG. 18C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 18A ;
FIG. 19A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 19B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 19A , and FIG. 19C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 19A ;
FIG. 20A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 20B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 20A , and FIG. 20C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 20A ;
FIG. 21A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 21B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 21A , and FIG. 21C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 21A ;
FIG. 22A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 22B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 22A , and FIG. 22C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 22A ;
FIG. 23A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 23B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 23A , and FIG. 23C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 23A ;
FIG. 24A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 24B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 24A , and FIG. 24C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 24A ;
FIG. 25A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 25B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 25A , and FIG. 25C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 25A ;
FIG. 26A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 26B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 26A , and FIG. 26C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 26A ;
FIG. 27A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 27B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 27A , and FIG. 27C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 27A ;
FIG. 28A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 28B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 28A , and FIG. 28C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 28A ;
FIG. 29A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 29B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 29A , and FIG. 29C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 29A ;
FIG. 30A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 30B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 30A , and FIG. 30C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 30A ;
FIG. 31A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 31B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 31A , and FIG. 31C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 31A ;
FIG. 32A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 32B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 32A , and FIG. 32C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 32A ;
FIG. 33A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 33B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 33A , and FIG. 33C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 33A ;
FIG. 34A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 34B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 34A , and FIG. 34C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 34A ;
FIG. 35A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 35B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 35A , and FIG. 35C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 35A ;
FIG. 36A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 36B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 36A , and FIG. 36C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 36A ;
FIG. 37A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 37B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 37A , and FIG. 37C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 37A ;
FIG. 38A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 38B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 38A , and FIG. 38C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 38A ; and
FIG. 39A is a plan view of a semiconductor device according to the present invention, FIG. 39B is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X′ in FIG. 39A , and FIG. 39C is a cross-sectional view taken along line Y-Y′ in FIG. 39A .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A method for producing a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a semiconductor device obtained by the method will now be described with reference to drawings.
A production method that includes forming a fin-shaped silicon layer on a silicon substrate, forming a first insulating film around the fin-shaped silicon layer, and forming a pillar-shaped silicon layer in an upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer is described below.
First, as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C , a first resist 102 for forming a fin-shaped silicon layer is formed on a silicon substrate 101 .
Next, as shown in FIGS. 3A-3C , the silicon substrate 101 is etched to form a fin-shaped silicon layer 103 . Although a fin-shaped silicon layer is formed by using a resist as a mask here, a hard mask such as an oxide film or a nitride film may be used instead of the resist.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 4A-4C , the first resist 102 is removed.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 5A-5C , a first insulating film 104 composed of an oxide is formed around the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 by deposition. The first insulating film may be an oxide film formed by a high-density plasma process or an oxide film formed by a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition process instead of one made by such a deposition method.
As shown in FIGS. 6A-6C , the first insulating film 104 is etched back to expose an upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 . The process up to here is the same as the process of making a fin-shaped silicon layer in PTL 2.
As shown in FIGS. 7A-7C , a second resist 105 is formed to perpendicularly intersect the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 . The part where the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 and the second resist 105 intersect forms a pillar-shaped silicon layer. Since a line-shaped resist can be used as such, the possibility of the break of the resist after formation of a pattern is low and the process becomes stable.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 8A-8C , the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 is shaped by etching. As a result, the part where the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 and the second resist 105 intersect forms a pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 . Accordingly, the width of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 is equal to the width of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 . As a result, a structure in which the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 is formed in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 and the first insulating film 104 is formed around the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 is formed.
As shown in FIGS. 9A-9C , the second resist 105 is removed.
A method for forming diffusion layers by implanting an impurity into an upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer, an upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer, and a lower portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer is described below.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 10A-10C , a second oxide film 107 is formed by deposition and a first nitride film 108 is formed. In order to prevent the impurity from being implanted into the sidewall of the pillar-shaped silicon layer, the first nitride film 108 need be formed only on the sidewall of the pillar-shaped silicon layer so as to have a sidewall shape. Since the upper part of the pillar-shaped silicon layer will be covered with a gate insulating film and a polysilicon gate electrode in the subsequent steps, it is desirable to form a diffusion layer in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer before the pillar-shaped silicon layer is covered as such.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 11A-11C , the first nitride film 108 is etched so as to be left as a sidewall.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 12A-12C , an impurity such as arsenic, phosphorus, or boron is implanted to form a diffusion layer 110 in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer and diffusion layers 109 and 111 in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 .
Then, as shown in FIGS. 13A-13C , the first nitride film 108 and the second oxide film 107 are removed.
Referring now to FIGS. 14A-14C , a heat-treatment is performed. The diffusion layers 109 and 111 in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 come into contact with each other so as to form a diffusion layer 112 . As a result of the above-described steps, an impurity is implanted into the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 , the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 , and the lower portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 so as to form the diffusion layers 110 and 112 .
A method for preparing a polysilicon gate electrode, a polysilicon gate line, and a polysilicon gate pad by using polysilicon will now be described. According to this method, an interlayer insulating film is first deposited and then a polysilicon gate electrode, a polysilicon gate line, and a polysilicon gate pad are exposed by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). Thus, it is essential that the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer remain unexposed despite CMP.
In other words, as shown in FIGS. 15A-15C , a gate insulating film 113 is formed, a polysilicon 114 is deposited, and the surface thereof is planarized. The upper surface of the polysilicon 114 after planarization is to come at a position higher than the gate insulating film 113 on the diffusion layer 110 in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 . In this manner, the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer can remain unexposed despite CMP, during which a polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , a polysilicon gate line 114 b , and a polysilicon gate pad 114 c become exposed and which is performed after deposition of the interlayer insulating film.
Next, a second nitride film 115 is deposited. The second nitride film 115 prevents formation of a silicide in the upper portions of the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , polysilicon gate line 114 b , and polysilicon gate pad 114 c during the process of forming a silicide in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 .
Next, as shown in FIGS. 16A-16C , a third resist 116 for forming the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , the polysilicon gate line 114 b , and the polysilicon gate pad 114 c is formed. The polysilicon gate pad 114 c is preferably arranged so that the part that forms a gate line perpendicularly intersects the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 in order to decrease the parasitic capacitance between the gate line and the substrate. The width of the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a and the width of the polysilicon gate pad 114 c are preferably larger than the width of the polysilicon gate line 114 b.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 17A-17C , the second nitride film 115 is formed by etching.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 18A-18C , the polysilicon 114 is etched to form the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , the polysilicon gate line 114 b , and the polysilicon gate pad 114 c.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 19A-19C , the gate insulating film 113 is etched so as to remove the bottom portion of the gate insulating film 113 .
Then, as shown in FIGS. 20A-20C , the third resist 116 is removed.
The polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , the polysilicon gate line 114 b , and the polysilicon gate pad 114 c are thus formed through the steps described above.
The upper surface of the polysilicon after forming the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , the polysilicon gate line 114 b , and the polysilicon gate pad 114 c is located at a position higher than the gate insulating film 113 on the diffusion layer 110 in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 .
A method for forming a silicide in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer will now be described. This method is characterized in that no silicide is formed in the upper portions of the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , the polysilicon gate line 114 b , and the polysilicon gate pad 114 c , and the diffusion layer 110 in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 . It is not preferable to form a silicide in the diffusion layer 110 in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 since the number of steps in the method will increase.
First, as shown in FIGS. 21A-21C , a third nitride film 117 is deposited.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 22A-22C , the third nitride film 117 is etched to be left as a sidewall.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 23A-23C , a metal such as nickel or cobalt is deposited to form a silicide 118 in the upper portion of the diffusion layer 112 in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 . Since the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , the polysilicon gate line 114 b , and the polysilicon gate pad 114 c are covered with the third nitride film 117 and the second nitride film 115 and the diffusion layer 110 in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 is covered with the gate insulating film 113 , the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , and the polysilicon gate line 114 b , no silicide is formed in these parts.
Through the steps described above, a silicide is formed in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 .
Next, a gate-last production process in which, after an interlayer insulating film is deposited on the structure obtained through the steps described above, the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , the polysilicon gate line 114 b , and the polysilicon gate pad 114 c are exposed by CMP and removed by etching and then a metal is deposited is described.
First, as shown in FIGS. 24A-24C , a fourth nitride film 119 is deposited to protect the silicide 118 .
Next, as shown in FIGS. 25A-25C , an interlayer insulating film 120 is deposited and the surface thereof is planarized by CMP.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 26A-26C , the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , the polysilicon gate line 114 b , and the polysilicon gate pad 114 c are exposed by CMP.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 27A-27C , the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , the polysilicon gate line 114 b , and the polysilicon gate pad 114 c are etched. They are preferably wet-etched.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 28A-28C , a metal 121 is deposited and the surface thereof is planarized so as to fill the spaces where the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a , the polysilicon gate line 114 b , and the polysilicon gate pad 114 c had existed with the metal 121 . Atomic layer deposition is preferably employed to fill the spaces.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 29A-29C , the metal 121 is etched to expose the gate insulating film 113 on the diffusion layer 110 in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 . As a result, a metal gate electrode 121 a , a metal gate line 121 b , and a metal gate pad 121 c are formed.
The steps described above constitute the method for producing a semiconductor device by a gate-last technique of depositing metal layers after etching the polysilicon gate exposed by CMP after deposition of the interlayer insulating film.
A method for forming contacts will now be described. Here, since no silicide is formed in the diffusion layer 110 in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 , the contact is directly connected to the diffusion layer 110 in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 .
That is, first, as shown in FIGS. 30A-30C , a fifth nitride film 122 is deposited so that the fifth nitride film 122 is thicker than a half of the width of the polysilicon gate line 114 b and thinner than a half of the width of the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a and a half of the width of the polysilicon gate pad 114 c . As a result, contact holes 123 and 124 are formed on the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 and the metal gate pad 121 c . The fifth nitride film 122 and the gate insulating film 113 at the bottom portions of the contact holes 123 and 124 will be removed by a subsequent step of etching the nitride film. Accordingly, a mask for forming the contact hole 123 on the pillar-shaped silicon layer and the contact hole 124 on the metal gate pad 121 c is not needed.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 31A-31C , a fourth resist 125 for forming a contact hole 126 on the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 is formed.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 32A-32C , the fifth nitride film 122 and the interlayer insulating film 120 are etched to form the contact hole 126 .
Then, as shown in FIGS. 33A-33C , the fourth resist 125 is removed.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 34A-34C , the fifth nitride film 122 , the fourth nitride film 119 , and the gate insulating film 113 are etched to expose the silicide 118 and the diffusion layer 110 .
Then, as shown in FIGS. 35A-35C , a metal is deposited to form contacts 127 , 128 , and 129 .
Through the steps described above, the contacts 127 , 128 , and 129 can be formed in the semiconductor device. According to this production method, no silicide is formed in the diffusion layer 110 in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 and thus the contact 128 is directly connected to the diffusion layer 110 in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 .
The method for forming metal wiring layers will now be described.
First, as shown in FIGS. 36A-36C , a metal 130 is deposited.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 37A-37C , fifth resists 131 , 132 , and 133 for forming metal wirings are formed.
Then, as shown in FIGS. 38A-38C , the metal 130 is etched to form metal wirings 134 , 135 , and 136 .
Then, as shown in FIGS. 39A-39C , the fifth resists 131 , 132 , and 133 are removed.
Through the steps described above, the metal wirings 134 , 135 , and 136 which constitute metal wiring layers are formed.
A semiconductor device produced by the production method described above is shown in FIGS. 1A-1C .
The semiconductor device shown in FIGS. 1A-1C includes the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 formed on the silicon substrate 101 , the first insulating film 104 formed around the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 , the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 formed on the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 , the width of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 being equal to the width of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 , and the diffusion layer 112 formed in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 and in the lower portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 .
The semiconductor device shown in FIGS. 1A-1C further includes the diffusion layer 110 formed in the upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 , the silicide 118 formed in the upper portion of the diffusion layer 112 in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 , the gate insulating film 113 formed around the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 , the metal gate electrode 121 a formed around the gate insulating film, the metal gate line 121 b extending in a direction perpendicular to the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 and being connected to the metal gate electrode 121 a , and the metal gate pad 121 c connected to the metal gate line 121 b . The width of the metal gate electrode 121 a and the width of the metal gate pad 121 c are larger than the width of the metal gate line 121 b.
The semiconductor device shown in FIGS. 1A-1C has a structure in which the contact 128 is formed on the diffusion layer 110 and the diffusion layer 110 is directly connected to the contact 128 .
In sum, according to this embodiment of the present invention, a method for producing a SGT, which is a gate-last process capable of decreasing the parasitic capacitance between the gate line and the substrate and which uses only one mask for forming contacts is provided. A SGT structure obtained by this method is also provided.
Since the method for producing a semiconductor device of the embodiment is based on a known method for producing FINFET, the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 , the first insulating film 104 , and the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 can be easily formed.
According to a known method, a silicide is formed in the upper portion of a pillar-shaped silicon layer. Since the polysilicon deposition temperature is higher than the temperature for forming the silicide, the silicide needs to be formed after forming the polysilicon gate. Thus, in the case where a silicide is to be formed in the upper portion of a silicon pillar, the steps of forming a polysilicon gate, forming a hole in the upper portion of the polysilicon gate electrode, forming a sidewall with an insulating film on the sidewall of that hole, forming a silicide, and filling the hole with an insulating film are needed. Thus, there is a problem in that the number of steps in the method will increase.
In contrast, according to the embodiment described above, diffusion layers are formed before forming the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a and the polysilicon gate line 114 b and the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 is covered with the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a so that the silicide is formed in the upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer 103 only. Then a gate is formed with a polysilicon, the interlayer insulating film 120 is deposited, the polysilicon gate is exposed by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), and then the polysilicon gate is etched, followed by deposition of a metal. Such a metal-gate-last production method can be used in this embodiment. Thus, according to this method for producing a semiconductor device, a SGT having a metal gate can be easily produced.
The width of the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a and the width of the polysilicon gate pad 114 c are larger than the width of the polysilicon gate line 114 b . Furthermore, the fifth nitride film 122 thicker than a half of the width of the polysilicon gate line 114 b and thinner than a half of the width of the polysilicon gate electrode 114 a and a half of the width of the polysilicon gate pad 114 c are deposited in a hole formed by etching the polysilicon gate after forming the metal gate. Thus, the contact holes 123 and 124 can be formed on the pillar-shaped silicon layer 106 and the metal gate pad 121 c , and thus a conventionally required etching step that forms a contact hole in the pillar-shaped silicon layer through a mask is no longer needed. In other words, only one mask is needed to form contacts.
It should be understood that various other embodiments and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention in a broad sense. The embodiment described above is merely illustrative and does not limit the scope of the present invention.
|
A semiconductor device includes a pillar-shaped silicon layer on a fin-shaped silicon layer. A gate insulating film and a metal gate electrode are around the pillar-shaped silicon layer and a metal gate line extends in a direction perpendicular to the fin-shaped silicon layer and is connected to the metal gate electrode. A contact resides on the metal gate line and a nitride film is on an entire top surface of the metal gate electrode and the metal gate line, except for the bottom of the contact. A vertical thickness of the nitride film relative to the substrate is greater than a horizontal thickness of the nitride film on the sidewall of the metal gate electrode and gate line relative to the substrate.
| 7
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a protective case for a quartz-rod optical wave guide in which the interior wall of the case is throughout its major portion spaced from the outer surface of the quartz rod.
If used for polymerizing dental fillings of plastics material, a quartz-rod optical wave guide serves to direct the ultraviolet radiation generated by a light source contained in a hand-held appliance to the location of treatment inside a patient's mouth. Preferably, such quartz rod has a curved light spill end.
It is important to avoid substantial transmission loss of the radiation travelling through the wave guide. A quartz rod acts as an ultraviolet wave guide almost free of loss as long as there is a boundary layer of air surrounding its outer surface. Any surface contact with other materials creates substantial loss, particularly at the curved portion of the wave guide.
For the following two reasons, it is undesirable to use a completely unprotected quartz rod:
(1) A certain amount of radiation escapes to the environment along the outer surface of the quartz rod, especially at curvatures. Such a stray radiation has a blinding effect on the user. Besides, any undesired ultraviolet irradiation is to be generally avoided. According to a regulation set by the American Dental Association, ultraviolet stray radiation in the spectral range from 315 to 400 nm shall be limited to a maximum energy of 1.0 mW/cm 2 .
(2) A quartz rod is a relatively fragile structural element, so that a protective envelope is desired also for this reason.
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,602,956 discloses a protective casing for a quartz-rod optical wave guide, which consists of a tubing shrunk onto the quartz rod, an air boundary layer between the quartz rod and the tubing being created by subsequently slitting the tubing in its longitudinal direction.
A further protective casing for a quartz rod is known from German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,607,249 in which the curved portion of the quartz rod is surrounded by a helix of metal or plastics which is covered again by a shrink-down tubing. The helix contacts a comparatively small surface area of the uninsulated wave guide.
Another quartz rod available in the market replaces the helix by a plastics netting.
It is important for any parts that are used in patients' mouths that they can be properly cleaned or sterillized. In this connection, the American Dental Association requires any one of the following procedures:
(1) Vapour sterilization for ten minutes in an autoclave at 121° C. and a pressure of 1.075 bar above atmospheric;
(2) dry sterilization at temperatures up to 170° C.;
(3) cleaning by liquid solvents and submerging for 60 minutes in a cold disinfectant solution.
Procedure (3) above is not readily followed in practice as it does not really guarantee a 100-percent sterilization.
The protective cases for quartz-rod optical wave guides of the prior art as mentioned above have serious disadvantages from the cleaning standpoint. Some of the commercially available dry sterilizes employ temperatures of up to 220° C. Unsuited plastics material will be completely destroyed at such temperatures. On the other hand, a synthetic material which would resist these temperatures, such as tetrafluoroethylene, is too expensive.
If wet sterilization is applied, all prior art devices have another serious disadvantage in common. If water enters the space between the quartz rod and the cover, the ability of the quartz rod to guide ultraviolet radiation is drastically reduced (reduction by up to 70 percent). Particularly quartz rods fixedly surrounded by a shrink-down tubing with spacers such as netting or helices disposed between the rod and the tubing are very much exposed to this danger because, even with an intact tubing, the aqueous solution in which the rod is submerged will soon penetrate underneath the tubing along capillaries formed between the spacers. This liquid will not easily drain off subsequently to the cleaning procedure, but will attack metal parts and affect or destroy the function of the entire appliance. If the case consists of a slit tubing, the liquid will drain off, but remainders of the solvent will stay and dry in on the quartz rod surface, thereby progressively impeding the transmission. A sterilization in an autoclave using pressurized vapour of 120° C. will similarly affect the function of the device.
In summary, the protective cases for quartz rods heretofore known are suitable only for being superficially wiped off with a cleaner in order not to jeopordize its proper function, because an absolutely fluid-tight closure at both ends of a shrink-down tubing is never guaranteed.
A further serious disadvantage of a shielding using a fixedly surrounding shrink-down tubing resides in that a fracture in the quartz rod is not easily recognized, since even a completely broken rod will be fixedly supported by the solid tubing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to avoid the above-mentioned difficulties and disadvantages.
More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a protective case for a quartz-rod optical wave guide in which the spacing essential for the guiding of radiation through the quartz rod is insured and which, at the same time, permits easy and complete cleaning and sterilization in accordance with any desired procedure.
To meet with this object, the case of the present invention comprises rigid shells which contact the quartz rod at a minimum of points and which are simply disassembled to ensure complete drying upon sterilization.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shells have stepped edges overlapping each other thereby avoiding any radiation from escaping through gaps that may be caused by manufacturing tolerances at the separation lines of the shells.
In a further preferred embodiment, a sleeve adapted to be slid onto an end portion of the shells serves to hold the shells tightly together and simultaneously prevents the quartz rod from dangling within the case. At the other end, the shells are preferably held together by forming one common circumferential groove adapted to be inserted in, and held by, a socket of the appliance with which the wave guide is used. This embodiment may turn out particularly useful in practice. In another preferred embodiment, the shells are held together at the said other end by a retaining nut screwed onto a common thread formed by the two shells.
In a further advantageous embodiment, at least one of the shells is bevelled at an end portion thereof, whereby the protective case is particularly easily dismantled.
In as much as the quartz rod is inserted into a patient's mouth, the sleeve used for holding the forward ends of the shells together is preferably made of soft plastics material. A particularly light-weight casing is achieved by making the shells of an aluminum alloy.
If the quartz rod is curved, the case is preferably made up of two shells having edges abutting each other in the plane in which the quartz rod is curved, thereby achieving a particularly high stiffness of the shells, thus avoiding gaping of the shells even in their middle portion. Alternatively, the shell edges may be provided with slide latches which hold the shells tightly together in the assembled condition, yet permit easy disassembling thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a protective case, partly broken away to show the inserted quartz rod, according to a first embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 shows a cross section along the line II--II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 illustrates the rear portion of the case of FIG. 1, rotated by 90°;
FIG. 4 shows the rear portion of the protective case of FIGS. 1 to 3 inserted into the front end of a hand-held appliance containing an ultraviolet radiation source;
FIG. 5 is a side view similar to FIG. 1 of a protective case according to a second embodiment of the invention, with a quartz rod inserted; and
FIG. 6 shows the front end of a protective case according to a modification of the embodiment depicted in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The protective case shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 for a quartz-rod optical wave guide 10 which is curved near its front light spill end as also shown in the Figures, consists of two shells 11 and 12 made of an aluminum alloy and abutting each other along separation lines extending in the plane in which the quartz rod is curved. At its edges forming the separation lines, the shell 11 is formed with an inner projecting step, and the shell 12 is formed with an outer projecting step. These steps overlap each other in the assembled condition as shown in FIG. 2, which not only prevents radiation from escaping at the escaping at the separation lines but also--in combination with the curvature--results in a mutual locking of the shells in the axial direction.
At their rear ends, the two generally semicylindrical shells 11 and 12 together form one common annular groove 13 and one common annular flange 14. When the wave guide 10 covered by the shells 11 and 12 is inserted into the front end of the appliance partly shown in FIG. 4, the annular flange 14 engages a front abutting surface 15, and the annular groove 13 engages a resilient ring 16 or a plurality of spring-biassed detent balls provided in the thus designed socket of the appliance for locking the quartz rod. By being inserted into this socket, the shells 11 and 12 are simultaneously held together at their rear end.
A sleeve 17 of soft plastics material is slid onto the front end of the quartz rod and shells to serve the following purposes:
(1) The shells 11 and 12 are mutually fixed. Gaping of shells at their front ends is thereby prevented.
(2) For reasons of manufacture, the diameter of the quartz rod 10 must have a greater negative tolerance than the shells 11, 12. The sleeve 17 removes the free play of the quartz rod.
(3) Should the dentist inadvertently touch a tooth, the contact occurs with the soft plastics of the sleeve 17 rather than with the metal of the shells 11, 12. PG,8
(4) The sleeve 17, prevents saliva from entering between the protective case and the quartz rod during the dental treatment.
The sleeve 17 may be made either of heat resistant material such as tetrafluoroethylene, in which case it forms a part to be sterilized; alternatively, it may be molded of a low-cost plastics such as polyethylene, and disposable.
The following manipulations are necessary for disassembling the protective case of FIGS. 1 to 3:
Upon withdrawing the quartz rod from the socket shown in FIG. 4, the sleeve 17 is slid off. Subsequently, the rear ends of the two shells 11 and 12 are compressed between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. Bevelled portions 18 provided in this area at the edges of the shell 12 and extending under an angle of e.g. 4° cause the two shells to open at their forward ends so that the quartz rod 10 may now be grasped with the other hand and withdrawn. In the thus dismantled condition, the quartz rod 10, the two shells 11 and 12, and the sleeve 17 (if re-used) may be cleaned or sterilized in accordance with any desired procedure and dried prior to being reassembled, so that no humidity or foreign material may remain in the critical space between the outer surface of the quartz rod 10 and the interior wall of the protective case. The dismounting provides for the further advantage that any damage of the quartz rod becomes easy to detect. Reassembling the parts is unproblematic as the quartz rod 10 upon being inserted into one of the two shells will serve as a guide for the other shell.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the protective case consists of two shells 21 and 22 abutting along separation lines lying in a plane which contains the center line of the quartz rod and extends vertically to the plane of curvature of the quartz rod. Just as the shells 11 and 12 in FIGS. 1 to 3, the shells 21 and 22 have stepped edges overlapping each other in the assembled condition. Mutual locking of the shells 21 and 22 is achieved by three parallelogram-shaped recesses 23 provided at both edges of the lower shell 22 which engage corresponding parallelogram-shaped projections 24 formed at the edges of the upper shell 21. The projections 24 are somewhat shorter in the axial direction than the recesses 23 to allow relative movement between the shells 21 and 22 in the axial direction. In the fully assembled condition of the two shells, the left-hand edges of the recesses 23 as viewed in FIG. 5 engage the left-hand edges of the projections 24 in an interlocking manner to prevent gaping of the shells along the separation lines.
At their rear ends the shells 21 and 22 are shaped so as to form together one common thread 25 to be engaged by a retaining nut 26 which may be screwed onto the thread 25 against the annular flange 14 formed by the two shells to hold the shells together. As above, the two shells furthermore form one common annular groove 13 for snap-engagement with the socket of an appliance shown in FIG. 4.
In the modification shown in FIG. 6, Z-shaped recesses 33 are provided at the front end of the lower shell 32 and complementary shaped projections 34 are provided at the front end of the upper shell 31 in addition to, or instead of, the recesses 23 and projections 24 illustrated in FIG. 5. The recesses 33 and projections 34 engage each other in a hingelike manner and again prevent the shells from gaping.
The sleeve 17 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 may be used also in combination with the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6. Similarly, it is possible to use the retaining nut 26 shown in FIG. 5 also with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.
The annular groove 13 provided at the rear end of the two shells and cooperating with the socket shown in FIG. 4 provides the following advantages:
(1) Removing and reinserting the quartz rod takes place by simple pull and push motions.
(2) The quartz rod may be rotated 360° about its axis. The retaining force created by the resilient ring 16 (or the resiliently biassed detent balls, respectively) is absolutely uniform.
(3) The resiliency absorbs tolerances of the fitting as it acts on the conical annular groove 13, thereby pulling the protective case with its annular flange to abut against the socket. The quartz rod is thus retained without free play.
(4) When inserting the quartz rod, the cylindrical socket of the appliance renders the retaining nut 26 unnecessary if the case is divided into shells as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, or if, as in the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, locating pins are provided at the rear ends of the shell edges, which makes the case even simpler to assemble and disassemble.
The advantages achieved with the above described protective case for a quartz-rod optical wave guide are summarized below:
(1) With the rigid shells forming a protective case the inner diameter of which is only slightly greater than the outer diameter of the quartz rod, contact is made only at three to four points, while an air boundary layer is maintained at all other locations. This ensures optimum transmission of radiation along the quartz rod.
(2) The mutually overlapping shells, which preferably consist of metal or a suitable rigid plastics material, reliably guarantee complete radiation tightness.
(3) The protective case simultaneously provides for reliable mechanical protection of the quartz rod.
(4) The protective case is easy to disassemble and thus convenient and thorough to clean or sterilize in accordance with any desired procedure.
(5) Fractures in the quartz rod are immediately detected in the dismounted condition.
(6) The snap-in connection between the quartz rod and the socket of the appliance allows quick replacement and rotation of the quartz rod with respect to the socket, which is of particular advantage if the device is used by a dentist for treating dental fillings.
|
A quartz rod used as an optical wave guide to direct radiation of a desired spectrum onto a limited area, such as a dental cavity filled with a material curable by the radiation, is protected by a case including at least two rigid shells which tightly enclose the quartz rod but are easy to disassemble for being cleaned, and easy to reassemble thereafter. The interior wall of the case formed by the shells is spaced from the outer surface of the quartz rod except at a few points at both ends of the case, to leave the total reflection characteristics at the quartz rod surface unaffected.
| 0
|
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a structure, for use in an operating room or other patient care facility, providing a patient support surface in combination with one or more support columns and a wheeled transport carriage for moving the support surface providing structure from one location to another and for transferring the structure to and from the transport carriage and to and from a support column; and deals more particularly with improvements in the connecting parts on the transport carriage, on the support column and on the support surface providing structure which securely hold the support surface providing structure to the transfer carriage or to the support column and which connecting parts during the transfer of the patient support providing structure from the transfer carriage to a support column, or vice versa, are automatically moved between latched and unlatched conditions to allow the transfer to occur.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a mobile patient support system is known from EP 0 457 246.
The invention has as its object the increasing of the functional security of known mobile patient support systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above-mentioned object is solved in accordance with the invention in that the portion of a latching pawl intended for reception in the detent recess of an associated pin receiver has two arresting ledges at different spacings from the pivot axis of the pawl, in that the control surface of each pin receiver is formed with a control dog, and in that on the portion of the latching pawl intended to engage the control surface of the pin receiver, a control curve is formed intended for cooperation with the control dog and with the control surface, the position and shape of the control dog and of the control curve being so designed, that upon a relative movement of the connecting element relative to the two pin receivers of the support column and of the transport carriage, when in their transfer position, the pawl is pivoted a fractional amount of its maximum pivot angle and moves into the associated detent recess by means of its arresting ledge lying closer to the pawl pivot axis, while its arresting ledge located further from the pawl pivot axis upon a movement of the pin receivers of the support column and transport carriage relative to one another moves latchingly into the detent recess in the pin receiver of the component (transport carriage, support column) taking on the support surface means.
When the pin receivers of the support column and the transport carriage are in their transfer position, the two pawls of the two connecting elements are in their unlatched positions. With the solution of the invention, in this situation the patient support surface means is prevented from being able to be taken from or unintentionally loosened from the support column and the transport carriage. At this moment, if an attempt is made to lift the support surface means so that the connecting elements on the patient support surface means move relative to the pin receivers on the support column and on the transport carriage which remain in their transfer position, the latching pawls through the cooperation of the control dogs with the control curves formed on the latching pawls are so controlled that the pawls are partially pivoted and move into latching relationship with the detent recesses by means of the arresting ledges lying closer to the pawl pivot axes. The same thing happens if, for example, the patient support surface means is tilted. In this situation at least one of the latching pawls also latches, with its arresting ledge closer to the pawl pivot axis, into the adjacent detent recess so that the patient support surface means cannot be unintentionally loosened from the supporting component.
Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, which in connection with the accompanying drawings, explains the invention by way of an exemplary embodiment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings are:
FIGS. 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1f and 1g--schematic sketches for explaining the functioning of the mobile patient support system.
FIG. 2--a partially schematic perspective fragmentary illustration of a connecting pin element and of the associated pin receivers on the support column and on the support carriage.
FIG. 3--a partially sectional illustration in side view of a connecting element.
FIG. 4--a front view of a connecting element taken in the direction of the arrow A of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5--a schematic sectional view illustrating one of the connecting elements, made in accordance with the prior art, latched into the pin receiver of the support column.
FIG. 6a--an illustration corresponding to FIG. 5 of the prior art connecting element, but showing the condition of the connecting element relative to the pin receiver of the support column when the connecting element is received simultaneously in both the pin receiver of the support column and in the pin receiver of the transport carriage.
FIG. 6b--an illustration similar to FIG. 6a, but showing the condition of the prior art connecting element relative to the pin receiver of the transfer carriage when the connecting element is received simultaneously in both the pin receiver of the support column and in the pin receiver of the transport carriage.
FIG. 7--an illustration corresponding to FIG. 5 of the prior art connecting element latched into the pin receiver of the transport carriage.
FIG. 8a--a right side view of a latching pawl.
FIG. 8b--a left side view of the latching pawl of FIG. 8a.
FIG. 8c--a front view of the latching pawl of FIG. 8a.
FIG. 9--a schematic side view showing a connecting element simultaneously received by the pin receiver on the column and the pin receiver on the transport carriage with the pin receivers being in their transfer positions relative to one another.
FIG. 10--a view corresponding to FIG. 9 wherein the connecting element is lifted and tilted.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In FIG. 1a is seen an operating table support column, indicated generally at 10, with a column foot 12 and a column head 14, which head is adjustable in height and supported on the column foot. The height adjusting mechanism is not illustrated. It can be made in any customary way, and as a rule is an hydraulic or mechanical reciprocating device.
To the left next to the supporting column is a transport carriage, indicated generally at 16, carrying a patient support surface means or table plate 18 of the operating table. The transport carriage 16 is made of two side frame portions 20 connected to one another by transverse spars (FIG. 1d). The transverse spars 25,27 are located in a middle region so that the space between the side frame portions 20, from the wheels 28 at the right end of the transport carriage in FIG. 1 to the transverse spars 25,27, is freely accessible. Thus the transport carriage can be moved to the support column 10 so that the support column becomes positioned between the frame portions 20 of the transport carriage, as seen in the schematic plan view of FIG. 1d wherein the support column is illustrated in broken lines.
On the upper ends of the somewhat non-symmetrically shaped side frame portions 20 are formed pin receivers 22 adapted for the reception of pin-like connecting elements 24 arranged on the longitudinal side edges of the table plate 18 and which extend downwardly from the table plate 18. The exact form of the connecting elements will be explained in more detail in connection with the other figures. On two oppositely directed sides of the column head 14 are likewise arranged pin receivers 26 so that they, in the position of the transport carriage 16 relative to the support column 10 illustrated in FIG. 1d, lie opposite to the pin receivers 22 of the transport carriage.
For the transfer of the table plate or support surface means 18 from the transport carriage 16 to the support column 10, the transport carriage 16 is moved to the position relative to the support column 10 illustrated in FIG. 1b. In this position, the connecting elements 24 stand exactly above the pin receivers 26 on the column head 14. Next the column head 14 is lifted by the lifting apparatus inside of the column until the connecting elements 24 on the support surface means 18 are moved entirely into the pin receivers 26 on the column head 14. At this moment, the connecting elements 24 are received at the same time in the pin receivers 22 of the transport wagon 16 and in the pin receivers 26 of the column head 14.
Now, in accordance with FIG. 1e, the column head 14 is further lifted until the support surface means 18 as to its connecting elements 24 is lifted out of the pin receivers 22 of the transport carriage. The transport carriage can now be removed (FIG. 1f). The operating table can then in the customary way, according to need, be adjusted to the desired working height (FIG. 1g). In the transfer of the support surface means from the support column 10 to the transport carriage 16, a reverse procedure is carried out.
The support surface means 18 must be latched onto the support column 10 as well as onto the support carriage 16 in order to prevent an unintended release of the support surface means from the particular support component being used at the time. How this latching and unlatching during the transfer of the support surface means from the support column 10 to the transport carriage 16, or the reverse, takes place will now be described in more detail with reference to the further figures.
The connecting elements 24 are shown in more detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. Each connecting element 24 includes a rectangular flange portion 30 with holes 32, through which holes bolts can be inserted for fastening the connecting element 22 to the support surface means 18. A trapezoidal base body 34 is connected integrally with the flange portion 30, which base body 34 in progressing away from the flange portion diminishes as seen both in side view and in front view, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The base body has on its face or small sides, two fork-like recesses 36 respectively, in each of which a pawl 38 is pivotally supported for movement about an axis 40. The pawl 38 has on its inwardly lying upper edge a stop 42 which prevents the outward pivoting of the pawl from the fork-shaped recess 36 by engagement with a counterstop 44 of the base body 34, as can be seen in FIG. 3. Both pawls 38 are biased toward their outwardly pivoted positions by a helical compression spring 46 working between them.
The pin receivers 22 on the transport carriage and the pin receivers 26 on the column head 14 are formed identically (FIG. 2). They are suited in their shapes to the base bodies of the connecting elements 24, and each is adapted to surround a connecting element, however, only half way. The two open pin receivers 22 and 26 shown in FIG. 2 together form, with their open sides facing one another, a recess which entirely surrounds the associated connecting element 24. It is essential, however, that each pin receiver only on one of the side surfaces facing the front surfaces of the connecting element 22 has a pawl receiving or detent recess 48 while the other side face 50 is smooth and forms a control surface.
If the illustrated connecting element is inserted into the pin receiver 26 of the column head (FIG. 2), the latching pawl 38 lying to the right in the figures can move into the associated detent recess 48. The left lying latching pawl 38 of these figures is pressed against the smooth control surface 50 by the force of the helical compression spring 46 in the base body 34 of the connecting element 24. It is to be noted that the pawls in the direction of their axes extend only half way into the pin receiver 26 of the column head. The plane normal to the axes up to which the connecting element 24 is received in the pin receiver 26 on the column head 14 is illustrated in FIG. 2 at 52.
FIG. 7 illustrates the way in which the connecting element 24 of a prior art device is received in the pin receiver 22 of the transport carriage 16. Here the left-lying latching pawl 38a moves into the provided detent recess 48 while the right latching pawl 38a is pressed by the smooth control surface 50 inwardly into the base body 34 of the connecting element 24. From the illustrations of FIGS. 5 and 7, it can be seen that the support surface means 18 is latched and thereby secured onto the column head 14 when supported by the column head, and is also latched and secured onto the support carriage 16 when supported by the support carriage.
During the transfer on the other hand, there arises a condition at which the connecting element 24 is received simultaneously in the pin receiver 22 of the transport carriage 16 and in the pin receiver 26 of the column head 14. This condition is illustrated in FIGS. 6a and 6b. FIG. 6a shows the condition with respect to the column 10 and FIG. 6b with respect to the transport carriage 16.
Each of the pawls 38a lies against one control surface 50. More particularly, the left pawl 38a lies on the control surface 50 of the pin receiver 26 of the column head 14 and the right pawl 38a lies on the control surface 50 of the pin receiver 22 of the transport carriage 16, so that both pawls 38a are pressed into the base body 34 of the connecting element 24 and are thereby unlatched. This can be seen at the right side of FIG. 6a and on the left side of FIG. 6b. This unlatching takes place automatically at the moment at which the pin recesses 22,26 of the column head 14 and of the transport carriage 16 are at the same height. If now the column head 14 is lowered from this position relative to the transport carriage 16, the transport carriage takes on the support surface means 18, the left pawl 38a in FIG. 6b can latch into the provided detent recess 48 of the pin receiver 22 on the transport carriage 16 and thereby secure the support surface means 18 to the transport carriage. In the reverse situation, if the column head 14 proceeding from the position illustrated in FIG. 6a is lifted from the transport carriage 16 to take on the support surface means 18, then the right pawl 38a moves free of the control surface 50 and can latch into the right lying detent recess 48 of the pin receiver 26 on the column head 14. Therefore, in this case also the support surface 18 is automatically latched onto the column head 14.
In FIGS. 5 to 7 the latching pawls 38a are only schematically illustrated in order to explain their basic function during the transfer of the patient support surface means from the support column 10 to the transport carriage 16, or the reverse. From the illustrated transfer position of FIGS. 6a and 6b, in which the pin receivers 22,26 of the support column 10 and the transport carriage 16 are at the same height, the connection elements 24 can be lifted out of the pin receivers 26 and 22 of the support column 10 and of the transport carriage 16. In order to prevent this, and in accordance with the invention, the latching pawls 38 and the control surfaces 50 are formed in a special way which will now be explained in more detail in connection with FIGS. 8 to 10.
FIGS. 8a and 8b show respectively a left and a right side view of a latching pawl 38, while FIG. 8c shows a view of the outer or forward side of the latching pawl 38 with the direction of view being perpendicular to the pivot axis of the pawl. Each latching pawl 38 has mutually on the two sides of the plane 52, illustrated in FIG. 2 and perpendicular to the pawl pivot axis 40, an arresting or latch portion 54 and a control portion 56 (FIGS. 2 and 8c). The two portions 54,56 are identical at their upper head portion. On this upper head portion is formed a first arresting ledge 58 with which the pawl 38 is received in the associated detent recess 48 when the connecting element 24 is connected with the support column 10 or with the transport carriage 16.
The arresting portion 54 moreover has a second arresting ledge 60 having a shorter radial spacing from the pawl pivot axis than the first arresting ledge 58. Further, as seen in FIGS. 8a and 8b, the arresting portion 54 further is provided with a triangular shaped recess 62 which makes possible a pivoting of the pawl 38 in question into the detent recess 48 as can be appreciated by reference to FIG. 9.
The control portion 56 has, proceeding from the first arresting ledge 58, an essentially straight section 64 and a control curve 66 with an inwardly curved transition curve whose form is seen in FIGS. 8a and 8b.
On the associated control surfaces 50 of the pin receivers 26 and 22 of the support column 10 and of the transport carriage 16, a knuckle shaped control dog 68 is formed which is intended for cooperation with the control portion 56 of the associated latching pawl 38.
FIG. 9 shows in schematic way the pin receivers 22 and 26 in their transfer position in which their contours are entirely covered. From this figure it is to be taken that, as in the illustration of FIG. 2, the left detent recess 48 in FIG. 9 and the right control dog 68 of FIG. 9 belong to the pin receiver 22 of the transport carriage 16, while the right detent recess 48 of FIG. 9 and the left control dog 68 of FIG. 9 belong to the pin receiver 26 on the support column 10. The connecting element 24 is entirely received in the two pin receivers 22 and 26, so that both latching pawls 38 are pivoted to their unlatching positions. Functionally, therefore, the illustration of FIG. 9 corresponds to the situation illustrated by FIGS. 6a and 6b. As can be seen in FIG. 9, the two pawls 38 are pivoted to their unlatched positions because of the associated control dogs 68 lying against the essentially straight line parts of the control portions 56 of the pawls 38. The arresting portion 54 of each pawl is therefore located entirely outside of the contour of the associated detent recess 48.
As can be seen in FIGS. 6a and 6b, upon a lifting of the connecting element 24 out of the pin receivers 22 and 26 in which it remains while in their transfer position, the latching pawls 38 there shown cannot move into their associated detent recesses 48, since the upper edges of the associated locking portions, corresponding to the first arresting ledges 58 on the latching pawls 38 according to the invention, are immediately moved out of the contours of the associated detent recesses 48. In contrast to this, in the inventive solution if the connecting element 24 is lifted upwardly from the two pin receivers 22,24 which are in their transfer position, or is tilted, as shown in FIG. 10, then because of the shape and position of the control dogs 68 and of the control curves 66 at least one pivotal pawl 38 can be pivoted so far outwardly that its second arresting ledge 60 moves latchingly into the associated detent recess 48, as illustrated in the left half of FIG. 10, so that a further pulling out of the connecting element 24 from the pin receivers 22,26 is prevented. This arrangement, therefore, prevents the support surface means 18 from being taken from the support column 10 and the transport carriage 16, or from being unintentionally loosened, at the moment of transfer of the support surface means 18 from the support column 10 to the transport carriage 16, or the reverse. Thereby the security of the mobile patient support system is further increased.
|
A structure providing a patient support surface is transferable between a stationery support column and a wheeled transport carriage with the transport carriage, the support column and the support surface providing structure having connecting parts which cooperate to securely hold the structure to the transfer carriage or to the support column when the structure is mounted on the transfer carriage or the support column, the connecting parts during transfer of the structure from the transfer carriage to a support column, or vice versa, being automatically moved between latched and unlatched conditions to allow the transfer to occur and having security features preventing the patient support surface providing structure from being inadvertently unfastened from both the support column and the transport carriage during a transfer procedure.
| 0
|
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a pump for propelling liquid through a flexible tube segment, and more particularly to a peristaltic pump for propelling liquid through the flexible tube in a concealed manner to ensure the purity of the liquid during transmission and to prevent an environmental pollution of the peristaltic pump.
2. Description of Related Arts
The peristaltic pump is commonly used as a safe and stable liquid pumping device in many different fields such as the medical, pharmaceutical, chemical, nuclear, aviation, and environmental industries.
Nowadays, conventional peristaltic pumps usually comprise an outer casing, a flexible pump tube which is adapted for allowing fluid to flow therealong, a plurality of rotating rollers spacedly supported at the outer casing at equal radial distance. The rotating rollers exert pressure on the pump tube thus to propel the liquid. A negative pressure will then be formed when the pump tube returns to it normal position so ask to suck in fluid from the source and thus continuously propel the fluid to travel in the pump tube. There are many disadvantages for such a conventional peristaltic pump. For examples, the peristaltic pump enclosed in China Patent CN85204827 and CN87107936 uses the rotating rollers to only exert pressure on the pump tube in a particular arc section of the guiding channel so as to achieve a more convenient installation of the pump tube. As a result, the design will experience a radial pulsing force on a particular section of the pump tube and also faces the following problems that are hard to overcome:
1. a high power motor is required to drive the machine to overcome the friction on the particular side, especially for the initial force and the torque, therefore it increases the size of the machine, i.e. the bigger size of driving shaft and the power of the motor, and the design has a low efficiency;
2. the machine is easy to wear out, a special design is needed to suit for the machine in order to keep a desired pressure and displacement exerted by the rollers on the pump tube; and
3. the machine is noisy.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The technical problem that the present invention seeks to solve is to provide a peristaltic pump that is accurate in pumping fluid, cost efficient, low manufactory cost, convenient to repair and minimize the noise level of the machine.
Accordingly, in order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a peristaltic pump comprises an outer casing that has at least one guiding channel, at least one flexible pump tube installed inside the guiding channel, at least two pressuring rollers which is driven by a center driving mechanism. The pump tube has an operating portion and circulates the guiding channel more than one full circle. The pressuring rollers are supported at the circular edge of the center driving mechanism and are driven by the center driving mechanism to rotate and exert pressure on the operating portion of the pump tube thus pumping the fluid along the pump tube.
As an embodiment of the present invention, the center driving mechanism comprises a driving shaft capable of rotating to drive the pressuring rollers, a retainer which is used to retain and support the pressuring rollers, at least a driving plate which can rotate as the same manner as the driving shaft, and a plurality of peripheral indentions formed on outer edges of the driving plates so that the pressuring rollers can be received at the peripheral indention.
According to the present invention, the retainer comprises at least one pedal. A pedal slot is formed at one of the driving plates as a starting plate that the pedal is engaged with the pedal slot. The center driving mechanism comprises at least two driving plates including the starting plate, preferably three or above. The number of the driving plates excluding the starting plate should preferably come in pairs so as to keep symmetry of the center driving mechanism. Accordingly, the center driving mechanism can be constructed to have a plurality set of driving plates that one set of the driving plates is formed as the starting plate. The starting plate can be a single plate structure and should be positioned at the center between other driving plates. The thickness of the single starting plate could be double the thickness of the other driving plates. The pedal slot of the starting plate matches the size of the pedal. The pedal slots of the other driving plates extends along it arc length which is adapted to be driven by the pedal in a predetermined order of the driving plates. A corner of the peripheral indention of the starting plate can be formed in a roundness manner to the outer diameter by making the edge tangent to the outer diameter such that the edge of the peripheral indention is smoothly and gradually extended from the bottom side of the peripheral indention to the outer edge of the starting plate.
In addition, the retainer is used to the distance between the pressuring rollers. The retainer further comprises a retainer shaft protrudes out from two sides of the pressuring roller and engages within a retainer slot of the retainer so that the pressuring roller can be supported firmly and its distance between the pump tube and the driving plates can be retained.
The total thickness of the driving plates should be equal to the length of the pressuring roller and is approximate two times the width of the compressed pump tube. The peripheral indentions are equally spacedly installed at the outer edges of the driving plates and have a corresponding pressuring roller to engage with. The depth and shape of the aligned peripheral indentions of the driving plates should correspond to diameter size of the pump tube so that the pump tube is allowed to recover to its original shape when the pressuring roller is engaged with the peripheral indention of the starting plate.
The outer casing of the peristaltic pump can comprise a plurality of guiding channel wherein each guiding channel has one single pump tube. As an alternative, the outer casing of the peristaltic pump comprises only a single guiding channel but capable to have multiple pump tubes installed within.
The advantage of the present invention is that the peristaltic pump has a full complete circle of propelling path for the pump tube to propel liquid. Since it is a full circle and the pressuring rollers are evenly distributed all around, the force of the pressuring rollers can couple with each other and thus minimize the problem of getting a single stressed area in the peristaltic pump. The pressure exerted on the pump tube are also evenly distributed along the full circle thus to provide a more accurate and stable propelling motion. The present invention can minimize the noise as well as manufacturing and repairing cost of the peristaltic pump. When the peristaltic pump is not in used, the pressuring rollers can receive in the peripheral indention so that the pump tube will not be receiving unnecessary pressure. And the design makes the installation and tuning of the pump tube easier and is suitable for various types of pump tubes.
A main object of the present invention is to provide a peristaltic pump for propelling liquid through a flexible tube segment which is very stable and accurate in propelling liquid while the noise from the peristaltic pump can be minimized.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a peristaltic pump for propelling liquid through a flexible tube segment which is very energy efficient. Another object of the present invention is to provide a peristaltic pump for propelling liquid through a flexible tube segment without exerting pressure on the tube when installing the tube into the peristaltic pump in the beginning of the operation so as to simplify the operation of peristaltic pump and to prevent pump tube being aged when the pressure continuously exerts at the pump tube while being unused.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a peristaltic pump for propelling liquid through a flexible tube segment which does not involve complicated mechanical structure, so as to minimize the manufacturing and repairing cost of the peristaltic pump.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a peristaltic pump for propelling liquid through a flexible tube segment which minimizes the noise effectively.
Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a peristaltic pump for propelling liquid through a flexible tube segment comprising:
an outer casing having a guiding channel and defining a circular path therealong;
a flexible pump tube, which is adapted for allowing the liquid flowing therealong, having an operating portion extending along the guiding channel of the outer casing;
at least two pressuring rollers spacedly and eccentrically supported at the outer casing in a radially movable manner; wherein the two pressuring rollers are radially and outwardly moved to press against the operating portion of the pump tube along the circular path;
a center driving mechanism supported at a center portion of the outer casing to radially push the pressure rollers and to drive the pressuring rollers to concurrently rotate such that the pressuring rollers roll against the operating portion of the pump tube for continuously propelling the fluid in the pump tube in the direction of rotation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top sectional view of the peristaltic pump according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the peristaltic pump according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the driving plate of the transmission unit according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating their peripheral indention and pedal slots.
FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative mode of the starting plate according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates a configuration of the present invention using two pump tubes.
FIG. 6 illustrates a configuration of the present invention using three pump tubes.
FIG. 7 illustrates another alternative of the present invention which the driving plate has two pedal slots.
FIG. 8 is a side view of the outer casing illustrating that it is divided into the upper layer and the lower layer and is capable of rotating for ease of tuning and installation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of the drawings, the peristaltic pump comprises an outer casing 10 , a center driving mechanism, at least two pressuring rollers 40 , a retainer 60 , and a flexible pump tube 90 . The outer casing 10 has a guiding channel 12 formed along an inner wall of the outer casing 10 and defines a circular path therealong, a center driving mechanism supported at a center portion of the outer casing 10 . There are pressuring rollers 40 spacedly and eccentrically supported at the outer casing 10 . The retainer 60 is used to retain and support the pressuring roller 40 . The flexible pump tube 90 made of silicon, which is adapted for allowing the liquid flowing therealong, has an operating portion extending along the guiding channel 12 of the outer casing 10 . Accordingly, the pressuring rollers 40 are symmetrically and planetary supported at the outer casing in a radially movable manner. The center driving mechanism comprises a motor which drives a driving shaft 20 . A transmission unit 30 comprises a cylindrical driving element, wherein a pedal 33 protrudes out from an outer surface of the driving element, and a plurality of driving plates 501 , 502 , 503 , 504 , and 505 in an overlapped manner. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there are five driving plates 501 - 505 .
Referring to FIG. 3 of the drawings of the preferred embodiment, the first to fifth driving plates 501 - 505 are very similar in a circular structure. The third driving plate 503 , which is also regarded as a middle starting plate, has three peripheral indentions 5033 in an arc shape evenly formed at the circumferential edge of the third driving plate 503 . The center portion of the third driving plate 503 has a pedal slot 5035 . The third driving plate 503 has a predetermined diameter that the third driving plate 503 is adapted to push the pressuring roller 40 to substantially press against the pump tube 90 within the guiding channel 12 . The depth and shape of the peripheral indention 5033 of the third driving plate 503 should correspond to diameter size of the pump tube 90 so that the pump tube 90 is allowed to recover to its original shape when the pressuring roller 40 is engaged with the peripheral indention 5033 of the third driving plate 503 . In other words, the radius of the peripheral indention 5033 is slightly larger than the radius of the pressuring roller 40 so as to allow the pump tube 90 not being pressed within the guiding channel 12 when the pressuring roller 40 is located at the peripheral indention 5033 . Accordingly, all five driving plates 501 - 505 have the same structure of the peripheral indentions. The difference between the five driving plates 501 - 505 is the size of the pedal slot. The arc length of the pedal slot 5035 of the third driving plate 503 is the same arc length of the pedal 33 such that the pedal 33 can be fitted into the pedal slot 5035 of the third driving plate 503 . In other words, the size and the shape of the pedal 33 of the transmission unit 30 is fitted right into pedal slot 5035 of the driving plate 503 . The third driving plate 503 is sandwiched between the identical second and fourth driving plates 502 , 504 , wherein the arc length of the pedal slot 5025 , 5045 of each of the second and fourth driving plates 502 , 504 is larger than the arc length of the pedal slot 5035 of the third driving plate 503 . Preferably, arc length of the pedal slot 5025 , 5045 of each of the second and fourth driving plates 502 , 504 is additional 40° of the arc length of the pedal slot 5035 of the third driving plate 503 . In other words, the arc length of the pedal slot 5025 , 5045 of each of the second and fourth driving plates 502 , 504 is additional 40° extending at the operation direction, i.e. the rotational direction of each of the second and fourth driving plates 502 , 504 . The second, third, and fourth driving plates 502 , 503 , 504 are sandwiched between the identical first and fifth driving plates 501 , 505 . In other words, the first and fifth driving plates 501 , 505 are the two outer plates. The arc length of the pedal slot 5015 , 5055 of each of the first and fifth driving plates 501 , 505 is larger than the arc length of the pedal slot 5025 , 5045 of each of the second and fourth driving plates 502 , 504 . Preferably, arc length of the pedal slot 5015 , 5055 of each of the first and fifth driving plates 501 , 505 is additional 80° of the arc length of the pedal slot 5035 of the third driving plate 503 . In other words, the arc length of the pedal slot 5015 , 5055 of each of the first and fifth driving plates 501 , 505 is 80° extending at the operation direction, i.e. the rotational direction of each of the first and fifth driving plates 501 , 505 .
The transmission unit 30 is connected to the driving shaft 20 . The driving plates 501 - 505 are overlappedly combined together to engage with the transmission unit 30 that the pedal slots 5015 , 5025 , 5035 , 5045 , and 5055 are coaxially aligned with each other. The pedal 33 of the driving element engages the pedal slots 5015 , 5025 , 5035 , 5045 , 5055 of the driving plates 501 - 505 such that when the driving element is driven to rotate by the driving shaft 20 , the driving plates 501 - 505 are driven to rotate subsequently by the pedal 33 .
The peripheral indentions as shown in FIG. 3 all have sharp corners. FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative mode of the peripheral indention wherein a corner of the peripheral indention 5033 of the third driving plate 503 can be modified as a round corner as shown by the dotted line which tangents out with the outer diameter of the driving plate 503 . The second and third driving plates 502 504 can follow the same modification as the third driving plate 503 to minimize the clearance of the driving plates 501 - 505 when the peripheral indentions of the driving plates 501 - 505 are misaligned to form an arc surface. This modification does not affect the operation of the invention. All driving plates 501 - 505 have the same thickness which their combined thickness is equal to the width of the pressuring roller 40 and is approximately equal to two times of the width of the pressured pump tube 90 .
The pressuring roller 40 has a diameter of approximately 2.5-3 times of the depth of the pump tube 90 needed to be compressed. A width of the pressure roller 40 is approximately two times of the width of the compressed pump tube 90 . A retainer shaft 44 protrudes out from two sides of the pressuring roller 40 and engages within a retainer slot 66 of the retainer 60 so that the pressuring roller 40 can be supported firmly and its distance between the pump tube 90 and the driving plates 501 - 505 can be retained.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the retainer 60 also helps to keep a predetermined distance between the pressuring rollers 40 but it does not affect the rotation and radial movement of them. Accordingly, a movable connecting rod can be installed in between the pressuring roller 40 and the retainer 60 . A central axis of both sides of the pressuring roller 40 can be connected to an end of the connecting rod. This structural configuration does not affect the operation of the invention also.
The outer casing 10 has the guiding channel 12 formed along the inner side of the peripheral wall of the outer casing 10 and defines the circular path therealong. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pump tube 90 is installed in a full spiral manner in the guiding channel 12 of the outer casing 10 . An installation space is required for inserting the pump tube 90 into the guiding channel 12 of the outer casing 10 . In other words, a width of the guiding channel 12 is approximately about two times the width of the compressed pump tube 90 when the pump tube 90 is pressed by the pressuring roller 40 along the guiding channel 12 . Furthermore, the pump tube 90 is tangentially extended into the outer casing 10 at an entrance of the guiding channel 12 until the operating portion of the pump tube 90 is received along the circular path of the guiding channel 12 . In addition, the operating portion of the pump tube 90 is retained in an arc shape within the guiding channel 12 while the guiding portion of the pump tube 90 , i.e. extending from the operating portion thereof, is tangentially extended with respect to the outer casing 10 . Therefore, the configuration of the pump tube 90 with respect to the outer casing 10 allows the liquid to flow in a maximized circular distance with respect to the circumference of the outer casing 10 such that when the pressuring rollers 40 substantially press against the pump tube 90 , the liquid is forced to flow along the arc-shaped operating portion of the pump tube 90 within the circular path at 120° so as to cancel the pulsation of the liquid within the pump tube 90 .
If the peripheral wall of the outer casing 10 is too slippery, then the pump tube 90 might have a slight movement along the guiding channel 12 while in operation. A plate can be installed at an entrance or exit location of the pump tube 90 in the peripheral wall to limit the slight movement of the pump tube 90 along the guiding channel 12 . As an alternative, the peripheral wall of the guiding channel 12 can be formed as a rough surface to enhance the friction of the pump tube 90 against the peripheral wall so as to avoid the movement along the guiding channel 12 .
The operation principle of the present invention is explained below in detail:
In a release state when the driving shaft 20 is not rotating, the peripheral indentions of the all driving plates 501 - 505 are all aligned to each other so that a full arc indention surface is formed at the peripheral side of the combined driving plates 501 - 505 . The pressuring roller 40 can then be fitted to engage the peripheral indentions of the driving plates 501 - 505 at a position that the circumferential surface of the pressuring roller 40 is engaged with the indention surface of the driving plates 501 - 505 . The pump tube 90 can be installed now and there will not be any pressure exerted onto the operating portion of the pump tube 90 . When the driving shaft 20 starts to rotate in the operating direction, it will drive the transmission unit 30 to rotate as well. The pedal 33 of the driving element of the transmission unit 30 will first engage the pedal slot 5035 of the driving plate 503 because the pedal slot 5035 is the narrowest out of the five driving plates 501 - 505 and thus drive the driving plate 503 to rotate in the operating direction as well. Once this motion starts, the peripheral indentions 5033 of the driving plates 501 - 505 will not be aligned to each other forming a full arc shape and thus disengage the peripheral indentions of the driving plates 501 - 505 from the pressuring roller 40 . At this point, the pressuring roller 40 is then forced to radially extend towards the peripheral wall of the outer casing 10 and thus exerts a pressure on the pump tube 90 . When the driving shaft 20 reaches a 40° rotation in the operating direction, the pedal 33 of the driving element of the transmission unit 30 will then engage the pedal slots 5025 , 5045 of the second and fourth driving plates 502 , 504 and thus drive the second and fourth driving plates 502 , 504 to rotate. When the driving shaft 20 rotates an extra 40° in the operating direction, the pedal 33 of the driving element of the transmission unit 30 will then engage the pedal slots 5015 , 5055 of the first and fifth driving plates 501 , 505 and thus drive the first and fifth driving plates 501 , 505 to rotate. At this moment, the peripheral indentions of each of the driving plates 501 - 505 will not be aligned and thus no indention or arc will be formed from the combined driving plate 501 - 505 . Therefore, as long as the driving shaft 20 keeps rotating in the operating direction or does not rotating in a reverse direction until a predetermined degree of rotation, the peripheral indentions of the driving plates 501 - 505 will never be aligned with each other, thus the pressuring roller 40 will always be exerting pressure onto the operating portion of the pump tube 90 . Following the procedure above, the fluid in the pump tube 90 will be forced to be pumped thus fulfilling to role of the peristaltic pump. When the machine is not in use, rotate the driving shaft 20 in the reverse direction less than 180° and the peripheral indentions of the driving plates 501 - 505 will be aligned on top with each other again. Since the pump tube 90 itself is flexible and elastic in it self-nature, it will push back onto the pressuring roller 40 and thus forcing the pressuring roller to engage the aligned peripheral indentions of the driving plates 501 - 505 and the present invention to return to the release state.
Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, the outer casing 10 further comprises an opening cover 80 which can be opened so as to make ease for the removal of the pump tube 90 and the center driving mechanism for repairing and such.
Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 of the drawings, using the same principle for operating the present invention, multiple pump tubes 90 can be used in the present invention. The pump tubes 90 can be installed inside the guiding channel 12 of the outer casing 10 in a similar manner as described above. Multiple pump tubes 90 can be used as long as the pump tubes 90 are installed in a full circle manner around the peristaltic pump and have at least one of the pressuring rollers to be exerting pressure on the operating portion of the pump tube 90 . FIG. 5 illustrates a configuration of the present invention using two pump tubes 90 . FIG. 6 illustrates a configuration of the present invention using three pump tubes 90 . Using the same principle for operating the present invention, for example, a combined total number of 3 and 7 pieces of driving plates will also work in the same manner as described in the preferred embodiment as well as long as they are symmetrically installed on each sides of the driving plate in the middle. It is even possible to use only two driving plates to carry out the function of a five pieces driving plates 501 - 505 as described in the preferred embodiment. Thus, the driving plates 501 - 505 of the transmission unit 30 are not limited by their numbers as long as an angle of the pedal slot of the driving plate correlates to a desired situation.
Referring to FIG. 7 of the drawings, an alternative of the driving plates 501 - 505 of the present invention is illustrated. Using the driving plate 503 as example, the pedal slot 5035 can have a duplicated exact mirror feature of itself by rotating 180°. Therefore the pedal slot 5035 of the driving plate 503 is now double-sided. A similar principle modification is applied to the pedal 33 of the driving element of the transmission unit 30 so as to increase the contact area between the pedal 33 and pedal slot 5035 and thus creates a more stable and efficient rotation of the transmission unit 33 .
Referring to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pressuring roller 40 and the drifting shaft 20 are made of metallic materials. Other parts are made of plexiglass. The peripheral wall of the guiding channel 12 of the outer casing 10 is lathed in a single cut from a two layer plexiglass. The entrance and exit location of the pump tube 90 can be milled from a milling machine and then the opening cover 80 of the outer casing 10 can be installed firmly thereon by screws.
Referring to FIG. 8 of the drawings, the present invention can also be produced in mass production by a casting of industrial plastic and similar materials. The outer casing 10 can be split into an upper housing 17 and a lower housing 18 . In between the upper housing 17 and lower housing 18 , an edge 15 is defined at a joint area so that the upper housing 17 can be fittedly received inside the lower housing 18 and screws can be used to joint them. Since multiple pump tubes 90 or different brand or material of pump tubes 90 can be used in the present invention, the flexible pump tube 90 can reflect a different pressure back on the pressuring roller 40 . The upper housing 17 and the lower housing 18 can now rotate concentrically in an independent manner so as to offer an option for tuning the angles or a routing route of installing pump tubes 90 into the guiding channel 12 of the outer casing 10 .
|
A peristaltic pump, for propelling liquid through a flexible pump tube, includes an outer casing having a guiding channel wherein an operating portion of the pump tube extends along the guiding channel. The peristaltic pump further includes at least two pressuring rollers supported at the outer casing in a radially movable manner which can move outwardly to press against the operating portion of the pump tube. A center driving mechanism is supported at a center portion of the outer casing to radially push the pressure rollers and to drive the pressuring rollers to concurrently rotate such that the pressuring rollers roll against the operating portion of the pump tube for continuously propelling the fluid in the pump tube in the direction of rotation.
| 5
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a condensation heat exchanger intended to equip a gas boiler for domestic application.
2. Background Information
This exchanger is particularly intended to equip a gas boiler for domestic applications, in order to supply a central heating circuit and/or to provide water for sanitary use.
The subject heat exchanger of the invention, more precisely, is a double exchanger constituted by a primary exchanger directly exposed to hot gases generated by the gas burner, and by a secondary exchanger which is exposed to the gases, of considerably lower temperature, which escape from the primary exchanger.
The water, or any other fluid to be heated, circulates in this double exchanger, counter-current to the fumes, that is, by passing first through the secondary exchanger, where it undergoes preheating, then into the primary exchanger where it undergoes heating, properly speaking.
By way of indication, the burnt gases coming directly out of the burner are at a temperature of the order of 1000° C.
After passing through the primary exchanger, their temperature is generally between 100 and 180° C.
These hot gases contain a certain quantity of water as vapour which may condense when it comes into contact with the wall of the secondary exchanger, while it is below the dew point, of the order of 60° C.
This condensation provides supplementary calories to the water circulating in the secondary exchanger, these calories corresponding to the latent heat of evaporation.
A double exchanger of this type, which is described for example in the document EP 0 078 207, enables the yield of the apparatus to be substantially improved.
In the document WO 94/16272 a heat exchanger element is described which consists of a tube of thermally well conducting material in which a coolant fluid, for example water to be heated, is intended to circulate.
This tube is wound in a helix and has a flattened and oval cross section with the major axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the helix, and each turn of the tube has flat faces which are separated from the faces of the adjacent turn by an interstice of constant height, this height being substantially smaller than the thickness of the said cross section, the spacing between two adjacent turns being furthermore sized by means of cross members which are constituted by bosses formed in the wall of the tube.
This document also describes heat exchangers having several elements such as the above, which are formed in different ways in the various described embodiments.
An exchanger element, so designed, ensures a very large heat exchange between the hot gases passing close to the tubular element and the fluid to be heated which circulates within it.
In fact, during its passage through the interstice between the turns, the flow of hot gases is in contact with a relatively extended surface of the wall of the exchanger element.
The present invention more particularly has as its subject to propose a condensation heat exchanger of the general type mentioned above, the heat exchange elements of which are bundles of flat tubes such as those known from WO 94/16272, which may be consulted if need be.
The prior art closest to the subject of the present invention corresponds to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 22 of the above document.
The apparatus in question is composed of two parallel bundles of tubes, a primary one referenced 1 and a secondary one referenced 1 ′.
These two bundles are disposed close to one another, with their axes parallel, and are fixedly mounted within an envelope 8 (termed “body” in the document).
The hot gases are provided by an external apparatus 9 and penetrate via a duct 90 and a cuff 80 into the central portion of the principal exchanger 1 (arrows J 0 ). The hot gases pass radially through the latter, from the inside to the outside (arrows J 1 ), then pass through the secondary exchanger, always radially, but this time from the outside to the inside (arrows J 2 ).
Finally, the cooled gases leave this double exchanger by a cuff 81 (arrows J 3 ).
The object of the invention is to improve the apparatus very schematically shown in FIG. 22 of WO 94/16272, to increase the compactness.
In fact, a constraint often encountered by installers of this kind of apparatus is related to the space available to receive it, which is often reduced.
The invention also has as its object to propose a relatively light apparatus, so as to make the operations of transport, positioning, and fixing in place by the installer more convenient.
The invention springs from the inventor's observation that the energy to be recovered in the secondary exchanger is always smaller than that which is captured by the primary exchanger.
Starting from this observation, it can be deduced that the heat exchange surface of the secondary exchanger, which is proportional to the length of the tube bundle, may be reduced with respect to that of the primary exchanger.
In this way, if the axial dimension of the secondary bundle is reduced, an available space is formed at one of its ends, and may be made use of to install there the evacuation cuff of the burnt, cooled gases.
The bulk of this cuff in the axial direction is therefore not added to that of the apparatus proper, in contrast to the known embodiment of FIG. 22 of WO 94/16272; it fits within that of the apparatus.
Furthermore, the tube length of the secondary exchanger being reduced, the apparatus is of course lighter than an apparatus with primary and secondary coils of the same length, as in the cited apparatus.
Finally, always with the aim of improving compactness, use is made, according to the invention, of a cylindrical burner which is mounted within the primary bundle.
In this way, the axial dimension of the burner is also inscribed within the axial dimension of the envelope.
The subject of the invention is consequently a condensation heat exchanger associated with a gas or fuel oil burner which is composed of two parallel tube bundles disposed adjacent to one another and fixedly mounted within an envelope impermeable to the gases, these two bundles communicating one to another via a “transfer” collector, means being provided for circulating a fluid to be heated, in particular cold water, firstly within tube(s) constituting the secondary bundle, then—via the said transfer collector—within the tube(s) constituting the said primary bundle, the said envelope surrounding the two tube bundles, while being closely spaced apart, this envelope having an exhaust sleeve for the combusted gases which is positioned in the neighbourhood of the said secondary bundle, this exchanger being constructed so that the hot gases generated by the burner pass radially, or approximately radially, passing through the interstices separating the turns, firstly the said primary bundle, then the secondary bundle, and are then evacuated out of the exchanger through the said sleeve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention:
the burner is a cylindrical burner, whose diameter is substantially less than that of the primary bundle, which is mounted coaxially of the interior of the latter, extending axially over all, or practically all, of its length; the axial dimension of the secondary bundle is substantially less than that of the primary bundle, so that an available space is formed with respect to an end portion of the primary bundle, in the prolongation of the secondary bundle of shorter length, this available space is occupied by an enclosure which communicates with the interior space of the secondary bundle; the cuff is connected to the wall of the enclosure so as to communicate with it, and is oriented transversely with respect to the axis of the secondary bundle, so that its bulk in the axial direction fits within that of the enclosure.
Furthermore, according to a certain number of possible additional characteristics of the invention:
the tubes constituting each bundle each have rectilinear end portions; the axes of these end portions being located in a common plane which is tangent to the helix formed by the bundle, their openings being turned towards the exterior of the exchanger, from each side of the latter, and the end portions of the primary bundle are located close to the secondary bundle, and reciprocally, while the said end portions have cylindrical openings passing fixedly and sealingly through the wall of the envelope and penetrating, on one side of the latter, into a walled “inlet-outlet” collector capable of being connected to a duct for supplying fluid to be heated and to a discharge duct for the heated fluid, and on its other side, to the transfer collector; the envelope comprises, on the one hand, a thin-walled tube length of constant cross section, the contour of this tube length, approximately oval, being composed of two end portions of semicircular shape connected by lateral rectilinear sections, and on the other hand, a pair of closure plates, or “facades”, the contours of which correspond to that of the said section, and which extend perpendicularly of the axis of the said section of tube, and each of them blocking one of the two openings, each semicylindrical portion of the tube length coaxially and partially surrounding (over a half-turn) one of the said bundles; one of these facades, termed “forward facade”, has an opening for receiving a door supporting the burner, while permitting demounting; this door also supports, from the outer side, a fan, or a simple cuff, enabling the burner to be supplied with a combustible gas mixture; facing the internal space of the primary bundle, each of the two facades is furnished with a thermally insulating disc; the two bundles have the same diameter; the two bundles have horizontal and parallel axes; the two bundles are placed one above the other, their axes being located in the same vertical plane; the secondary bundle is placed above the primary bundle, means such as an inclined trough intercalated between the two bundles being provided to prevent the condensates which may form on the secondary bundle falling onto the primary bundle and/or onto the burner; the two bundles are placed one beside the other, their axes being located in the same horizontal plane; the axis of the said discharge sleeve is comprised in the plane containing the axes of the two bundles; the axis of the said discharge sleeve is perpendicular to the plane containing the axes of the two bundles; the wall of the said enclosure is a cylindrical tubular sleeve, coaxial with the secondary bundle, one of the end edges of which is fixed against the envelope of the exchanger, while its other end edge is furnished with an annular flange against which the secondary bundle is supported, the said discharge cuff, also of cylindrical shape, being connected to the said sleeve, perpendicular to its axis; the envelope has an inclined bottom provided with an outlet opening, adapted to collecting and evacuating the condensates which may form on the secondary bundle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description and the accompanying drawings, which represent possible embodiments, simply as non-limiting examples.
FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a first embodiment of the invention, cut through the vertical plane referenced I-I in FIG. 2 ;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view from the left of the apparatus of FIG. 1 ;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are simplified views, and on a smaller scale, of FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively, these views being intended to illustrate the operation, and in particular the path of the gases;
FIGS. 5-8 are views analogous to FIGS. 1-4 respectively, showing a second possible embodiment of an exchanger according to the invention;
finally, FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrams representing an alternative of the apparatus, respectively seen from the side and from the face in section.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-4 comprises a thin-walled hollow body, or envelope, referenced 1 , for example of stainless steel sheet.
As may be seen in FIG. 2 , seen from the side, the body 1 has an oval shape, the contour of which is formed by high and low semicircular portions, which are connected by two lateral rectilinear segments.
The envelope is constituted by a length of tube 14 having the said oval shape, the low and high semicircular portions being denoted by the references 142 , 143 in FIG. 2 , while the planar lateral portions have been referenced 140 and 141 , this length of the tube being closed at each end by covers or “facades” of the same contour, referenced 15 a and 15 b in FIG. 1 .
In the remainder of the present description, “front facade” denotes the facade 15 a on the left of FIG. 1 , and by “rear facade” the opposite facade 15 b.
The two facades 15 a and 15 b are fixed, gas-tightly sealed, to the central tubular portion 14 by any appropriate known means, for example by welding.
As may be seen in FIG. 1 , the bottom 16 of the envelope is inclined in the direction of an exit opening 17 , the function of which will be explained later.
Within this envelope 1 are mounted two bundles of flattened tubes, of the kind described in the cited international application, each of these bundles constituting the heat exchange element of a primary exchanger 20 and a secondary exchanger 30 .
The primary bundle is referenced 21 , while the secondary bundle is referenced 31 .
Each of these two bundles is constituted by a set of juxtaposed, coaxial tubular elements with a horizontal axis X 1 X′ 1 for the primary exchanger 20 and X 2 X′ 2 for the secondary exchanger 30 .
These two horizontal axes are in the same vertical plane denoted V in FIG. 2 , the secondary bundle 31 being vertically above the primary bundle 21 .
The internal spaces of the bundles 21 and 31 have been denoted respectively 2 and 3 .
A gas or fuel oil burner 40 is associated with the primary exchanger 20 . It is a tubular cylindrical burner which has over its whole length plural small holes directed radially, permitting the passage of a combustible gas mixture, for example air+butane or air+fuel oil, the outer surface of the tubular wall constituting the combustion surface.
In the examples shown, the combustible gas mixture is introduced into the apparatus by a fan of known type, which also forms part of the apparatus.
Nevertheless, substituting a mixture supply sleeve, by separate means (of known type) for this fan would not depart from the scope of the invention. The fan is therefore offset from the axis X 1 X′ 1 of the principal exchanger.
The burner 40 has a substantially smaller diameter than that of the bundle 21 within which it is coaxially mounted, that is, along the axis X 1 X′ 1 .
The front facade 15 a has a circular opening 150 centered on this axis X 1 X′ 1 , enabling the burner to be introduced and placed in position within the envelope.
A mounting plate 41 is provided at the exit of the fan 4 , enabling the assembly to be fixed against the front facade, for example by screws (not shown).
This construction enables easy dismantling of the burner, particularly in order to clean it, for the maintenance and upkeep of the exchanger.
Facing the space 2 , each of the facades 15 a and 15 b is internally lined with an insulating disc 5 , respectively 6 , for example of a ceramic-based material.
These elements have the function of protecting at this level the walls of the envelope 1 from the strong heat generated by the combustion.
The discs 5 , 6 are fixed within the walls 15 a and 15 b by any appropriate known means.
The disc 5 is of course pierced in its central portion by an opening similar to the opening 150 , to permit the burner to pass through.
It will be noted (see FIG. 1 ) that the disc 6 is not directly applied against the rear wall 15 b . On the contrary, it is kept at a distance from this latter by means of spacers 61 .
The bundle 31 is composed of a certain number of helicoidal tubular elements, identical to those which compose the bundle 21 .
By way of indication, each element is constituted by a tube of flattened, oval cross section wound up into four turns. Coil formation is to an internal diameter of 185 mm, with an external diameter of 235 mm; the thickness of the flattened section of the tube is 7.2 mm, and the interstice separating two turns is 0.8 mm.
Each element therefore has an axial dimension of 32 mm.
In the example shown, the primary bundle 21 is constituted by a juxtaposition of ten elements.
According to an essential characteristic of the invention, the number of elements composing the secondary bundle 31 is smaller. In the examples shown it is six (instead of ten).
The length l 1 of the bundle 21 is therefore equal to 320 mm (32×10), while the length l 2 of the bundle 31 is only 192 mm (32×6), or a difference of 128 mm.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 , the secondary bundle 31 is applied by one of its ends against the front facade 15 a.
Because of the difference in length l 1 -l 2 , a free space is therefore formed between the other end of the bundle 31 and the rear facade 15 b.
In this space, there is mounted an enclosure constituted by a cylindrical sleeve 9 , centered on the axis X 2 X′ 2 , which is fixed by one of its end edges to the rear facade 15 b , for example by welding. Its other end has an annular planar flange 90 , which extends perpendicularly of the axis X 2 X′ 2 .
This flange acts as a support at the other end of the secondary bundle 31 . The apparatus comprises a cuff 7 for discharge of burnt, cooled gases.
A cylindrical tubular sleeve is also concerned, has a vertical axis ZZ′, and is connected to the sleeve 9 , to which it is fixed and with the interior of which it communicates.
The cuff 7 is intended to be connected to a discharge duct for burnt gases and fumes, for example to a chimney duct (not shown).
In the embodiments shown, the elements constituting each of the primary bundle 21 and the secondary bundle 31 are connected in parallel.
However, providing a mounting in series of some or all of the elements for each bundle would not depart from the scope of the present invention.
The end portions of each element are shaped and oriented as shown in FIGS. 1 and 24 of the cited international application.
Each end of a coil is a tube portion whose opening portion is cylindrical, the transition of this opening to the rest of the tube, of flattened cross section, occurring progressively (shaped as a “whistle”).
The axes of these two ends (directed outwards) are located in the same plane, which is tangent to the helicoidal coil.
This plane is horizontal here.
The end portions 210 and 211 of the elements constituting the primary (lower) bundle are situated towards the top, while on the contrary those 310 , 311 of the secondary bundle (upper) 31 are situated towards the bottom.
This head to tail disposition is arranged in such a manner that the inlet openings of one of the bundles are close to the outlet openings of the other bundle, and vice versa.
Each wound tubular element is retained within the envelope by the engagement of one of its cylindrical opening portions in appropriate circular holes formed in the vertical planar lateral walls 140 , 141 of the envelope.
Appropriate sealing means are provided in this region.
Additional members (not shown) may advantageously be provided to ensure that each element within the envelope is well maintained and centered.
It will furthermore be noted that each of the flat tubes constituting a coil has, on one of its wider faces, a series of bosses (stamped in its flat wall) acting as spacers, intended to set precisely the dimension of the interstice separating two turns, according to an arrangement explained in the application WO 94/16272.
The bosses corresponding to the bundles 21 and 31 are respectively denoted by references 212 and 312 .
The end portions of each of the coils constituting the exchanger open into collectors fixed externally against the wall of the envelope 1 , and more precisely against the planar portions 140 , 141 , so as to completely surround the opening receiving the end portions of the coils.
Against the face 140 there is fixed a collector termed “inlet and outlet”, referenced 100 , while against the opposite face 141 there is fixed a collector 11 termed “transfer”.
In both cases, these are elongate housings, of general rectangular parallelepiped shape, and having the necessary openings. They are fixed to the envelope 1 , for example by screws referenced 101 in FIG. 2 , or directly by welding. Sealing is of course provided in this region.
The collector 100 is internally subdivided by a horizontal wall 13 .
The portion of the collector 100 located above the wall 13 has a connection pipe 12 intended to be connected to a supply duct for cold water to be heated; moreover, this portion is connected to the assembly of inlet ends of the secondary bundle 31 .
Conversely, the lower portion of the collector 100 , which corresponds to the space located below the wall 13 , has a pipe 10 for connection to a hot water outlet duct; this portion is connected to the assembly of outlet ends of elements constituting the primary bundle 21 .
The opposite collector 11 does not have a wall. It ensures the connection between the outlet ends of the secondary bundle 31 and the inlet ends of the primary bundle 21 .
Within the envelope there is mounted between the two exchangers a trough 8 which is fixed to the front facade 15 a . It is a plate, slightly curved with the concavity facing upwards, and inclined downwards and towards the rear (see FIG. 1 ).
As may be seen in FIG. 8 , this trough occupies only the central zone of the envelope, but does not oppose the passage of burnt gases at the sides, as will be seen later.
The free rear end of the plate 8 is curved downwards with a more inclined lip 80 which overhangs the space, mentioned above, separating the insulating disc 6 from the rear wall 15 b (see FIG. 1 ).
To enable the apparatus to be mounted, the portion 14 of the envelope 1 is composed of two half shells which may be assembled together, for example by welding, along a joint plane corresponding to the vertical plane V.
This enables fitting the two half shells on the two bundles, previously suitably positioned to one another.
Before final assembly, the insulating annular disc 5 and the trough 8 are fixed to the internal face of the front facade 15 a . The insulating disc 6 as well as the sleeve 9 with its cuff 7 (to which it is secured beforehand) are fixed to the internal face of the other facade 15 b.
In the upper portion, the two half shells constituting the portion 14 of the envelope have a semicircular opening which comes to surround this cuff 7 when they are brought together, the facade 15 b having already been suitably positioned. Then, after the facade 15 a has been put in place, welding of the assembly is performed, including around the circumference of the cuff 7 at the level of the envelope 14 , to effect sealing in this region.
Finally, the burner is of course equipped with an appropriate igniting device, for example an electrode, located close to the combustion surface. A known device is concerned, which has not been shown in the drawings to avoid burdening them unnecessarily.
The operation of this apparatus will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 .
The fan 4 having been set in motion brings a combustible gas mixture to the interior of the tubular burner 40 . This mixture comes out of the wall of the burner through small apertures passing through its wall. When the burner is ignited, combustion occurs and generates flames F over the whole surface of the burner.
At the same time, the water to be heated is circulated. The cold water, EF in FIG. 4 , reaches the apparatus by the pipe 12 , spreads into the upper portion of the collector 100 , and penetrates into the assembly of inlet ends of the upper bundle 31 . It leaves the latter by the outlet ends, to enter the collector 11 , where it transits, indicated by the arrow T, to then spread into the inlet ends of the lower bundle 21 and circulate within it. Finally, the heated water leaves by the assembly of outlet ends of this bundle, arrives in the lower portion of the collector 100 , and leaves this by the pipe 10 , as indicated by the arrow EC.
The burning gases generated in the space 2 by the flames F are caused to flow towards the outside of the primary bundle 21 . They pass radially through the interstices separating the flat tubes composing it, effecting high heat exchange and so strongly heating the water running through the interior and heated beforehand (as will be seen later) during its passage through the secondary exchanger 31 .
On leaving the primary bundle, the burnt gases are considerably cooled due to this heat exchange. They are nevertheless at a temperature clearly higher than that of the water (at ambient temperature) which enters the apparatus.
By way of indication, their temperature is of the order of 100 to 150° C.
These hot gases are channelled upwards, following the internal wall of the envelope. They pass over the sides of the trough 8 , and pass through the secondary bundle 31 , this time from outside to inside, passing through the turns of flattened tube. During this passage, an at least partial condensation occurs of the water vapour present in the burnt gases, because the walls of the secondary bundle—through which cold or simply lukewarm water passes—are at a temperature lower than the dew point of the combustion products. Besides the normal transfer of calories due to the temperature difference between the burnt gases and the water circulating in the secondary bundle, there is observed a supplementary transfer of calories resulting from the transmission of the latent heat of evaporation connected with the phenomenon of condensation, an exothermic phase change.
A preheating of the water circulating in the secondary bundle is obtained in this way before it reaches the primary bundle.
The burnt gases, markedly cooled, are located in the space 3 within the secondary exchanger, then escape via the enclosure 9 into the discharge duct 7 .
The liquid condensates that run out of the tubes of the secondary bundle 31 fall by gravity into the trough 8 so that they do not interfere with the operation of the burner. Given the slope of the trough, they are directed to its rear end, follow the downward curved lip 80 , and fall behind the insulating plate 6 into the inclined bottom 16 of the envelope following this inclined bottom, they reach the condensate discharge opening 17 , which is connected to an appropriate discharge duct (not shown).
The second embodiment, which is shown in FIGS. 5-7 , is completely analogous to that just described. For this reason the same references have been used to denote similar or identical elements.
The same organisation is found as in the first embodiment, with the following two exceptions:
Firstly, the apparatus has a generally horizontal, and not vertical, disposition. In fact, the two bundles are placed side by side this time, and not one above the other, and their axes X 1 X′ 1 and X 2 X′ 2 are in the same horizontal plane H.
In the example shown, the transfer collector 11 is located above, while the inlet-outlet collector 100 is turned downwards (see FIG. 6 ).
A reverse position is of course possible.
The discharge cuff for burnt gases remains directed upwards.
Secondly, the (vertical) axis YY′ of this cuff 7 is perpendicular to the plane containing the axes of the two bundles (and no longer contained in this plane).
In this embodiment, it is not useful to use a collection trough for condensates, since the secondary bundle on which they form is offset laterally and is no longer located directly below the primary bundle and the burner. The bottom of the envelope 16 is inclined, and the condensates fall directly on the bottom, to escape via the discharge connection 17 .
FIGS. 7 and 8 show the circulation of gases in the apparatus. It is similar to that of the first embodiment, except that the flow of burnt gases leaving the primary bundle to reach the secondary bundle is displaced about horizontally, and no longer vertically, within the envelope.
In each of the two embodiments which have been described, the tubular elements constituting the two bundles are identical. This is not obligatory; the coils can differ, particularly in their diameter.
Furthermore, the free space receiving the piece 9 and the cuff 7 is situated between the secondary bundle and the rear facade.
This arrangement is not obligatory, as is shown in the alternative of FIGS. 9 and 10 .
In this Figure, the same references are used as in the preceding embodiments for similar but not identical elements, while adding a prime index.
In this way, on these Figures, it will be seen that the diameter of the primary bundle 21 ′ is greater than that of the secondary bundle 31 ′.
The shape of the envelope surrounding the two bundles is modified here. The lateral faces 140 ′ and 141 ′ are no longer parallel, but are inclined so as to converge slightly upwards.
The enclosure 9 ′ and the cuff 7 ′ are this time interposed between the front facade 15 ′A and the secondary bundle 31 ′.
It would of course not depart from the scope of the invention to provide a mixed arrangement of one or other of the first two embodiments with the alternative of FIGS. 9 and 10 , consisting of:
either installing in the apparatus of the first or second embodiment, primary and secondary bundles of different diameters (without displacing the enclosure and the cuff), or displacing the cuff into an arrangement similar to that of FIG. 10 , (while keeping the diameters identical for the two bundles).
An apparatus according to the invention is very compact and light, while being very efficient as regards yield.
Although remarkably well adapted to domestic use for heating water, it can find application in other fields, particularly in industry for heating various liquids.
|
The invention relates to a heat exchanger comprising a pair of tube bundles ( 21, 31 ) through which the fluid to be heated flows, one primary bundle ( 21 ) surrounding a cylindrical burner ( 40 ) and the other secondary bundle ( 31 ) on which the water steam contained in the combustion gas exhausting from the primary bundle is condensed, whereby the tubes forming the bundles have a flattened section and a helicoidal shape, such that the combustion gas flow between the coils, from the inside to the outside for the primary bundle ( 21 ) and in the reverse order for the secondary bundle ( 31 ), both bundles being arranged inside a same shell ( 1 ). Said heat exchanger is characterised in that the axial dimension (l 2 ) of the secondary bundle is substantially smaller than the axial dimension (I 1 ) of the primary bundle, such that an available space for an exhaust trunking ( 7 ) is provided at the end of said secondary bundle ( 31 ). The present invention also relates to a gas- or oil-fired boiler, especially for domestic application, with high efficiency, space saving and reduced weight.
| 5
|
This is a division of application Ser. No. 498,928 filed Aug. 20, 1974, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,230 issued Dec. 28, 1976.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Printed German Application No. 1,753,695, U.S. Pat. No. 3,399,425, and British Pat. No. 1,072,236 disclose processes and apparatus for manufacturing products which have a tufted surface from non-fibrous polymers. In these known processes at least one thermoplastic layer is pressed to the extent of at least part of its thickness against a heatable surface, which is provided with projections or depressions and the layer is subsequently stripped from the surface. In one of the processes, the surface of the polymer layer which has been shaped by the pressing operation is heated to a moderately elevated temperature as it is stripped.
German Patent Specification No. 1,266,441, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,565 describes another process in which a polymer is brought between two smooth drawing surfaces and in a molten state is torn apart at right angles to its direction of movement and is cooled at the same time so that fibers are formed. In that case the coolant stream acts on the fiber-forming region in a direction which is opposite to the direction of movement of the polymer. In a more recent process, which is a development of the one just outlined and has been disclosed in the Opened German Application No. 2,053,408, the molten polymer is forced through a porous carrier and against a smooth drawing surface, from which the layer is then pulled and simultaneously cooled so that fibers are formed.
Opened German Specification No. 2,157,510 describes a process of manufacturing a product which has a plush surface. That process is characterized in that, inter alia, the polymer is forced with the aid of a carrier against a heatable drawing surface and , as the formation of the fibers begins, is pulled away from said drawing surface with simultaneous cooling and subsequent deflection of the carrier. The coolant stream acts also into the fiber-forming region in a direction which is opposite the direction of travel of the carrier. Besides, a contact cooling is effected on the rear of the carrier. Processes of this kind have the disadvantage that the fibers which are forming are contacted by the coolant throughout their length at the same time, so that the action of the coolant on fibers behind those which are being formed is highly reduced; this is not altered by the contact cooling on the rear.
A development of that proposal in consideration of its disadvantages has led to a process which is disclosed in Opened German Specification No. 2,057,149 corresponding to U.S. Pat No. 3,701,621 and in which a flowing coolant acts on the rear of the carrier approximately in the direction of travel of the carrier and flows along and in part through the carrier. In that case the carrier layer is not deflected in the fiber-forming region and fibers which are forming remain subjected to the temperature of the heated drawing surface.
In these known processes, cooling is accomplished by a stream of gas or liquid, which produces a cooling action which is either too slow or too abrupt. In connection with such processes, it is generally stated that the polymer must be completely removed from the drawing surface to avoid interference with subsequent fiber formation.
The recognition of the shortcomings have led to providing means which control the action of the flowing fluid in the very area in which the fibers originate or are in "statu nascendi" and also control of the shape of the fibers throughout the fiber-forming region so that production can be carried out at a high, economical rate and the quality of the product can be uniformly controlled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The necessary control of the flowing fluid is accomplished by a process which, according to the invention, is characterized in that the fluid flows through a carrier serving as a drawing surface for the polymer and then enters the fiber-forming region. The carrier is withdrawn and, within the region which is subjected to the action of the flowing fluid, the carrier together with the adhered polymer is deflected from its direction so as to move away from the other drawing surface. By regulating the temperature of the drawing surface with respect to the surroundings, the temperature of the polymer and, also by regulating the input polymer-volume depending from or to the volume of flowing coolant a continuous coating is produced which stays on the drawing surface in a thickness of at least 10 microns. The molten polymer is supplied to the fiber-forming region at a temperature which is above, and preferably considerably above, its melting point; i.e., at a temperature of 10°-200° C above the melting point.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
It is of significance for the process that, in the region subjected to the action of the flowing fluid, the carrier surface is separated from the heatable drawing surface and is deflected when a spacing between the surfaces of 0.5-40 millimeters, preferably between 0.5 and 10 millimeters, has been established. The distance travelled by the carrier prior to deflection depends on the curvature of the heatable drawing surface. Within the scope of the invention, the distance travelled may amount to between a few millimeters and some centimeters, preferably between 5 and 50 millimeters and up to upper limit of about 100 millimeters. As a result of the deflection of the carrier, the root portion of the fiber is withdrawn from the intense action of the flowing fluid so that this portion is extended to a smaller thickness and a longitudinal orientation is imparted to the fibers before the tips of the fibers are torn from the heated drawing surface near their upper ends.
It has been found necessary to provide for a proportionality or approximately proportionality between the solidification rate of the polymer and of the fiber's temperature. Thus, if the solidification is too rapid, the molten polymer is torn apart only as coarse fibers so that flakes rather than the desired fibers would be formed from molten material of high viscosity, whereas only thin filaments having bulblike roots could be pulled from molten polycondensates of low viscosity.
For this reason, the process of the invention is applied primarily to polymerization products which have a low molecular weight and, correspondingly, a high melt index.
On the other hand, the use of highly crystalline high polymers, particularly of polycondensates of such polymers, is rendered difficult by the high crystallization rate. It has thus proved desirable to use high polymers in the form of copolymers or in polyblends together with other polymers so that the tendency to crystallize is reduced and the solidification range is increased. For instance, pure polyoxymethylene (POM) when used alone results in thin and brittle fibers but, in admixture with 10% by weight low density polyethylene, it can be used to produce a useful product having a catskinlike feel or hand. An admixture of polyamides with POM also improves the fiber-forming process. On the other hand, pure Polyamide 6 (PA 6) when used alone results in thin fibers which look like cotton-wool. If this material is copolymerized with Polyamide 66 (PA 66) or with ethylene or is mixed with 12% by weight polymethylmethacrylate of low viscosity, a fabric-like textile plush can be produced. Mixtures of Polyamide 6 (PA 6) with Polyamide 11 (PA 11) or PA 12 or PA 6.10 exhibit a wider solidification range; in these cases, the second component may be added in an amount up to 30% by weight. Other mixtures which have given favorable results comprise saturated polyesters, such as polyethyleneterephthalate or polybutyleneterephthalate, together with Polyamide 6, PA 11, PA 12 or copolyamides. The fiber-forming process and the quality of the product can be improved if such polyblends are additionally cross-lined as they are processed.
The use of pure polypropylene (PP) having an MFI at 190/5 of 20 normally results in a fiber having a thickness of, e.g., 10 microns. The addition of Polyamide 12 results in increasingly thinner fibers until the proportion of PA 12 is so large that a structure like that of cotton-wool is obtained.
Inorganic substances, such as fillers and dyestuffs or additives have a high thermal conductivity, when used in the polymer layer accelerate solidification during the formation of fibers. In most cases, such fibers tear off sooner. In the process according to the invention, the use of such substances in a concentration up to 50% by weight is facilitated by the use of polymers having a low melt viscosity. Polymers which in a molten state have a low viscosity have proved particularly suitable for use in processes according to the invention.
These include, inter alia:
polyethylene having a MFI 190/2 of 10-300 grams/10 minutes;
ethylene/vinyl acetate having a MFI 190/2 above 10 grams/10 minutes;
polypropylene having a MFI 190/5 of 10-70 grams/10 minutes;
polymethylmethacrylate having a MFI 210/10 above 10 grams/10 minutes;
cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate/butyrate, and cellulose propionate CA, CAB, CP having a MFI 190/2 above 8;
polyoxymethylene having a MFI 190/2 above 13 grams/10 minutes;
polyvinyl chloride/acetate having a K value below 50;
hard polyvinylchloride having a K value below 60 and containing at least 15% plasticizer;
polyamide 6 having a relative velocity between 2.1 and 3.4;
polyamide 12 having a relative viscosity between 1.7 and 21.1; and
polyethyleneterephthalate having a relative viscosity above 1.6.
It is apparent from the above data that additional polymerization products are useful in the new process if they have a high melt index, whereas polycondensates such as polyamides and saturated polyesters can be used in commercially available grades.
The following considerations, inter alia, govern the selection of polymers:
A low melt viscosity improves the adhesion so that much more fiber nuclei are formed than in case of a high melt viscosity;
A molten material at a high temperature results in a lower melt viscosity so that the fiber-drawing time is prolonged, and this prolongation provides for a longer time in which measures to control the process can be carried into effect.
It is necessary according to the invention that only a part of the polymer is converted into fibers in the fiber-forming region. In conventional processes it has always been attempted to ensure that the heatable drawing surface is free of residual polymer after the fiber-forming operation is completed because it was feared that the next pass resulting from the continued movement of the heatable drawing surface would otherwise disturb the fiber-forming process. Results obtained using the process according to the invention have proved opposite. The fiber-forming process of the invention is carried out in such a manner that the forces of cohesion in the polymer cause the solidifying fibers to visibly constrict near their point of contact with the heatable drawing surface rather than at said point and to be torn apart clearly at a distance from the drawing surface. Thus, in accordance with the invention a substantially continuous polymer coating produced on the heatable drawing surface in the first fiber-forming process is intentionally maintained in a thickness of at least 10 micron after this first fiber-forming process and additional polymer is coated on the first coating as the movement of the drawing surface is continued. From the endpoints of the torn fibers, which are located within infinitesimal distances from one another, the coating surface structure becomes a mountain and valley-like shape when leaving the fiber forming region. The smallest thickness of the coating is at least 10 microns in the valley portion. During the transport by the heated drawing surface the coating then becomes smoother and smoother due to the surface tension, so that it reaches the point of input of new polymer in even a flat condition. If desired, the additional polymer may be admixed during the formation of fibers with the retained polymer film or layer so that the layer is continually renewed.
The admixing of a new polymer layer of a dissimilar polymer with polymer coating remaining on the drawing surface can be used to transform layers of dissimilar polymers in the fiber-forming process into composite fibers by an action which is the same as that during the formation of the fibers from a single layer. Fibers of polyblends differ from fibers made from a single layer in that the different polymers are laminated rather than finely dispersed therein. This feature permits of a production of fibers having properties which cannot be obtained from a mixture of polymers having different melt viscosities.
Laminated fibers can also be produced, e.g., by a fibrillation of layers of polyvinylchloride and a second polymer. In this case, the process can be controlled so that each fiber contains layers of pure polyvinylchloride which are adjoined, possibly with gradual transitions, by other layers which consist only of the other polymer. Because this lamination results in fibers having specific properties, such a fiber structure can be predetermined in view of the desired fiber properties such that the finished fiber has the combination of properties which are optimally required for a given use.
In connection with certain fiber properties it is significant that, in the region in which the carrier is deflected, the flowing fluid is applied at an angle within the range of +65° to -45°, preferably of +55° to -15°, relative to a normal plane of the heatable drawing surface in the deflecting region. Thus the flowing fluid does not impinge with maximum intensity on the area where the fiber nuclei are formed but must flow through the carrier in that region in which the polymer layer is distorted and transformed into fibers. The flow of the fluid is then diverted at the heatable drawing surface so that the fluid is deflected partly into the region where the fiber nuclei are formed and partly into the fiber-forming region in which the fibers solidify completely. Such action can be controlled by a selection of the direction of flow of the approaching fluid. The form of the fibers is greatly dependent on the intensity of the action of the flowing fluid.
The flowing fluid consists of gases, vapors, sprayed liquids, or of solids entrained by gases and/or vapors, or of mixtures thereof. Mixtures of gases and liquids have proved particularly satisfactory with the process of the invention because they result in a particularly large heat transfer and can take up much heat. The use of gas-liquid mixtures is also preferred because the evaporation of the liquid results in a cooling of the fluid. The use of mixtures of gases and liquids and of a substance which can react with the liquid or gas to extract heat therefrom has also proved desirable and practicable. The chemical substance may be used in solid or liquid form. An action which can be matched with solidification in a simple manner can be obtained by the use of a sprayed liquid at moderately elevated temperatures. Besides, mixtures may be used as coolants in such a manner that at least one component of the mixture is deposited on the fibers.
An important feature of the process of the invention resides in that the carrier is deflected by at least 5° and at most 90° from its direction, preferably, as explained below, in a range of 10°-80°. The degree of deflection of the carrier is chosen mainly in consideration of the nature of the polymer and of the desired quality. Where mainly linear polymers are used, a larger angle of deflection is preferred than with branched polymers. Optimum results are to be expected if, in the processing of polyolefins (other than low density polyethylene), the angles of deflection lie between 30° and 80° whereas in the processing of low density polyethylene they should lie in a range between 10° and 60°. In the processing of saturated linear polyesters, the selected angles lie in the range from 50° to 80°, and in the processing of cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate the selected range is between 20° and 60°. Polyblends can be processed with good results if the angle of deflection is at least 80°.
If longer fibers are to be produced from the polymers listed hereinabove, angles of deflection near the upper limits stated are preferred.
It has been found desirable to protect unfibrillated polymer, i.e., the coating or polymeric film on the drawing surface from the action of the atmosphere, e.g., by a suitable covering, which may suitably consist of non-oxidizing gases. By using such measures, oxidation which would disturb the process can be inhibited. Whereas these disturbances are not measurably important with respect to the quality of the fibers, they may result in a discontinuity in the application of the polymer to, and the uniformity of contact with, the heatable drawing surface. With some polymers, such as commercially available polyolefins, an antioxidant incorporated in the polymer layer can accomplish this result. In other polymers, primarily polycondensates, the action of such antioxidant is insufficient so that it is necessary to prevent directly access of oxygen. For instance, it has been found to be preferable particularly in the processing of polyoxymethylene, polycarbonates, polyamides, and saturated polyesters to provide a shield or to use a non-oxidizing gas which flows around the polymer layers. In such case, a shield is provided which is spaced about 5-10 millimeters from the heatable drawing surface and parallel thereto and which protects the drawing surface from the environment and also acts as a reflector. Whereas it is known that polyamide can be processed only with difficulty, it can be uniformly fibrillated when this measure is adapted. If the remaining unfibrillated polymer is contacted by flowing non-oxidizing gas, the thermal decomposition of the polymer will be reduced. This is favorable with respect to the strength of the fiber as well as in subsequent processing, such as the dyeing of polyamide and polyester fibers.
The above described process is carried out with suitable apparatus which is characterized in that a nozzle body is desposed adjacent to the fiber-forming region and in contact with the carrier at the point of deflection of the carrier.
The deflection of the carrier in the area of the discharge orifice of the fluid is generally accomplished by the nozzle body and for this purpose that portion of the nozzle body which surrounds the discharge orifice is suitably formed as a comb which is rounded or tapers to a sharp edge and has teeth which are connected or disconnected at their distal ends. The carrier may alternatively be deflected just before or just behind the discharge orifice although the tolerance should possibly not be in excess of 10 millimeters.
Further details and advantages of the process and the design of apparatus for carrying out the process will now be explained with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic general view showing an apparatus for carrying out the process.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a detail of FIG. 1 and
FIG. 3 shows a modification of FIG. 1.
The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 comprises a driven drum 10 which forms one of the drawing surfaces and is heatable by a heater 11 and a conduit 12. A nozzle body 14 is disposed near the surface of the drum 10 and is mounted in a holder 13 to be pivotally movable and adapted to be displaced toward the surface of the drum. The nozzle body has a slotlike discharge orifice 15 which extends throughout the length of the drum and can be arranged to face the drum 10 in all angular positions of the nozzle body. The nozzle body 14 is connected by a conduit to a fluid pressure generator 16. A mixture fitting 17 may be connected, which can be operated by hand or which can be operated automatically to work dependently with process variables.
Feed means (not shown) are provided for applying to the surface of the drum 10 a polymer layer 18 and a carrier web 19 for the polymer. The carrier web wraps drum 10 in a part of its surface. The apparatus extending across the length of the drum is so designed that after the fiber-forming operation (which will be described more fully hereinafter) a residual polymer film 20 is left on the drum surface and carrier 19 is deflected around the nozzle body 14 by an angle 30. The angle of deflection 30 is measured from a tangential plane 32, which is applied to a generatrix 31 of the drum surface. At generatrix 31, polymer 18 and carrier 19 begin to separate from the cylindrical surface which is formed by the surface of the drum.
That portion of the drum surface, which in the direction of rotation (arrow 33) succeeds the point of deflection and which is disposed between said point and the point where additional polymer 18 is applied, is surrounded by a shield 21. The space between the surface of the drum and shield 21 is filled by a non-oxidizing gas, which is supplied through a fitting 22.
The nozzle body 14 provided with the fluid discharge orifice 15 can be adjusted within a wide range for an unrestricted adaptation to all process variables. It is also apparent that, in the illustrated embodiment, holder 13 is pivotally movable within an angular range of about ±75° relative to an imaginary radial plane 34 which intersects the nozzle discharge orifice and about the line where plane 34 intersects the surface of drum 10. The distance 24 of the discharge orifice 15 from the surface of drum 10 can be adjusted and fixed within a range of 0.5-40 millimeters.
As is apparent from FIG. 1, polymer 18 is applied in a radial plane intermediate the surface of drum 10 and carrier 19 in the direction of movement of the drum 10 as indicated by the arrow 33. Alternatively, the lines of application of the polymer and carrier may lie in one and the same radial plane.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing a portion of FIG. 1 to illustrate details of the arrangement near the point of deflection. FIG. 2 illustrates how fibers are formed in fiber-forming region 25 which, in the direction of movement of the drum 10, is disposed between the generatrix 31, the fibrillation region and carrier 19. In the embodiment of FIG. 2 the nozzle body 14 is positioned at positive angle 27 with respect to radial plane 34.
At the intersection of the radial plane 34 and the heated drum 10 polymer 18 has been raised to such a temperature that it is 10°-200° above the melting point so that it adheres on one side to carrier 19 and on the other side to drawing surface 23. Because the carrier begins to separate from drawing surface portion 23 of the surface of the drum 10 before reaching plane 34, the film-like molten polymer 18 begins to separate from the drawing surface 23 and adheres on the upper surface of the carrier. This separation proceeds transversely to the tangential plane 32 as the separation of the carrier 19 from the drawing surface 23 increases. The free spaces formed on both sides of the polymer 18 as the result of the separation of webs 36 merge to form cavities 39 as the separation of carrier 19 from drawing surface 23 increases; these cavities are disposed in the interior of the polymer and extend transversely to the plane of the drawing. This action takes place adjacent to orifice slot 15 of nozzle body 14. For this reason, the action of the discharging fluid and the intentional deflection of the nozzle body begin here. The nozzle body comprises a comb which extends at right angles to the plane of the drawing throughout the length of the drum 10. As a result of this incipient action, the webs 36 of polymer between the elongated cavities 37 are progressively attenuated so that constrictions 39 are formed which progressively increase in a peripheral direction to such an extent that the tensile forces which are produced in the polymer as a result of the increasing separation overcome the cohesive forces. As a result, polymer filaments are formed, which are distributed over the length of the drum and are transformed into solidified, stabilized and fibers having a longitudinal orientation. Controlling variables, such as the rate at which the polymer is supplied per unit of time, the circumferential velocity of the drum 10, the drum's surface temperature, the surrounding temperature and the polymer's temperature, pressures and consequently the velocity and volume of flow of the fluid, the input of polymer and the structural dimensions of the apparatus, are adjusted so that the polymer is not completely transformed into fibers but a film 20 of residual polymer is intentionally provided because the maintenance of such film has been found to be essential for and characteristic of the process. Some of these variables are naturally regulated depending to the drum's surface qualities or adhesion qualities therefrom.
As is apparent from the transverse sectional view of the nozzle body 14, the latter contains a flow-dividing grid 26 which insures that the fluid discharged from the orifice slot 15 forms individual streams which are uniformly distributed over the cross-section of the slot. These streams insure uniform fiber-forming conditions throughout the length of the drum 10 particularly because said streams flow at uniform velocities.
In nozzle body 14, the comb may form a sharp edge so that the point of deflection 41 and the discharge orifice of the nozzle are accommodated within a very small space. In other cases, a certain distance between the discharge orifice and the point of deflection may be more desirable. In still other cases, the polymer layer must be deflected on a generatrix of the drum surface before the discharge orifice of the nozzle body 14, when viewed in the direction of rotation of the drum 10.
FIG. 3 shows an apparatus which is provided with a heatable belt 50, which is trained around the drum 10' and forms the drawing surface 23' for the polymer 18' and the carrier 19'. The carrier 19' is again deflected in the fiber-forming region 25' about a nozzle body 14'. This embodiment has the advantage of requiring less space.
The fiber-forming process is inevitably accompanied by flow processes by which the film produced on the surface of the drum 10 and consisting of polymer which has not been used to form fibers receives a coating of additional polymer or additional polymers. Because the polymer layers are molten, they mix but without a dispersion such as would result from the mixing of the polymer by a stirrer. A laminated mixture results and is subjected to the process of the invention so that laminated fibers are formed which have a longitudinal orientation.
The drawing surfaces must be designed so as to ensure a good adhesion of the polymer to the drawing surface. For the sake of economy, drawing surfaces are provided which consist of portions of preferably cylindrical bodies because such bodies can be made at very low cost by lathe operations. This concept has been adopted in the embodiments explained hereinbefore. All surface-finishing processes which are known in the art may be used unless they result in surfaces to which the polymer cannot adhere or can only poorly adhere. The drawing surfaces may be chromium-plated, polished, or lapped, for instance. The same criteria are applicable to belts such as are shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing. Drawing surfaces consist suitably of metallic surfaces although the invention is not restricted thereto. Metallic drawing surfaces can easily be machined and provide for a particularly good and uniform conduction of heat.
All techniques known in the art may be adopted to heat surfaces which are used according to the invention. Heat may be supplied by conduction, conversion or radiation.
As regards the design of the nozzle body, it has already been pointed out that it should suitably be capable of a pivotal, rotational or translational movement so that it can be moved to a position which is an optimum in view of specific requirements. The drag which is due to the carrier and the fiber-forming region may be used to deflect at least part of the flowing fluid so that it flows opposite to the direction of movement of the carrier and if desired, substantially parallel to the carrier. For this purpose, the nozzle body may be provided with bevelled or rounded surfaces (reference numeral 41).
Besides, numerous ways are known in fluid dynamics to control a fluid so that it can perform the functions which are required. As stated above the fluid may generally consist of gases or vapors, or of liquid or solid particles entrained by a flowing fluid and such liquid and/or solid particles may be added to the fluid before it enters the nozzle body. A simple measure, comprises the spraying of water into flowing air. In this case, the points of supply may be disposed before or in the discharge orifice of the nozzle body or between the latter and the carrier and/or polymer. Such points of supply may be disposed at different locations. Where the fluid consists of a gas, an inert gas is preferred and may consist mainly of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
The state of the fluid is of significance and may be adjusted in any known manner by pressure, temperature, ionization and/or other electric or electrostatic or electrodynamic or magnetic and electromagnetic charges and other variables which control state to ensure the desired behavior. Certain limits must be taken into account which define the ranges in which the required intermediate values and such limits will mainly depend on the required fiber properties. For instance, if the action exerted by the fluid to promote the formation of fibers is insufficient, the formation of fibers will also be insufficient and the production will lack economy. On the other hand, if the intensity of the action is increased beyond a certain limit, the molten polymer will solidify too rapidly and the formation of fibers will be insufficient for this reason. It has also been found that the molecular orientation of the fibers will depend on the angle of deflection and on the distance of the deflecting means from the drawing surface. As these are empirical values, the accompanying table gives a synopsis of the order of magnitude of the values in question so that an interpolation may be used to indicate (also for polyblends) the values which will result in fibers having predetermined properties.
TABLE__________________________________________________________________________Part APolymer Carrier Drum Nozzle Amount Amount temp. Orifice angleNo. Type g/m.sup.2 Type g/m.sup.2 ° C mm deg.__________________________________________________________________________1 PVCA.sup.3) 80 PU.sup.1) 60 205 4 4 K = 50 foam 30 kg/m.sup.32 PVCA.sup.3) 80 VSF.sup.2) 60 205 2.5 6 K = 50 woven fabric 20/133 PP.sup.4) 60 PU.sup.1) 60 190 4 10 MFI foam = 60 30 kg/m.sup.34 " 100 " " " 12 75 " 90 VSF.sup.2) 60 " 3 10 woven fabric 20/136 LD-PE.sup.3) 90 " " 205 1.7 5 MFI = 207 "300 " " 205 15 108 PMMA.sup.6) 90 " " 235 3 12 MFI = 129 POM.sup.7) 100 " " 195 2.5 1010 PA 6.sup.8) 90 " " 245 2 4 rel. visc = 2.811 PA 6.sup.8) 90 " " 245 2 4 + 15% PMMA.sup.6)12 Mix- 90 " " 205 1.7 5 ture 50% LD-PE.sup.5) 50% talcum13 1st 70 " " 205 2 10 layer PVCA.sup.3) 2nd 50 layer LD-PE.sup.5)__________________________________________________________________________ .sup.1) PU = polyurethane .sup.2) VSF = viscose staple fiber .sup.3) PCVA = polyvinyl chloride/acetate? .sup.4) PP = polypropylene .sup.5) LD-PE = low density polyethyle .sup.6) PMMA = polymethylmethacrylate .sup.7) POM = polyoxymethylene .sup.8) PA = polyamide
______________________________________Part BAngle of Air Velocity Lengthdeflection pressure of carrier of FibersNo. deg. mm water m/min mm______________________________________1 40 300 1.5 102 40 600 1.8 113 60 700 3 124 70 450 3 455 60 700 4 126 40 1,500 5 37 70 1,500 2 308 50 1,300 4 129 50 1,200 3.5 1210 70 700 6 1211 70 700 6 1212 40 1,500 5 413 60 1,200 4 7______________________________________
|
A process is provided for manufacturing a product which has a fibrous surface and is formed by the conversion of a non-fibrous polymer, which process comprises placing a polymer between drawing surfaces which adjoin the polymer and adhere thereto and separating the surfaces. At least one of the surfaces is formed by a carrier for the polymer and for the fibers, through which carrier a fluid is blown such as to flow around the fibers in statu nascendi and orient and stabilize them as their viscosity increases. An apparatus for carrying out said process is also provided.
| 3
|
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application 61/154,354, filed Feb. 20, 2009, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD
The present invention relates generally to photometric test and measurement equipment, and in particular to a goniometric positioning system for use in conjunction with photometric test and measurement equipment.
BACKGROUND
Goniometric multi-axis positioners (generally called “goniometers” and “goniophotometers”) have been available for a number of years in the lighting industry. Goniometers are used to accurately and precisely position and orient a test object at a plurality of positions in order to evaluate the object's photometric properties, for example the spatial luminous intensity distribution of a light emitting or light reflecting object. Goniometers are typically described as having either a “Type A” or “Type B” configuration. An example Type A goniometer 10 is shown in FIG. 1 , while a Type B goniometer 100 is shown in FIG. 2 .
With reference to FIG. 1 , Type A goniometer 10 is a common configuration used in the transportation lighting industry. Goniometer 10 includes a test platform 12 attached to an inner frame member 14 and is rotatable with respect to the inner frame member about an axis of rotation “X 1 .” Inner frame member 14 is attached to an outer frame member 16 and is rotatable with respect to the outer frame member about an axis of rotation “Y 1 .” Thus, the “left-right” rotational axis X 1 is nested within the tilt or “up-down” axis Y 1 . This basic configuration is widely used to test automobile, aircraft and other transportation lighting devices.
With reference to FIG. 2 , Type B goniometer 100 includes a platform 102 attached to a horizontal member 104 . Horizontal member 104 is rotatably attached to a frame member 106 . Platform 102 , horizontal member 104 and frame member 106 are all rotatable together about an axis of rotation “X 2 .” Platform 102 and horizontal member 104 are also further rotatable together about a tilt axis “Y 2 .” As can be seen from FIG. 2 , Type B goniometer 100 is configured such that rotational axis X 2 is located beneath tilt axis Y 2 . Accordingly, the entire frame 106 of the goniometer rotates for the right-left motion. This type of goniometer is commonly used for testing of displays and commercial lighting fixtures.
Some variations of the basic goniometer design exist. For example, some goniometer systems have been built in a “half frame” configuration 200 , shown generally in FIG. 3 . In the half-frame configuration a platform 202 is fixed to an inner frame 204 , the inner frame being cantilevered from an outer frame 206 . Platform 202 is rotatable about a rotational axis X 3 . In addition, inner frame 204 and platform 202 are rotatable together about a tilt axis Y 3 . A test object (not shown for clarity) may also be adjusted to a desired height H 3 by fixturing or tooling equipment that is either incorporated into platform 202 or is detachably coupled to the platform.
The open-end cantilever goniometer 200 of FIG. 3 has some advantages over the closed-box frame designs of FIGS. 1 and 2 due to the lack of an outer frame 206 member at an unsupported end 208 of inner frame 204 . As can be appreciated by comparing FIG. 3 with FIGS. 1 and 2 , an outer frame 206 member proximate end 208 could interfere with the movement of inner frame 204 in situations where a large test object is attached to platform 202 . However, given that many vehicle lighting devices have a left-hand and a right-hand configuration, there is still the potential for interference in some testing scenarios. For example, while no test object-to-outer frame 206 interference may be experienced at the unsupported end 208 of inner frame 204 , interference between the test object and the outer frame may still occur on the opposing, supported side of the inner frame. The nature of the half-frame goniometer design also requires a relatively large, heavy structure and massive bearing assemblies to minimize positional error with regard to platform 202 due to deflection of the cantilevered inner frame 204 . In some cases this drawback lends an advantage to the box closed-frame designs of goniometers 10 , 100 due to their inherently balanced weight distribution.
A third configuration of goniometer, known as a “sector gear positioner” 300 , is shown in FIG. 4 . This positioner is a reapplication of a type of positioner used for antennae and artillery aiming devices. A platform 302 is affixed to a large sector gear 304 and is rotatable about a rotational axis X 4 . The sector gear 304 is coupled to a gear drive 306 that moves the sector gear and platform together to predetermined positions about a tilt axis Y 4 having a range of motion θ 4 . A test object (not shown for clarity) may also be adjusted to a desired height H 4 by fixturing or tooling equipment that is either incorporated into platform 302 or is detachably coupled to the platform.
A disadvantage of sector gear positioner 300 is that the range θ 4 of up-down motion of platform 302 is limited to a tilt angle of about ±30 degrees from a horizontal orientation due to the sector gear 304 interfering with a light emission path of a test object mounted to the platform at tilt angle extremes. For most transportation lighting it is necessary to run some tests with the light emission of the test object oriented to about a 90-degree “up” position. This is particularly true with respect to forward lighting, such as headlamps for automobiles, as well as aerospace lighting. The “down” direction, i.e., the light emission of the test object oriented to about 180-degrees from the “up” position, is not as much of an issue because all goniometers are limited in this direction due to the mounting requirements of most test objects.
As can be appreciated from the foregoing discussion, current goniometers suffer from significant limitations with regard to the size and shape of objects that can be tested, due to the potential for interference between the test object and the structure of the goniometer. This interference limits the range of motion of the goniometer, in turn limiting the amount of photometric data that can be gathered. Current goniometers also typically consume a significant amount of laboratory space that could otherwise be used for other purposes. Furthermore, available goniometers are typically extremely heavy, making them expensive to transport and requiring significant foundational support at their point of installation. There is a need for a goniometer that addresses these shortcomings.
SUMMARY
A goniometric positioning system is disclosed according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system employs a set of linear actuators configured as a four-bar linkage to achieve the desired goniometer test article positioning characteristics.
One aspect of the invention is a system for positioning an object for photometric testing. The system includes a base, and a platform for detachably retaining the object. A first linear actuator is pivotably coupled to a first pivot axis of the platform and a first pivot axis of the base. A second and a third linear actuator are pivotably coupled to a second pivot axis of the base and the first pivot axis of the platform. A fourth linear actuator is pivotably coupled to the second pivot axis of the base and a second pivot axis of the platform. The first, second, third and fourth linear actuators are selectably adjustable in length to position the platform at a select position about a predetermined arc of travel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further features of the inventive embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the embodiments relate from reading the specification and claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a prior art Type A goniometer;
FIG. 2 is a prior art Type B goniometer;
FIG. 3 is a prior art half-frame Type A goniometer;
FIG. 4 is a prior art sector gear goniometer;
FIG. 5 is a rear-quarter view of a goniometer positioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a front view of the goniometer system of FIG. 5 ;
FIG. 7 is a side view of the goniometer system of FIG. 5 ;
FIG. 8 is an illustration of examples of multiple positions of a goniometer system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 9A , 9 B, 9 C and 9 D are perspective, side, end and top views respectively of the goniometer system of FIG. 8 according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the general arrangement of a goniometer control system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11 shows the dimensional parameters associated with computations for positioning linear actuators of the goniometer system of FIG. 10 ; and
FIG. 12 shows a calibration system usable in conjunction with a goniometer system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A goniometric positioning system 400 is shown in FIGS. 5 through 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Goniometer 400 comprises a platform 402 that is movably supported by adjustable-length members such as a set of linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 , each being pivotably coupled to and extending between the platform and a fixed base 412 . Linear actuator 404 is pivotably coupled between a pivot axis PA 1 at base 412 and a pivot axis PA 2 at platform 402 . Linear actuators 406 , 410 are pivotably coupled between a pivot axis PA 3 of base 412 and pivot axis PA 2 . Linear actuator 408 is pivotably coupled between pivot axis PA 3 of base 412 and a pivot axis PA 4 of platform 402 .
Linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 , 410 may be any type of device now known or later invented that applies force in a linear manner. Example types of linear actuators include, without limitation, rotary-to-linear motion converters such as electro-mechanical actuators, segmented spindle actuators and moving coil actuators. Other types of linear actuators may directly generate linear force, such as hydraulic actuators, piezoelectric actuators, linear motors and wax motors.
With reference to FIGS. 9A through 9D , if linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 , 410 are provided as electro-mechanical actuators they may each comprise an electric motor 411 such as, without limitation, a dc brush, dc brushless, stepper and induction motor. The motor is coupled to a rotary-to-linear motion converter 413 . The rotary-to-linear motion converter may be, without limitation, a lead screw or ball screw. The electric motor may be directly coupled to the rotary-to-linear converter. Alternatively, a gear reduction may be interposed between the electric motor and the converter.
FIGS. 10 and 11 show the general arrangement of a goniometer control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. A control 414 (which may be integral to system 400 or an external component coupled to the system) may include a microprocessor or other computing means and may operate in accordance with a set of predetermined instructions, such as a computer program, to resolve appropriate positions for platform 402 throughout a predetermined arc range of motion θ 5 . Once an appropriate platform 402 position is determined control 414 computes, using the programmed instructions, the appropriate extension positions L 1 for linear actuator 408 , L 2 for linear actuators 406 , 410 and L 3 for linear actuator 404 to achieve the desired position. Control 414 then operates linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 , via a driver 416 , to provide electrical, hydraulic or other signals (represented by the solid arrows in FIG. 10 ) to move each actuator to their appropriate linear positions. The appropriate extension positions may be determined in an open-loop fashion, such by control 414 issuing a predetermined number of electrical output pulses via driver 416 , the pulses being provided to a stepper motor 411 of each of linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 . Alternatively, the positions of linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 may be controlled by control 414 in a closed-loop fashion using feedback elements 418 coupled to the linear actuators, the feedback elements each providing position feedback signals to control 414 for the linear actuator with which they are associated. Such feedback signals are generally represented by the broken line 420 in FIG. 10 .
With reference again to FIG. 8 , in operation linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 may be operated either individually, all together or in sub-groups to accurately and precisely position platform 402 to a number of predetermined positions and orientations about circular arc θ 5 , the linear actuators functioning together as a four-bar linkage. FIG. 8 shows platform 402 positioned at three discrete points of arc θ 5 , the platform being accurately and precisely positionable at any position about arc θ 5 within the limits of travel of L 1 for linear actuator 408 , L 2 for linear actuators 406 , 410 and L 3 for linear actuator 404 . Control 414 may be programmed to manually and/or automatically move platform 402 to the predetermined positions and orientations. Alternatively, control 414 may be configured to receive automatic and/or manual control signals from an external source (not shown), such as from an operator of the system or a computing device.
With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 , linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 may each be extended or retracted to a determinable length to achieve a particular or select position of platform 402 about arc θ 5 in accordance with Equations 1, 2 and 3, below. The L 1 , L 2 , and L 3 lengths are a function of adjustable parameters, θ 5 and H. The remaining parameters are fixed and are defined by the chosen geometry of system 400 .
L 1 =SQRT(( B +( R *COS(θ 5 +( A TAN(−( C/ 2)/( H+A )))))) 2 +( D +( R *SIN(θ 5 +( A TAN(−( C/ 2)/( H+A ))))) 2 ) Equation 1
L 2 =SQRT( B +( R *COS(θ 5 +( A TAN(( C/ 2)/( H+A )))))) 2 +( D +( R *SIN(θ 5 +( A TAN(( C/ 2)/( H+A ))))) 2 ) Equation 2
L 3 =SQRT((( R *COS(θ 5 +( A TAN(( C/ 2)/( H+A )))))) 2 +(( D+E )+( R *SIN(θ 5 +( A TAN(( C/ 2)/( H+A ))))) 2 ) Equation 3
where:
L 1 =length of actuator 408 L 2 =length of actuators 406 , 410 L 3 =length of actuator 404 A=vertical distance between surface of platform 402 and a plane formed by pivot axes PA 2 , PA 4 B=Horizontal distance between pivot axes PA 1 , PA 3 C=Horizontal distance between pivot axes PA 2 , PA 4 D=vertical distance from pivot axis PA 3 to H-V (theoretical center of rotation) E=vertical distance from pivot axis PA 1 to pivot axis PA 3 R=SQRT (H 2 +(C/2) 2 ) θ 5 =select up-down tilt angle of platform 402 H=commanded height adjustment. For photometric testing H is generally specified so as to position the theoretical center of light for the item under test at the intersection of the X 5 and Y 5 axes (H-V).
These computations may be performed by control 414 and/or an external computer or similar device coupled to the control.
Control 414 may be implemented in any conventional form of analog or digital (e.g., a microprocessor or a computer) closed-loop servo controller having operational aspects including, but not limited to, force, velocity and directional controls for driver 416 and/or linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 . Control 414 may further include a predetermined set of logical instructions, such as a computer program, to define the various operational aspects of the control. Control 414 may also receive, via an input 422 ( FIG. 10 ) instructions from an external device, such as photometric measurement equipment and/or calibration equipment.
The aforementioned position feedback elements provide information to control 414 relating to the positions of linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 . The feedback elements may be any conventional type of feedback element now known or later invented that is compatible with the architecture chosen for control 414 , such as an absolute or relative position encoder. In other embodiments the feedback elements may be an arrangement of electromechanical or solid state limit switches or proximity-sensing elements located at predetermined positions. In some embodiments of linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 utilizing a stepper or brushless DC motor a limit switch or proximity sensor at known or calibrated positions of linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 may serve as index points for a predetermined set of instructions used by controller 414 to count the number of commutation pulses required to reach a predetermined position of the linear actuators. In addition to position information, the feedback elements may provide control 414 with information relating to the velocity of linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 when they are moving.
In some embodiments of the present invention the aforementioned logical instructions (which may reside in control 414 and/or an external control, such as a computer terminal) may include a command to position platform 402 at a position which will be a function of “height” (which defines the radius of the arc of travel of the platform), an up/down angle about axis of rotation Y 5 , and a right/left angle about axis of rotation X 5 . The right/left angle of platform 402 may be directly set and/or measured in any conventional manner. The height and up/down angle position of platform 402 may be computed using an algorithm wherein the up/down angle, “ƒu/d,” is a mathematical function of the extension lengths of actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 (actuators 406 and 410 being generally the same length) at each commanded up/down position. In other words, the extension lengths of actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 are a function of the commanded up/down angle and height.
Alternatively, system 400 may be commanded to move through arc θ 5 ( FIG. 8 ) at a prescribed speed while photometry equipment observing a test object (not shown) attached to platform 402 “scans on the fly” while measuring light emissions from the test object. In this embodiment the speed or “feed rate” of each linear actuator 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 is controlled in a predetermined manner. This motion requires the linear actuator 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 speeds to vary during the path of motion, and in some cases may require the direction of at least some of the linear actuators to reverse during the move. The movement of platform 402 may be controlled internally by control 414 , or externally such as photometric measurement equipment and/or calibration equipment.
In one embodiment of the present invention it is desirable to maintain a “closed loop” form of position control of platform 402 . In addition to the aforementioned position feedback elements 420 providing a positional communication back to control 414 regarding the status of linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 , a second set of encoders may be attached to each of the three length axes of the actuators to confirm in a precise manner whether the actuator is actually in the commanded position. If a difference in position greater than a predetermined tolerance is detected, then control 414 will act to readjust linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 to achieve the commanded position. Control 414 may further include an output 424 providing data in any desired analog and/or digital format. The output data may include, without limitation, tilt and rotation angles for platform 402 .
In some embodiments of the present invention platform 402 is rotatable to accommodate various lighting test requirements. Preferably, platform 402 is rotatable about axis of rotation X 5 , which is oriented generally orthogonal to a plane “F” defined by pivot axes PA 2 , PA 4 of the platform ( FIG. 11 ).
With reference to FIG. 12 , in another embodiment of the present invention a target 500 consisting of a board 502 having concentric circles 504 of a contrasting color thereon may be used to calibrate system 400 . Target 500 may be placed on a wall or on a stand perpendicular to the up/down tilt axis Y 5 of goniometer system 400 with its center at the “0,0” center of the rotational axis X 5 of the goniometer. A pair of laser emitters 506 may be mounted on the base of platform 402 so that, when energized, laser beams 508 emitted by the emitters travel about arc θ 5 ( FIG. 8 ) corresponding to the commanded positions of platform 402 . This will provide a user with visual confirmation that system 400 is in the proper, commanded position. Alternatively, the proper up/down position of platform 402 may be verified using a bubble protractor. For precise confirmation of positions, one may also utilize a theodolite.
A comparison with prior art goniometer designs shows a number of advantages of the present invention. Firstly, the rotational interference between the edges of large items to be tested and the side frame members of the prior art box frame ( FIGS. 1 , 2 ) and half-frame ( FIG. 3 ) configurations is completely eliminated. Thus, virtually any size object can be tested, so long as the object is within the load limitations of linear actuators 404 , 406 , 408 and 410 and so long as the object fits within the test room.
In many test facilities there is a limitation of the facility space available for installation of the goniometer positioner. Both the Type A ( FIG. 1 ) and Type B ( FIG. 2 ) prior art positioners require considerable space outside of the optical working area for the mechanism driving the motion of the device. This can force laboratory layouts that require excessive space. In some cases the size of the frame may be too large for the space intended. Often the size of the equipment causes extraordinary difficulties in shipping and in installation. Sometimes special doors may be required or it may even be necessary to remove a wall to move the system into the its final installed position. The present invention is compact, overcoming the drawbacks of prior art positioning systems.
System weight is also important, for several reasons. Firstly, shipping costs are always a concern and the weight and physical size of the goniometer will directly impact these costs. It is not unusual for the weight of a prior art goniometer system to exceed a thousand pounds. This limits the test facilities to those that can accommodate large, expensive goniometer installations. For example, an end user must be particularly concerned about the allowed load rating for the floor of the laboratory. This can be a significant issue for end users who desire to locate the goniometer in an upper-floor location where a thick concrete foundation is not usually available. In contrast, some configurations of the present invention are designed to weigh about 350 pounds, a substantial improvement over prior art systems.
Lastly, with regard to shipping, the present invention may be partly disassembled so that the components can be hand-carried to the testing site if necessary and then reassembled in place. Consequently, complex rigging equipment and large doors are not required to install the present invention.
While this invention has been shown and described with respect to a detailed embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the claims of the invention.
|
A system for positioning an object includes a base and a platform for detachably retaining the object. A first linear actuator is pivotably coupled to a first pivot axis of the platform and a first pivot axis of the base. A second and a third linear actuator are pivotably coupled to a second pivot axis of the base and the first pivot axis of the platform. A fourth linear actuator is pivotably coupled to the second pivot axis of the base and a second pivot axis of the platform. The first, second, third and fourth linear actuators being selectably adjustable in length to position the platform at a select position about a predetermined arc of travel.
| 8
|
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application is a Continuation application of International Application PCT/RU2012/000363, filed on May 11, 2012, which in turn claims priority to Russian Patent Applications No. RU 2012105304, filed Feb. 16, 2012, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to medicine, in particular to nanotechnology and toxicology, and can be used for prophylaxis and therapy of various etiologies of toxic states, including the acute ones.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A method of treatment of postoperative complications by using medicines containing protein antioxidants (Russian Patent No. 2199337) is well known. In this patent, the treatment of postoperative complications with the phenomena of multiple organ failure is carried out by the combined administration of a patient of a drug containing human lactoferrin and a drug containing human ceruloplasmin; these drugs containing human lactoferrin and human ceruloplasmin are administered systemically—daily—intravenously in isotonic glucose solution or sodium chloride. Also, a drug containing the human ceruloplasmin is administered intravenously daily systemically and a solution preparation, containing human lactoferrin, is used for daily washing of purulent wounds, cavities, and/or to irrigate the airways.
[0004] Lactoferrin is a metals-binding single chain protein. It is generally known that this protein has a number of natural therapeutic properties, including bactericidal and bacteriostatic activity, and it is involved in the regulation of cellular and humoral immune responses, inflammatory and other processes.
[0005] The disadvantage is that although the drug is acting immediately after administration, but only during the first 24 hours, and then it is eliminated from the body, which is a significant disadvantage in the treatment, as it is necessary to re-administer the drug often, as a part of the introduction of therapy.
[0006] An antibacterial, antioxidant, detoxifying, immune modulatory and anti-carcinogenic formulation, according to Russian Patent No. 2165769 is known, which contains human lactoferrin as a primary active agent and pharmaceutically acceptable additives; wherein the formulation comprises in wt. percentage: human lactoferrin—10.0-90.0, pharmaceutically acceptable additives—the rest. The claimed medicament can be in the form of a solution for internal administration, in the form of a solution for intra-cavity or intra-vesicle instillation, in the form of a solution for oral administration, in the form of a solution for treating of wound surfaces, in the form of eye drops, in the form of a solution for intranasal application, in the form of an ointment, in the form of a bolus for oral administration, in the form of suppositories for rectal or intra-vaginal use, in the form of a tablet.
[0007] This mentioned Patent is selected by the Authors as a prototype.
[0008] The disadvantage is also the fact that although the claimed drug is acting immediately after injection, but only during the first 24 hours, and then it is eliminated from the body; this is a significant disadvantage in therapy because of the need for frequent administration of the drug.
[0009] Common shortcomings of these compositions and formulations, and methods of treatment are:
[0010] 1) difficulties in achieving a stable therapeutic effect in their application, due to the presence as active components of isolated and purified proteins—lactoferrin, which rapidly routes from the body of the patient for any excreted way of administration;
[0011] 2) in order to maintain therapeutically effective concentrations in the body there is a necessity of multiple administration of pharmaceutical compositions containing lactoferrin;
[0012] 3) costs of large amounts of the drug, medical instruments and medical staff time to achieve the desired outcome of treatment;
[0013] 4) for the compositions and formulations which include lactoferrin obtainable from human milk—uniqueness of this raw material and its deficiency—severely limits scaling production and, accordingly, the possibility of its application in the required amounts in accordance with medical indications.
[0014] Also the recombinant lactoferrin produced in various systems, including viral vectors carrying the gene of human lactoferrin is known; it is similar to the native lactoferrin in its physical, biochemical and biological properties (Gonzalez-Chavez S. A., et al., Lactoferrin: structure, function and applications, Int. J. of Antimicrobial Agents, 2009, No. 33, hh. 301-308).
[0015] An effective method of treatment of induced mammary tumors in mice by administering to tumor tissue of a recombinant adenovirus carrying a human lactoferrin gene is known. This composition had a prolonged action and was administered once every two weeks (Wang J., et al., Inhibition of tumor growth by recombinant adenovirus containing human lactoferrin through inducing tumor cell apoptosis in mice bearing EMT6 breast cancer, Arch. Pharm. Res., 2011, No. 34 (6), pp. 987-995).
[0016] Disadvantage of this composition is as follows. The expression of the target protein lactoferrin, using adenovirus vector construction, in the body does not begin with the introduction of the drug, but in a few hours, which is a subsequent disadvantage in relation to the treatment of acute toxic effects; although the level of lactoferrin is building and is lasting for a long time after just a single injection, which is advantageous for the treatment of chronic toxicosis but cannot be used for the treatment of acute toxic effects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Technical aim of the presented invention is directed to the building of a pharmaceutical composition with sustained and rapidly commencing antitoxic effect, based on nanostructures, producing human lactoferrin directly in the body and that is suitable for treatment of acute toxic states of various origins.
[0018] This problem is solved by the following means: the pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of acute toxic conditions containing protein—the human lactoferrin—further comprises a non-replicating nanoparticles with insert of human lactoferrin gene, and a formulating buffer. At this, the drug dose is 3 ml. The dose of the claimed pharmaceutical composition comprises of:
human lactoferrin from 50 to 100 mg; non-replicating nanoparticles—7×10 11 virus particle (v.p.); formulating buffer—rest, ml.
[0022] At the same time, lactoferrin of the donor human milk or any other human lactoferrin is used as human lactoferrin.
[0023] Technical solution of the application is realized due to the fact that the combination of properties of native human lactoferrin derived from a donor human milk and human lactoferrin expressed from non-replicating nanoparticles based on the genome of Adenovirus Serotype 5 with insertion of exogenous DNA, comprising a gene encoding a protein (the human lactoferrin) is used in one pharmaceutical composition that allows for treatment of acute toxic states of various etiologies with a single dose of the drug. The composition also contains a formulating buffer as a pharmaceutically acceptable additive. That is what provides for effective work of lactoferrin from almost since its introduction and prolong its therapeutic concentration for 28-30 days, without implementation of additional injections.
[0024] Technical, medical and economic results when carrying out the claimed invention are achieved due to the fact that, just as in the known drug based on human lactoferrin extracted from human milk, a major therapeutic agent in the proposed drug is human lactoferrin, the level of which in the body after administration of an invented pharmaceutical composition is provided by native lactoferrin and after that the level is provided by recombinant lactoferrin produced by non-replicating nanoparticles.
[0025] A pharmaceutical composition, according to the invention, is made in the dosage form of:
human lactoferrin from 50 to 100 mg; non-replicating nanoparticles—7×10 11 virus particle (v.p.); formulating buffer—rest, ml; and it is used as a solution for intravenous administration.
[0030] The pharmaceutical composition serves as a starting material for preparation of various dosage forms, the use of which is determined by the pathogenesis of toxicosis. The inventive pharmaceutical composition based on the native human lactoferrin and non-replicating nanoparticles with insert of a gene, encoding human lactoferrin, has passed preclinical and clinical trials of specific (therapeutic) efficiency and systemic toxicity, which showed the harmlessness of the composition and its activity as detoxifying therapeutic agent for various toxic conditions, particularly acute toxicity, which is illustrated by the following examples.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] FIG. 1 shows the pharm-cinematic curve characterizing the concentration of human lactoferrin in the serum of rats after a single intravenous introduction of a pharmaceutical composition in a dose of non-replicating nanoparticles 4.3×10 11 v.p./m 2 and native lactoferrin 10 mg/kg. In the axis of abscissa time in days is shown, in the axis of ordinate concentration of lactoferrin in serum, mkg/ml is shown.
[0032] FIG. 2 presents data of duration of thiopental sleep of animals inoculated with CCl 4 . The bars indicate the duration of sleep in groups of animals treated with:
CCl 4 ; 0.9% solution of sodium chloride; native human lactoferrin; composition containing only non-replicating nanoparticles with insert of lactoferrin gene; the pharmaceutical composition.
[0038] In the axis of ordinate—time of thiopental sleep in min. is shown.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0039] The below examples represent:
construction of non-replicating nanoparticles and building of their capacity to the required amount; creation of a pharmaceutical composition; an evidence of rapid appearance of lactoferrin in blood and of a prolonged action of the pharmaceutical composition; a proof of an anti-toxic effect of the pharmaceutical composition created according to the claimed invention.
Example 1
Construction of Non-Replicating Nanoparticle Based on the Genome of Adenovirus Serotype 5 with Insert of Human Lactoferrin Gene
[0044] Construction of the non-replicating nanoparticle based on the genome of Adenovirus Serotype 5 (size: 70-80 nm) with inset of human lactoferrin gene was based on the recombinant plasmid pJM17 (Mc Grory W J, A simple technique for the rescue of early region I mutations into infectious Adenovirus Serotype 5, Virology, No. 163 (2), 1988, p. 614), with a deletion of the adenoviral genome in the El region. All subsequent cloning manipulations were performed using well-known laboratory techniques (e.g., Sambrook, J., et al, Methods of genetic engineering: molecular cloning, World, Moscow, 1984, pp. 205-224, 387-420). Cloning was performed by homologous recombination in cell culture and its gist is as follows. Artificially synthesized cDNA of human lactoferrin gene in selected restriction sites was over-cloned into well-known shuttle-plasmid pRcCMV (Invitrogen, San Diego, Calif., No. V75020). Further on, for mutual transformation of the obtained plasmid pRcCMV-Lf and vector plasmid pJM17, they were used for and transfection of cells 293 (e.g., CLS, Germany, No. 300192) using the method of calcium phosphate precipitation (Graham F. L., et al., A new technique for the assay of infectivity of Adenovirus Serotype 5 DNA, Virology, 1973, No. 52 (2), pp. 456-467). The result was a non-replicating nanoparticles containing an expression cassette with CMV-promoter, the human lactoferrin gene and a polyadenylation signal. Plaques of the recombinant particles were formed by cell culture a few days after transfection; they were collected with a Pasteur pipette, the resulting material was propagated on line 293 cells to obtain a titer of 3×1010 v.p. (virus particle)/ml (108 PFU/ml).
[0045] Predetermined content of non-replicating nanoparticles and native lactoferrin in a pharmaceutical composition was defined by pharm-kinetics and antitoxic effect in Examples 4 and 5.
[0046] For obtaining of such pharmaceutical composition, the cell suspension accumulated in the previous step, comprising of a non-replicating nanoparticles titer 3×1010 virus particle/ml, was used for further increasing of titers of non-replicating nanoparticle and preparation of finished pharmaceutical composition containing at least 2.33×1011 virus particle/ml (corresponding with an activity of at least 6.7×108 PFU/ml) and 50-100 mkg of native lactoferrin (e.g., specified in Russian Patent No. 2165769) in 3 ml of composition.
[0047] Thus, further on, for production of required titers of non-replicating nanoparticles, a wave bioreactor with 4500 ml of suspension of a permissive cell culture 293 was inoculated with cell culture of 500 ml containing non-replicating nanoparticles with titer 3×1010 v.p./ml.
[0048] The cell mass was cultured to full capacity of non-replicating nanoparticles inside cells and achievement of their content up to 6×1010 v.p./ml (activity of 2×108 PFU/ml) for approximately 48 hours. Upon achievement of necessary content of nanoparticles the cell mass was fed for cleaning, a process which consisted of several stages:
[0049] Precipitation of cell mass was made by centrifugation. The coming for treatment suspension had at least 1014 v.p. for 5 liters (was assessed by mass spectrometry, 1 a.u. (absorbance unit=1012 v.p.). Centrifugation was performed at 6000-gyro mode for 15 min, liquid supernatant was decanted and the remaining solid portion, containing cells and non-replicating nanoparticles, was fed to further purification steps.
[0050] Removing of non-replicating nanoparticles from the cell culture was carried out by a four-stage destruction of cells by refreezing-thawing. Also, a buffer solution of pH 8.0 was prepared: 5 mMTrisHCl, 0.075 MNaCl, 1 mMMgCl2, 5% sucrose, 1% polysorbate-80. Sediment, obtained in the previous step was re-suspended in 70 ml of buffer (content ratio—x71). Volume of the solution was 80 ml. Freezing was performed in liquid nitrogen for 2 hours, thawing—in a water bath (at +37° C.) avoiding overheating.
[0051] To facilitate further removal of genomic cellular DNA an additional processing with nuclease was performed. To achieve this, benzonase was added until concentration in solution up to 150 units/ml and the solution was placed for a soft stirring with usage of a magnetic stirrer for 3 hours at room temperature (21-23° C.).
[0052] Separation of non-replicating nanoparticles from destroyed cells was performed by centrifugation at 9000-gyro for 10 minutes. Supernatant containing non-replicating nanoparticles was then collected.
[0053] Further purification was carried out by ultrafiltration. For this purpose, the resultant supernatant was diluted with buffer (50mM TrisHCl pH 7.5, 1M NaCl, 2 mM MgCl2, 5% sucrose, pH 7.5) to a volume of no less than 200 ml, stirred with a magnetic stirrer. During the filtration, volume of the circulating solution (retentate) were constantly made up to the initial one (200 ml).
[0054] Further purification was carried out by anion-exchange chromatography. The retentate was applied to a column (AxiChrom 70/300 with volume of 400 ml) containing anion-exchange sorbent Q Sepharose Virus Licenced. Non-replicating nanoparticles thus concentrated on the column, while impurities did not concentrate and were eluted with buffer “A”. After removing of impurities non-replicating nanoparticles were desorbed by washing with “B”. Chromatography conditions were as follows: flow 193 ml/min, buffer “A” (40 mM TrisHCl, 0.27 M NaCl, 2 mM MgCl2, 5% sucrose, 0.1% polysorbate 80, pH 7.5), conductivity of ˜28-30 mS/cm; buffer “B” (40mM TrisHCl, 0.5M NaCl, 2 mM MgCl2, 5% sucrose, 0.1% polysorbate 80, pH 7.5), conductivity of ˜50 mS/cm. The eluate of 200 ml in volume was sent to the next step of processing.
[0055] Exclusion chromatography. The eluate extracted in the previous step was applied to the column (AxiChrom 100/300 with volume of 800 ml) containing sorbent Q Sepharose 4 FastFlow. Macromolecular substances not included in the pores of the sorbent were eluted with the first peak (which includes non-replicating nanoparticles) impurities were eluted after the peak with non-replicating nanoparticles. Chromatographic conditions were as follows: flow 130 ml/min, buffer (10 mMTrisHCl, 75 mMNaCl, 1 mMMgCl2, 5% sucrose, 0.05% polysorbate 80, pH 8.0). To the extracted eluate (80 ml)—was added ethanol to a concentration of 0.5% and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) to a concentration of 100 mcM—was sent to the subsequent stage.
[0056] Normal filtration. Sterilization of the resulting formulation was carried out through a system of filters with pore size of 22 mcM. Final volume of the substance at this stage was 80 ml and contained non-replicating nanoparticles in titer of 1×1012 ph.par./ml. It was diluted with formulating buffer (e.g., 10 mMTrisHCl, 75 mMNaCl, 1 mMMgCl2, 5% sucrose, 0.05% polysorbate 80, 0.5% ethanol, 100 microns of EDTA, pH 8.0) to reach a content of 2.33×1011 v.p./ml and was sterilized by normal filtration.
Example 2
Process of Preparation of Pharmaceutical Composition
[0057] To obtain the final pharmaceutical solution of the claimed composition prepared in the previous stage, the drug was mixed with the concentrate of native human lactoferrin extracted from human milk (Russian Patent No. 2165769), located in the buffer used for formulation of the drug from non-replicating nanoparticles in the previous stage (e.g., 10 mM Tris, 75 mM sodium chloride, 5% sucrose, 0.05% Tween-80, 1 mM Magnesium chloride, 0.5% ethanol, 100 microns of EDTA, pH 8.0). Miscible volumes of solution of non-replicating nanoparticle concentrate and lactoferrin were of such nature, that the predetermined content of non-replicating nanoparticles was as a result finally obtained—2.33×10 11 v.p./ml (which corresponds to the activity of the drug in 6.7×10 8 PFU/ml) as well as from 50 mg to 100 mg of native lactoferrin in 3 ml of the composition.
Example 3
Stability of the Pharmaceutical Composition
[0058] Pharmaceutical composition obtained in Example 2 was evaluated for formulation stability.
[0059] For this, visual assessment of a sample, under close observation, was conducted for 3 minutes. Visual assessment showed good miscibility of components of the drug and absence of clots.
[0060] Table 1 shows the effect of the components of the pharmaceutical composition on the stability of non-replicating nanoparticles. The evaluation was conducted after exposure to a pharmaceutical composition for zero, 30 and 60 minutes, with a further assessment of titles of non-replicating nanoparticles according to the standard procedures.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Time of exposition, min
Pharmaceutical composition or control
0
30
60
substance
Titles, v.p./ml
Pharmaceutical composition
3 × 10 8
3 × 10 8
3 × 10 8
Culture medium (control substance)
3 × 10 8
3 × 10 8
3 × 10 8
[0061] Data in Table 1 indicate conservation titers of non-replicating nanoparticles upon exposure of the pharmaceutical composition from 0 minutes to 1 hour, which corresponds to their safety in control substance.
[0062] Thus, these results show the stability of the resulting pharmaceutical composition.
Example 4
Selection of Doses of Native Human Lactoferrin and Non-Replicating Nanoparticles Expressing Human Lactoferrin
[0063] Ability to use the pharmaceutical composition for treatment of acute toxicity was assessed for its pharmacokinetics state when administered to laboratory animals (rats) intravenously in a volume dose containing non-replicating nanoparticles expressing human lactoferrin equal to 4.3×10 11 v.p./m 2 and a dose of native lactoferrin equal to 10 mg/kg.
[0064] Evaluation was carried out by the presence and elimination of the target protein—human lactoferrin in the organs. The figure shows the pharmacokinetic curve representing the concentration of human lactoferrin in the serum of mice.
[0065] FIG. 1 shows the pharmacokinetic curve characterizing the concentration of human lactoferrin in the serum of rats after a single intravenous dose of a pharmaceutical composition of non-replicating nanoparticles 4.3×10 11 v.p./m 2 and native lactoferrin 10 mg/kg.
[0066] Analysis of data represented in the figure showed that the concentration of lactoferrin increases in form of two peaks. First ascent begins with the introduction of a pharmaceutical composition and reaches a peak after 17 minutes with a maximum concentration C max =140 mkg/ml, and then begins to fall down to the 12 th hour after its administration (this segment of the curve reflects the dynamics of native lactoferrin in the composition). However, the fall of concentration of lactoferrin in serum to zero does not occur, since starting from the 12 th hour after administration of the composition the second rise is observed, which is due to the start of developing of recombinant lactoferrin by non-replicating nanoparticles, with a peak on 6.8 th day and C max =364 mkg/ml. Next there is a gradual decrease in the concentration and lactoferrin disappears completely from the blood by the day 30 th .
[0067] Thus, the concentration of human lactoferrin after a single intravenous administration in serum of experimental rats is continuous from the moment of administration and up to 28-30 days, with two peaks of rise in concentration of lactoferrin.
[0068] At a separate single administration of native lactoferrin in a therapeutic dose of 10 mg/kg, and the drug is formulated with nanoparticles in the buffer at a dose of 4 . 3 × 10 13 v.p./m 2 , as reference drugs, it is found that the first peak of the curve is due to the native lactoferrin which disappears by the end of the first day after administration, the second peak corresponds to the time of expression of recombinant lactoferrin by non-replicating nanoparticles, which begins only with the 12 th hour after injection and lasts up to 28-30 days. Thus, united presence of these two drugs in one pharmaceutical composition allows maintaining the concentration of human lactoferrin in the blood beginning from the 17 th minute after administration, without fall in concentration of human lactoferrin significant for detoxification therapy.
[0069] Thus, the estimation of pharmacokinetic curve allows us to recommend a pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of not only chronic, but also acute toxic states, as therapeutic effect based on the detoxifying properties of human lactoferrin begins with the 17 th minute after injection and lasts for 28-30 days.
Example 5
Evaluation of Detoxifying Action of the Pharmaceutical Composition
[0070] The detoxifying action of the pharmaceutical composition was studied on a model of toxicity in animals induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCL 4 ).
[0071] Toxicosis, which occurs when CCl 4 is administered to a mammal, is caused by the following processes: CCl 4 undergoes metabolic transformation in membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum of liver by the enzyme cytochrome P-450 which leads to the formation of free radical metabolites (of CCl 3 type) formed as the result of breaking of the molecules of CCl 4 . In the result of gains in peroxidation of lipid complexes of intracellular membranes the enzyme activity and a number of cell's functions (protein synthesis, B-lipoprotein exchange and drugs' metabolism) are disrupted, destruction of nucleotides is developed, etc. It is believed that the main site of formation of free radical metabolites are endoplasmic reticulum and microsomal cells, which leads to degradation and reduced activity of cytochrome P-450—the key enzyme of the microsomal oxidation system. This reduces the rate of metabolism of endogenous and exogenous compounds and weakens the antitoxic function of liver. Assessment of the detoxifying function of the liver was carried out by using of thiopental test, which allows—by duration of narcotic sleep of animals—to evaluate the rate of metabolism of thiopental, implemented by the monooxygenase system of hepatocytes, dependent on cytochrome P-450.
[0072] A single dose of 2 ml/kg of a 75% of oil solution of CCl 4 was subcutaneously (s/c) administered to animals. Simultaneously, experimental mice were injected with pharmaceutical composition—once, intravenously, at a dose of 4.3×10 11 v.p./m 2 and 10 mg/kg—of native human lactoferrin. Control groups were intravenously only once injected with a composition containing only the nanoparticles expressing human lactoferrin at a dose of 4.3×10 11 v.p./m 2 or 0.9% of sodium chloride. Thiopental was administered on the 6 th day after administration of CCl 4 intraperitoneally (i/p)—in a single dose of 55 mg/kg—and the experimental animals' sleep duration was recorded as a criterion of evaluating the degree of liver toxicity damage.
[0073] The FIG. 2 presents data on duration of thiopental sleep in animals inoculated with CCl 4 . The bars indicate duration of sleep in groups of animals treated with:
CCl 4 ; 0.9% of sodium chloride; native human lactoferrin; composition containing only non-replicating nanoparticles with an inset of lactoferrin gene; pharmaceutical composition.
[0079] From the data presented in the figure can be seen that CCl 4 administration causes an increase in sleep duration of animals as compared sleep duration in the control group of animals treated with physiological solution (41+/−15 min and 5+/−2 min, respectively), thus indicating decrease in the rate of metabolism of thiopental in the liver and, respectively, weakening of antitoxic function of the liver.
[0080] Accordingly, the presented results show that thiopental sleep duration in the experimental group (20+/−6 min) was significantly less compared to the control group of mice (41+/−15 min), treated with CCl 4 , but not received a pharmaceutical composition; which means the existence of detoxifying properties of the claimed pharmaceutical composition. Also, sleep of the animals that received only the native human lactoferrin or only the composition containing non-replicating nanoparticles with inset of lactoferrin gene, was reduced—in comparison with a group of CCl 4 —up to 23+/−8 minutes, but at the same time was a little longer in comparison with that of the experimental group, which means that the claimed composition has the best detoxifying properties.
[0081] Thus, a single intravenous administration of the pharmaceutical composition during the onset of the acute stage of toxicity—caused by administration of CCl 4 —have significant detoxifying effect on the body, which is stronger than a separately administered—in comparable amounts—the native lactoferrin composition and that of non-replicating nanoparticles expressing lactoferrin.
[0082] Further on, examples of clinical doses received during the pre-clinical studies and measured per m 2 of surface area of the body, were extrapolated to the human person, because they are equivalent: an average human body surface area is 1.62 m 2 (Khabriev R. U., Manual on experimental preclinical study of new pharmacological substances, 2000, p. 98; Guidance for Industry. Estimating the Maximum Safe Starting Dose in Initial Clinical Trials for Therapeutics in Adult Healthy Volunteers, US Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), Pharmacology and Toxicology, USA, 2005, p. 7, 19).
Example 6
[0083] Patient P. was admitted with the clinical picture of acute toxic gastroenteritis. The main symptoms: drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping abdominal pain for several hours. Was accomplished: gastric lavage, administration of diuretics and intravenous saline solution; treatment was complemented by introducing the claimed pharmaceutical composition: once, intravenously in a volume of 3 ml, which corresponds to introduction of non-replicating nanoparticles expressing lactoferrin in a dose equal to 7×10 11 v.p. and of native lactoferrin in dose of 50 mg per person. Within an hour of emergency aid salivation and vomiting stopped, pains and diarrhea eased. The patient's condition improved. By the end of the first day after assisting clinical symptoms have gone completely, toxicosis was stopped.
Example 7
[0084] Patient V. was admitted with acute ethanol poisoning. Main clinical symptoms: cold clammy skin, flushing of the face and conjunctiva, decreased body temperature, vomiting, involuntary leakage of urine and feces, pupils were contracted and with an increase in respiratory disorders were expanding, slow breathing, frequent and weak pulse. Along with the standard infusion therapy, the removal of toxic shock by introducing of 3 ml of claimed pharmaceutical composition—once, intravenously, in a volume of 3 ml, this corresponds to the introduction of non-replicating nanoparticles expressing lactoferrin in a dose equal to 7×10 11 v.p. and native lactoferrin in dose of 100 mg per person—was performed. The patient's condition after the implementation of anti-toxic therapy has significantly improved: breathing and pulse have restored, also—surface of skin and mucous membranes, as well as pupils. By the end of the first day of treatment clinical symptoms have disappeared completely, general condition of the patient has improved significantly.
Example 8
[0085] Patient S. Was admitted with diagnosis: colon cancer, post-surgical and post-chemotherapeutical treatment condition. Postoperatively, the patient has developed toxic hepatitis. After introducing 3 ml of a claimed pharmaceutical composition: once, intravenously, in a volume of 3 ml, this corresponds to introduction of nanoparticles expressing lactoferrin in a dose equal to 7×10 11 ph.par. and native lactoferrin in doze of 50mg per person. The reduction of level of total and direct bilirubin in serum was identified: 105/80 μmol/I> 8.4/3.9 μmol/I. Toxic hepatitis was cured.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0086] Industrial applicability can be proved by the following.
[0087] Use of the claimed pharmaceutical composition in the pharmaceutical and clinical practice achieves several technical, medical and economic outcomes:
The claimed pharmaceutical composition is biocompatible with the human body and therapeutically it is highly effective; The claimed pharmaceutical composition is suitable for use as it is entered only once and after then (starting from the 17 th minute after injection and within 28-30 days) durably produces human lactoferrin in the human body, creating a concentration in blood that is ten times higher than normal level and that is required to achieve a stable therapeutic effect; The use of the claimed pharmaceutical composition is economically justified as just a single injection of the drug provides for rapid and prolonged therapeutic effect; The use of the claimed pharmaceutical composition provides for reduction of labor costs of medical personnel, of medical instruments, and thus of complexity and costs of treatment, as the native lactoferrin requires frequent administration, which in our case is eliminated by introduction of non-replicating nanoparticles that produce large amounts of lactoferrin directly in human's body after a just single administration; The use of the claimed pharmaceutical composition provides for reducing of need for native lactoferrin, as donor human milk is scarce.
[0093] These examples show that the developed pharmaceutical composition allows, after single intravenous administration, to receive effective anti-toxic action starting from the 17 th minute after its administration and lasts for 28-30 days, which allows for treatment of various toxic conditions, particularly acute. Thus, the imposed technical problem was solved.
|
A pharmaceutical composition for treatment of acute toxic conditions relates to the field of medicine, particularly to nanotechnology and toxicology, and can be used for prophylaxis and therapy of various etiologies of toxic states, including the acute ones. The claimed pharmaceutical composition for treatment of acute toxic conditions contains protein—the human lactoferrin—and further comprises of non-replicating nanoparticles with inset of human lactoferrin gene and formulating buffer. The dose of the claimed pharmaceutical composition is 3 ml. The dose of the claimed pharmaceutical composition comprises: human lactoferrin—from 50 to 100 mg; non-replicating nanoparticles—7×10 11 virus particle (v.p.); formulating buffer—rest, ml. At the same time, the donor human milk lactoferrin or any human lactoferrin is used as the human lactoferrin.
| 0
|
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present invention relates to physical vapor deposition of titanium nitride.
[0002] Titanium nitride has been used as a barrier and adhesion layer in fabrication of tungsten plugs in semiconductor integrated circuits. Tungsten plugs interconnect different conductive layers separated by a dielectric. Frequently used dielectrics are silicon dioxide and silicon nitride. Tungsten does not adhere well to silicon dioxide and silicon nitride, so titanium nitride has been used to promote adhesion. In addition, titanium nitride serves as a barrier layer preventing a chemical reaction between WF 6 (a compound from which the tungsten is deposited in a chemical vapor deposition process) and other materials present during tungsten deposition. See “Handbook of Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology” (2000), edited by Y. Nichi et al., pages 344-345.
[0003] [0003]FIGS. 1, 2 illustrate a typical fabrication process. A dielectric layer 110 is deposited over a layer 120 which can be a metal or silicon layer. A via 130 is etched in the dielectric. A thin titanium layer 140 is deposited over dielectric 110 and into the via 130 to improve contact resistance (the titanium dissolves the native oxide on layer 120 ). Then titanium nitride layer 150 is deposited. Then tungsten 160 is deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) from tungsten hexafluoride (WF 6 ). Tungsten 160 fills the via. Layers 160 , 150 , 140 are removed from the top surface of dielectric 110 (by chemical mechanical polishing or some other process). See FIG. 2. The via remains filled, so the top surface of the structure is planar. Then a metal layer 210 is deposited. The layers 160 , 150 , 140 in via 130 provide an electrical contact between the layers 210 and 120 .
[0004] Titanium nitride 150 can be deposited by a number of techniques, including sputtering and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Sputtering is less complex and costly (see “Handbook of Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology”, cited above, page 411), but the titanium nitride layers deposited by sputtering have a more pronounced columnar grain structure. FIG. 3 illustrates columnar monocrystalline grains 150 G in titanium nitride layer 150 . During deposition of tungsten 160 , the WF 6 molecules can diffuse between the TiN grains and react with titanium 140 . This reaction produces titanium fluoride TiF 3 . TiF 3 expands and causes failure of the TiN layer. The cracked TiN leads to a higher exposure of TiF 3 to WF 6 , which in turn leads to the formation of volatile TiF 4 . TiF 4 causes voids in the W film which are known as “volcanoes”. To avoid the volcanoes, the sputtered titanium nitride layers have been made as thick as 40 nm, and at any rate no thinner than 30 nm. In addition, the sputtered titanium nitride layers have been annealed in nitrogen atmosphere to increase the size of the TiN grains.
SUMMARY
[0005] The inventor has discovered that under some conditions thinner annealed layers of sputtered titanium nitride unexpectedly provide better protection against the volcanoes than thicker layers. In some embodiments, fewer volcanoes have been observed with a TiN layer thickness of 20 nm than with 30 nm. In fact, no volcanoes have been observed in some structures formed with the 20 nm TiN layers. Why the thinner TiN layers provide better protection is not clear. Without limiting the invention to any particular theory, it is suggested that perhaps one reason is a lower stress in the thinner annealed layers and a higher density of the TiN grains.
[0006] The invention is applicable to physical vapor deposition techniques other than sputtering. Additional features and embodiments of the invention are described below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIGS. 1 - 3 are cross sectional views of prior art semiconductor structures in the process of fabrication.
[0008] FIGS. 4 - 6 are cross sectional and perspective views of semiconductor structures in the process of fabrication according to one embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0009] [0009]FIG. 4 is a cross sectional and perspective view of a dual damascene semiconductor structure in the process of fabrication according to one embodiment of the present invention. Layer 120 is polysilicon formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) over a monocrystalline silicon wafer 410 . Before fabrication of layer 120 , the wafer 410 may have been processed to form devices such as MOS transistor 420 . The transistor's source/drain regions 430 were formed in substrate 410 , gate insulation 440 was formed over the substrate, and gate 450 was formed over the gate insulation. Other devices, including non-MOS devices, could be formed using known techniques. Layer 120 can also be part of substrate 410 (this embodiment is not shown in FIG. 4).
[0010] In the embodiment of FIG. 4, dielectric 460 was deposited over the wafer. Then layer 120 was formed as described above, and was patterned by a plasma etch. An exemplary thickness of layer 120 is 150 nm.
[0011] Dielectric layer 110 was deposited over the layer 120 . In some embodiments, dielectric 110 was a combination of two silicon dioxide layers. The first layer was PSG (phosphosilicate glass) deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The second layer was silicon dioxide deposited by CVD from TEOS. The combined thickness of the two layers was approximately 900 nm.
[0012] Then a photoresist layer (not shown) was deposited and patterned photolithographically to define a via 464 . In some embodiments, the mask opening defining the via was round in top view, with a diameter of 0.18 μm. The via was formed in layer 110 with a plasma etch.
[0013] The photoresist was removed, and another layer of photoresist (not shown) was deposited and patterned photolithographically to define a trench 470 in dielectric 110 for a tungsten interconnect. In some embodiments, the trench length was approximately 1 mm. The trench width was 0.22 μm. The trench was etched with a timed etch to a depth of approximately 250 nm. Via 464 was fully exposed at the bottom of the trench.
[0014] Then the top surface of the structure was exposed to RF plasma in argon atmosphere for 10 seconds. The argon flow was 5 sccm (standard cubic centimeters per minute). The RF power was 315 W. This operation removed native oxide from layer 120 . Also, this operation smoothened (rounded) top edges 480 of trench 470 and via 464 . The rounded edges are desirable to reduce stress in titanium nitride 150 (FIG. 5) at these edges so as to reduce the risk of volcano formation. The RF plasma operation was performed in a system of type ENDURA available from Applied Materials of Santa Clara, Calif.
[0015] Then titanium layer 140 (FIG. 5) was sputter deposited from a titanium target. The sputtering was performed at a temperature of 200° C. in argon atmosphere. The base pressure (the pressure before the argon flow was turned on) was 5×10 −7 torr. The DC power was 4000 W, the RF power was 2500 W. The wafer AC bias was 150 W. The titanium deposition was performed in a system of type ENDURA, in an ionized metal plasma (IMP) chamber of type Vectra, available from Applied Materials.
[0016] The thickness of Ti layer 140 was varied. In one embodiment, the thickness was 10 nm. In another embodiment, the thickness was 36 nm.
[0017] Then titanium nitride 150 was deposited by reactive sputtering from a titanium target in a nitrogen atmosphere. The base pressure (the pressure before the nitrogen flow was turned on) was 5×10 −7 torr. The nitrogen flow was 28 sccm (standard cubic centimeters per minute), the DC power was 4000 W, the RF power was 2500 W, the wafer bias was 150 W. The deposition temperature was 200° C. The deposition was performed in a system of type ENDURA, in an IMP chamber of type Vectra, available from Applied Materials.
[0018] The thickness of the TiN layer 150 was 20 nm in one embodiment, 30 nm in another embodiment.
[0019] Then the structure was heated to a temperature between 600° C. and 700° C. for 20 to 30 seconds in a nitrogen atmosphere. (This operation is referred to herein as Rapid Thermal Anneal, or RTA.) The base pressure was 100-120 torr, the nitrogen flow was 8 slm (standard liters per minute). The temperature was 620° C. in one embodiment, 670° C. in another embodiment. The anneal was performed in a system of type HEATPULSE 8800 available from AG Associates, Inc., of San Jose, Calif. The anneal is believed to have increased the lateral size of TiN grains 150 G (FIG. 3).
[0020] Then tungsten layer 160 was deposited by CVD in two stages. At the first stage, the chemical reaction was:
2WF 6 +3SiH 4 →2W+3SiF 4 +6H 2
[0021] This stage lasted 10 seconds. Then the silane (SiH 4 ) flow was turned off, and the hydrogen flow was turned on for the second stage. The chemical reaction was:
WF 6 (vapor)+3H 2 (vapor)→W(solid)+6HF(vapor).
[0022] See S. Wolf, “Silicon Processing for the VLSI Era”, vol. 2 (1990), page 246, incorporated herein by reference. Both stages were performed in a system of type CONCEPT 1 available from Novellus Systems of San Jose, Calif. The silane flow was 20 sccm. The hydrogen flow was 12-15 slm (standard liters per minute). The WF 6 flow was 350 sccm. The pressure was 40 torr. The temperature was 400° C.
[0023] Then the layers 160 , 150 , 140 were polished off the top of dielectric 110 . 2 by CMP. The resulting structure is shown in FIG. 6. Prior to CMP, the structure was examined for volcanoes using an optical microscope and SEM and STEM microscopes. The results are given in Table 1 below. The second column of Table 1 indicates the temperature of the Rapid Thermal Anneal, described above, performed after the deposition of TiN 150 before the deposition of tungsten 160 . In Embodiment No. 1, the anneal was omitted.
TABLE 1 Ti/TiN thickness: Ti/TiN thickness: Embodiment RTA 10 nm/20 nm 36 nm/30 nm No. of TiN Volcanoes observed? Volcanoes observed? 1. None Yes Yes 2. 620° C. No Yes, but fewer than in Embodiment No. 1 3. 670° C. No No
[0024] These results show, unexpectedly, that the use of thinner Ti and TiN layers in combination with the RTA can provide a better protection against the volcanoes than thicker layers without the RTA. The thinner layers can eliminate the volcanoes at the lower RTA temperature of 620° C. Lower RTA temperatures are desirable to reduce impurity diffusion during the RTA, to prevent melting or softening of materials having low melting temperatures (e.g. aluminum), and reduce wafer warping.
[0025] The invention is not limited to the particular materials, dimensions, structures, or fabrication processes described above. The invention is not limited to a thickness or composition of any particular layer, or the number, shape and size of vias 464 or trenches 470 . The trench length, for example, is 2 μm in some embodiments, and other lengths are possible. The invention is not limited to the particular gas flow rates, temperatures, or any other fabrication parameters or equipment. Some embodiments use nitrogen sources other than pure nitrogen for the RTA or titanium nitride deposition. For example, ammonia (NH 3 ) or H 2 /N 2 can be used. The invention is not limited to the Rapid Thermal Anneal or to any particular anneal temperature. Non-rapid anneals can be used. The anneal can be performed with plasma or with other heating techniques, known or to be invented. The invention is applicable to TiN sputtered from a TiN target. The invention is applicable to single damascene, dual damascene, and other structures, for example, to tungsten plugs formed in contact vias in non-damascene structures, and to tungsten features other than plugs. Titanium 140 is omitted in some embodiments. The invention is applicable to different tungsten CVD techniques, including tungsten deposition from WCl 6 rather than WF 6 . The invention is not limited by particular materials chosen for the layers 120 , 110 , 460 . Some embodiments involve non-silicon semiconductor materials. The invention is not limited to any particular sputtering process, and further is applicable to TiN deposited by physical vapor deposition techniques other than sputtering. For example, pulsed laser deposition and other evaporation techniques can be used. See “Handbook of Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology” (2000), cited above, pages 395-413, incorporated herein by reference. Layer 120 (FIG. 4) can be a metal layer, and can be part of the second, third, or higher metallization layers. The term “layer”, as used herein, may refer to a combination of two or more other layers. The invention is defined by the appended claims.
|
Titanium nitride layers a less than 30 nm thickness are formed by physical vapor deposition and used as barrier layers for tungsten deposition. The titanium nitride layers are annealed in the presence of nitrogen or a nitrogen compound.
| 7
|
CROSS REFERENCE
This application is a division of my prior and copending application, No. 500,023, filed June 1, 1983, now Pat. No. 4,505,212, dated Mar. 19, 1985.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention resides in the field of producing designs and shapes, by the use of movements along x and y axes; the shapes may be geometrical, or non-geometrical and irregular, and may be of any kinds that have heretofore been made by plotting.
The invention has particular applicability to quilting. A quilting machine includes a stationary bridge frame having a sewing head mounted thereon, an upper carriage which carries the quilt, and a lower carriage. The lower carriage rides on track rails on the floor running in one direction and the upper carriage rides on track rails on the lower carriage, running in transverse direction, these directions representing x and y axes.
In previous cases, a pattern track was provided, and a drive head on the lower carriage engaged the pattern track and drove the carriages, doing so by means of following the pattern track.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
A broad object of the invention is to provide a method of producing designs and shapes, utilizing movements made and controlled according to x and y axes, and including such method as applied to quilting, and having the following features and advantages:
1. Intricate and highly accurate pattern can be produced.
2. The pattern can be easily and effectively set up in a computer unit for producing the pattern in the quilt.
3. The method is extremely simple and involves correspondingly inexpensive means for carrying it out.
4. The method may be embodied in an original design of machine, or alternatively, it can be easily adapted to a pre-existing machine of kinds heretofore known.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the drawings,
FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of a machine for carying out the method of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view;
FIG. 3 is a top view of the machine, semi-diagrammatic in nature, showing only the main components in outline;
FIG. 4 is a view of the follower unit of the machine and the drive components therefor;
FIG. 5 is a view from the right of FIG. 4, but omitting the drive components;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 5 and showing the drive head in elevated position;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the drive head, and the drive board it cooperates with;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view oriented according to line 8--8 of FIG. 7, but showing the drive wheel on the pattern track;
FIG. 9 is a semi-diagrammatic view, from the top, representing the lower carriage of the machine and associated elements;
FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 but showing the upper carriage superimposed over the lower carriage, and associated elements.
FIG. 11 is a view of a potentiometer used in each of FIG. 9 and FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of mounting and actuating the potentiometer of FIG. 11;
FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic view of a computer unit and certain circuit portions associated therewith;
FIG. 14 is a view of a grid utilized in producing a pattern in the quilt, showing a pattern imprinted thereon; and
FIG. 15 is a fragmentary view of a chart bearing indications of steps entered in the computer unit of FIG. 13.
Referring to the overall apparatus disclosed, FIGS. 1-3 show a machine incorporating most of the elements and components of a quilting machine of a kind heretofore known, the features of the present invention being embodied in such machine. Referring particularly to the construction of the machine, in general, the machine includes a pair of carriages operating in mutually transverse directions for producing a pattern in association with a sewing head that is fixed in position.
The machine is indicated in its entirety at 20 and includes a transverse stationary bridge frame 22 having end posts 24, 26 resting on the floor 28, and a top bar 30 and a lower bar 32 mounted on the posts.
A sewing unit 34, which may also be referred to as a tool head, is mounted on the top bar 30.
A lower carriage 36 has wheels 38 riding on tracks 40 on the floor 28. An upper carriage 42 has a lower frame 44 and an upper frame 46, this upper carriage being provided with wheels 48 riding on tracks 50 mounted on the lower carriage. The lower carriage 36 moves transversely (FIG. 9), representing the x axis and the upper carriage 42 moves longitudinally (FIG. 10), and thereby on a y axis. The upper frame 46 includes means for mounting the quilt 52 thereon, in stretched out position for sewing on the quilt by the sewing unit 34, the latter cooperating with another sewing component 54 mounted on the lower bar 32 of the bridge frame.
The foregoing standard construction also includes a follower unit, but in the present invention, that follower unit, and its functioning, constitutes a principal feature of the invention. The reference numeral 56 indicates what was heretofore known as a follower unit, but because of its function in the present case, it is identified as a drive head or drive unit. This component is shown in its entirety in FIGS. 4 and 5, and cooperate with what is conveniently referred to as a driving board 58 (FIGS. 4-8), stationarily mounted on the floor. This driving board is represented diagrammatically in FIG. 3, and is of a size and shape of the quilt to be quilted, or larger, and thereby accommodates the positioning of the drive head in all positions of the latter in forming or producing the pattern throughout the area of the quilt. The drive board provides a flat or planar top drive surface 59 (FIGS. 4-6).
The drive head 56 is provided with a drive wheel 60, to be described in detail hereinbelow, that engages the drive board with high friction; the wheel is driven and this drives the drive unit, and the latter moves the carriages, and thus moves the quilt relative to the sewing head.
In the following description of the drive unit 56, the details have been greatly omitted. The drive unit is mounted at 62 (FIG. 1) in fixed position on the lower frame 44 of the upper carriage, and includes an external housing or frame 64 (FIGS. 4-6) mounted in a bracket 66. The housing 64, and thus the unit as a whole, is rotatable about a central vertical axis 68 and for this purpose a shank 70 is provided with a pulley 72 on which is trained a belt or chain 74, trained also on another pulley 76 driven by a reversible motor 78 mounted on the lower frame 44 of the upper carriage. The drive to the drive unit 56 is of stepdown relation. The drive unit 56 is rotatable 360° in each direction about the vertical axis 68, and the motor 78 is thus operable for so rotating it, and for also holding it stationary. The motor 78 may be of any of various kinds, such as a stepping motor, or a continuously running servo motor. In the present instance a stepping motor is utilized, that is reversible, and can be stepped throughout 360° in either direction.
A computer unit 80 is shown in FIG. 13, which is of known kind. A unit known as Apple II+ is found suitable, but other kinds may be used instead.
The drive wheel 60 in the drive unit 56 is driven by means of an internal drive transmitting means, not shown, which includes an external shaft 80 (FIG. 4, top) on which is mounted a pulley 82, and on the pulley a belt 84 is trained, the belt being driven by another motor 86. The motor 86 may be of any of various types, such for example, as an AC synchronous motor, a DC motor, and is preferably of constant speed, and reversible, for correspondingly driving the wheel in either direction or holding it stationary according to control signals entered in the apparatus.
Although the motors 78, 86 are referred to as electrical motors, other kinds of motors, whether electrical or of other character, may be utilized, with equivalent effect, as will be understood.
The drive unit 56 is slidable vertically in the bracket 66 from a down operating position shown in FIG. 4 to an elevated position shown in FIG. 6. For this purpose the shank 70 is slidable vertically in the bracket 66, having collars 88, 89 with which a lever 92 cooperates, the lever being pivoted at 94 on the frame 44 of the lower carriage. This lever is actuated by a suitable actuating means such as a compressed air driver 96, oppositely acting, and operative for swinging the lever arm 92 vertically and thereby raising and lowering the drive unit. As lowered, it is in drive position, and the driver 96 is utilized for imposing the desired pressure on the drive unit, through the collar 89, to bring the drive wheel into firm driving engagement with the drive board 58.
The drive wheel 60 as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 includes three segments, 98, 100, 102. The segment 98 has a peripheral tread surface that is of high friction character, such as a toothed surface. The second segment 100 is of substantially lesser diameter than the segment 98 and is provided with teeth 104 for engagement with a pattern track, as referred to hereinbelow. The segments 98, 100, are fixed on a shaft 106, and the segment 102 is a guiding flange free running on the shaft. The flange 102 is of lesser diameter than the segment 98, but of greater diameter than the central segment 100.
A principal feature of the invention involves the feature of the flat, or planar, drive surface of the drive board 58, whereby the drive wheel 60 is free to move anywhere on that surface, according to the drive control imparted thereto. This is in basic distinction from previously known apparatus in which a pattern track was used for controlling the direction of movement of the drive wheel for producing the intended pattern. However, the drive wheel 60, in addition to its feature just referred to, can nevertheless be used with such a pattern track, when the apparatus is incorporated in an old machine. Such a track, identified at 108 in FIGS. 7 and 8, is of known kind, including transverse grooves 110 and inclined side walls 112. The drive wheel 60 is capable of riding onto the track as represented in FIG. 7, that is, the track has a free end 114 and as the drive wheel 60 approaches that end, it rides up onto it. When it does so, the teeth 104 in the central segment of the wheel engage in the transverse grooves 110, and thereby provide driving force. The segment 98 serves as a flange, and together with the flange 102, retain the wheel on the track. The depth of the track is such that when the wheel is on the track, the drive segment 98 is lifted from the surface of the drive board, as is the flange 102, and also the flange 102 remains out of engagement with the drive board when the wheel is riding on the board. Further functioning of the drive wheel, and related components will be referred to again hereinbelow.
In the operation of the machine, both carriages 36, 42 are driven by the single drive unit 56 in a known manner, such as in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 25,575 issued May 12, 1964, to Schwarzberger. The action is such that each carriage moves along its respective x or y axis, thereby producing compound movements relative to the sewing head according to the pattern to be produced on the quilt. In that patent the movements were produced by the pattern track while in the present case, they are produced by the direction of movement of the wheel 60 itself.
The movements of the carriage are controlled by the computer unit 80 of FIG. 13, the details of which need not be entered into. As a brief explanation of the overall operation, the motor 86 drives the drive unit 56 at a constant rate, and its direction of movement is controlled by the motor 78. Motors, such as 78 and 86, are now available on the market, with built-in components, responsive to instructions entered into the computer unit, to perform the functions referred to below. The computer unit has built-in components responsive to variable resistances and the adaptation of that computer unit to the present apparatus utilizes those components and such resistances. Two such variable resistances are used, one in association with each of the carriages. The variable resistance unit is indicated at 122 in FIG. 11 and has a rotary shaft 124 with a pulley 126. In the incorporation of these units in the apparatus, attention is directed first to FIG. 9 showing the lower carriage 36 diagrammatically, and four pulleys 126 mounted on the floor at four corners. A belt 130 is trained on these pulleys and is anchored at 132 to the lower carriage. As the carriage moves, transversely, it pulls the belt which of course turns the pulleys 126 and mounted in association with one of those pulleys, as at 126', is the variable resistance 122.
In a similar manner, and referring to FIG. 10, where the upper carrige 42 is shown, four pulleys 134 are mounted on the lower carriage at four corners, and a belt 136 trained on those pulleys and ties to the upper carriage at 138. As the upper carriage moves on its y axis, longitudinally of the machine and transversely of the lower carriage, it pulls the belt and turns the pulleys. In this case also, a variable resistance 122 is mounted on one of the pulleys, at 134', as indicated in FIG. 10.
One kind of variable resistance 122 found usable in the practice of the invention is known as the ten-revolution potentiometer, or 10-turn pot, including an armature on the shaft 124; in a first extreme position, the resistance thereof is 0, and in an opposite extreme position, the resistance is maximum. Upon the movements of the carriages, respectively, the resistances of the potentiometers are correspondingly increased or decreased, and these resistances enter into the electronic circuit of the computer unit.
The arrangements of FIGS. 9 and 10 for operating the variable resistances, is only representative, and other forms may be used. For example, in FIG. 12, the variable resistance 122 is mounted for driving by the wheel of the carriage. In this case, the resistance 122 is mounted on the axle of the wheel 38, as by means of a shaft 140 and bracket 142 which is mounted on the carriage. As the carriage moves and the wheel rotates, the shaft drives the resistance.
The carriages are moved and controlled by the single drive wheel 60, as noted above. Any kind of pattern, virtually without limit, may be produced, both as to size and intricacy. The movements of the driving unit 56, which are translated into the pattern to be produced, are made up of a series of succession of elements or increments, namely straight lines and curved lines. So long as the drive unit remains stationary, relative to its vertical axis 68, and moved along, it forms a straight line. It is constantly driven, and until an instruction is given for it to stop, it continues in that straight line. Other lines are formed by turning the drive unit about that vertical axis, and this is done by actuating the motor 86. Thus, as the drive wheel 60 is being driven constantly, the movement of the wheel about its vertical axis produces a curve. If the steps to so move the wheel are produced slowly, then a broad curve, or long radius curve, is produced. On the other hand if a quick succession of angular changes are made, then sharp curves, or small radius curves, are produced.
Reference is again made to the intricacy and variety of patterns that can be produced; while a continuously running servo motor by its nature is controllable to infinite movements, and a stepping motor theoretically is controllable only in steps, a stepping motor can be effective for producing movements that are, from a practical standpoint, infinitely variable. In the present case the drive motor 78 is a stepping motor, as noted, and the drive from that motor to the unit 56 is greatly reduced - on the order of 36:1. A suitable motor, now accessible, is one that steps in angular increments of 1.8°, and when used in a drive of the ratio mentioned, moves the unit 56 about its vertical axis in extremely fine steps. Thus 200 steps of the motor in one revolution translates into 7,200 steps of the drive unit--an extremely fine control. This produces an economic benefit, since a stepping motor with its controls is much less expensive than a continuously running servo motor with its controls.
FIG. 14 represents a step in carrying out the invention. This figure shows a grid 144 which is of proportions similar to those of the quilt to be quilted. It is provided with coordinate lines 146 representing x axes and lines 148 representing y axes. The pattern to be produced on the quilt is drawn on the grid 144, as indicated at 150 which in this case is a flower having petals 152 and a stem 154. In producing the pattern on the quilt, a position is assumed where the sewing head 34 is in a certain pre-determined position relative to the quilt area such as indicated at the bottom of FIG. 14.
FIG. 15 is a chart 155 showing indicia of information entered into the computer. For example, the numbers 156 across the top indicate input items in response to questions and the numbers 157 at the left indicate successive steps each of which represents an increment of the pattern, and the movement of the sewing head relative thereto, in forming such an increment.
An item of information is entered into the computer, corresponding to the first increment to be produced in the pattern, such as represented at step 1 indicated at the left of FIG. 15. This information is that the drive wheel will progress in a straight line, representing upward movement in forming the stem 154. Then another item of information is entered, as represented by step 2 to terminate that movement, which in this case is where the stem merges with the petals of the flower.
As the next step in forming the pattern, instructions are entered to form for example the curve indicated at 158 in the petal. In forming this curve, the instructions are that the drive wheel is reversed, and then the drive continues in a curve "to the left" which is oriented as if looking from the center of the flower down to the lower right corner of the grid. Then for example another element or increment is formed and for the sake of convenience, a portion 160 of the petal is considered, and this is perceived as being a circular arc within an angle 162. It is then considered that that angle is for example 30°, and the radius for example is 8 inches, and then the operator enters information in the computer unit for the drive wheel to follow a path to form that curve, of a length between those angle lines. For example, that item of information may be the equivalent of "8 inch diameter, 30°" etc. This information includes detail instructions that the motor 78 be advanced in successive steps throughout that increment of the travel of the drive wheel, and a sharp curve or a broad cure is produced according tve steps throughout that increment of the travel of the drive wheel, and a sharp curve or a broad cure is produced according to the number of steps, as mentioned. This stepping rate is produced by the computer unit in response to the entry of the information mentioned in the unit. The remainder of the pattern is treated in a similar manner until all elements or increments of the pattern are entered into the computer unit.
Information is entered also for all other steps, such as when the drive wheel 60 rides onto the track 108 (FIG. 7), that the drive unit 56 is released from control by the motor 78 at that point and conversely, control is re-established when the wheel rides off the track.
An outstanding advantage of the invention is the simplicity thereof. For example, the computer unit need not perform any computing functions between steps. In contrast thereto, in previously known devices, as the carriages, and each of them separately, move, there must be a function performed constantly in relation thereto, but in the present case there need not be any calculations or "watching" between steps. For example, in forming the stem 154 of the flower, the movement is made from the lower end of the stem to the top thereof and during the movement no sensing or calculating movements need be performed, but the computer unit functions according to the information entered at the step represented, and then no further functioning is performed or need be performed until the next control step is reached, and at that point the information is already entered, and the computer unit functions according to that information so entered.
In relation to this feature just referred to, the constant speed of the drive wheel 60 is a great advantage in the simplicity of the apparatus. For example, the computer unit need not sense any change in speed, or to perform any functions because of any change in speed, but only perform according to the instructions entered into the computer unit which are based on a constant speed. However notwithstanding that advantage, it is within the scope of the invention to utilize drive of variable speed, and to provide corresponding refinement in computer unit control.
A further advantage is that the apparatus of the invention can be readily incorporated in formerly known quilting machines. That advantage is considered very great in view of the extremely high cost of the machines, since the present invention can be incorporated in apparatus that constitutes only a small portion of such a large machine.
An additional advantage of the invention is that extremely intricate patterns can be produced because of the fact that the drive wheel can be made to turn in virtually limitless areas. Contrast is made with previously known machines utilizing pattern tracks such as the track 108 of FIG. 7. Such a track can be shaped around only relatively broad curves, partially because of the nature of the track, partially because of the width of the track, and partially because of the necessary axial length of the drive wheel. In the present case, change in direction can be made about an element that is only a vertical line or a point, considered in area, because the drive wheel can be brought to a standwill and then at that time turned, for example 90°, and make a sharp right angle turn in the sewing of the pattern.
A still further advantage is that the apparatus of the invention may be used in a machine incorporating both the nature of this apparatus itself, in using a flat surface drive board, but also in conjunction with a track, and both in a single machine and in forming a single pattern. It may be desired to make certain portions of a pattern with such a track in accordance with previous circumstances and advantages, and in such cases both kinds of operations can be performed.
The apparatus additionally lends itself to both relatively coarse patterning and to very fine patterning. In the case of large patterns, usually the shapes are not fine, and the pattern may be laid out on a grid as shown in FIG. 14 on relatively rough scale. For example, a grid having lines 146, 148 of 1/2" spacing are found satisfactory, and in such a case to enter the information for such a pattern is relatively simple, However, if it is desired to have a fine pattern, a grid of much finer information may be used, such as 1/4" spacing or even less. The exact spacing of these lines is of course a matter of choice, and the invention is not limited to any certain size.
Yet another advantageous feature is that if an operation is stopped in the midst of a pattern, it can be re-established and continued with accuracy, and it is not necessary to start up again at the beginning of a pattern. For example, if the drive wheel 60 should encounter an obstacle and only spin, without moving the carriages, the controls would not be impaired because the turning of the drive wheel is not utilized for producing control signals, but only the movements of the carriages. If the carriages should stop at an intermediate position, the variable resistances 122 will become stationary with corresponding signals having been produced up to that point, and when they are moved again, the same signals are merely re-established and continued, and the controls by the computer unit continued as if not interrupted.
|
The machine includes a stationary bridge frame having a sewing head mounted thereon, an upper carriage which carries the quilt, and a lower carriage. The lower carriage rides on track rails on the floor running in one direction, and the upper carriage rides on track rails on the lower carriage running in transverse direction. A drive unit is mounted on the upper carriage and has a drive wheel engaging the floor. The drive is produced by running the drive wheel, and rotating the drive unit about a vertical axis, to trace out a predesigned pattern. The drive wheel can be driven forward, stopped, and reversed. The drive wheel is driven a constant speed, and different kinds of elements of the pattern are produced by turning the drive unit a lesser or greater amount about its vertical axis. A computer unit is utilized, and instructions entered thereinto to turn the drive unit about is vertical axis at predetermined points. In that operation the drive wheel engages a flat surface board, without tracks, but it is also adaptable to use with tracks, alternatively, and in the latter case, the computer unit is de-energized. The construction and arrangement includes alternatively a complete quilting machine or an attachment that can be added in a pre-existing machine.
| 3
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to a multi-layer foil such as a hot embossing foil.
In an effort to improve the safeguards against forgery of documents such as check cards, credit cards, savings books and similar security documents and items, such documents may be provided with a foil such as a hot embossing foil, which has a three-dimensional patterning thereon. For example, such a patterning may be a structure which has an optical diffraction effect, such as a hologram, by means of which it is possible to produce quite definite optical effects, whether by radiation with natural light or by radiation with artificial light of a particular wavelength. In order to forge security foils of that nature, it is necessary for the forger to remove the patterning with the utmost degree of accuracy, and to transfer it on to the forged foil. However, the patterning is generally covered by a layer of lacquer to protect and safeguard it, and therefore the layer of lacquer must be removed in order to be able to take off the patterning for transfer thereof.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,469,725 discloses an identity card which is formed from a laminate and which comprises two layers with different levels of optical transmission or of different colours. The adjacent surfaces of the two layers are provided with complementary and mutually interfitting impressions and raised portions respectively. In the course of manufacture, the two layers are pressed against each other, at increased temperature, whereby the layers are welded together in the interface region thereof, thus producing a unitary card. In that card, the recesses and the raised portions on the respective layers are comparatively high, corresponding to the thickness of the respective layers, more specifically being such that, when the two layers are brought together, the recesses and the raised portions engage one into the other. For the purposes of manufacture therefore, the layers are individually provided with the raised portions and the recesses respectively, and are then laid one upon the other in such a fashion that the raised portions and the recesses fit into each other. It will be appreciated that such a procedure is not possible when producing embossing foils, by virtue of the thickness thereof being small in comparison with the thicknesses of the layers of the known card. Furthermore, structures which produce an optical diffraction effect are so fine that in practice it would never be possible to provide for accurate location of two separate layers relative to each other, in such a way that surface configurations which are adapted to match to each other could be brought into interfitting relationship.
Hitherto, when producing hologram structures in embossing foils, the procedure involved was generally such that a metallised layer was produced, and the hologram or other structure producing an optical diffraction effect was then produced therein. The metal layer bearing the above-mentioned structure was then covered by a layer of protective lacquer. The lacquer used to produce the protective layer is one which on the one hand has very good adhesion to the metal layer and which on the other hand can only be dissolved away with very great difficulty, using conventional solvents. Nonetheless, persons attempting to forge such documents have repeatedly succeeded in exposing the surface of the patterning on the foil by removing the layer of lacquer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a foil such as a hot embossing foil which enjoys an enhanced degree of security in respect of forgery thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a multi-layer foil including a patterning effect therein, such as at least substantially to preclude exposure of said patterning.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a hot embossing foil which while affording a high level of security in regard to alteration and forgery thereof, is still simple to produce.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a process for the production of a multi-layer foil which is substantially resistant to fraudulent alteration thereof.
In accordance with the present invention, these and other objects are achieved by means of a multi-layer foil, such as a hot embossing foil, comprising a backing foil and thereon a decoration layer which is provided with a three-dimensional patterning, preferably a structure which produces an optical diffraction effect. Disposed on the side of the decoration layer which is remote from the backing foil is an adhesive layer. The decoration layer comprises at least first and second successive layers of lacquer which are formed by transparent lacquers of clearly different optical properties. The interface between the first and second successive layers of lacquer forms the above-mentioned patterning and the first and second layers of lacquer cannot be separated from each other by means of chemical or physical methods.
It will be seen therefore that, in the foil in accordance with the present invention, the three-dimensional patterning is no longer disposed on a metal layer which is greatly different from the usual layers of lacquer on the foil, in regard to its structure and general properties, but instead the patterning is provided between first and second layers of lacquer which have clearly different optical properties and which preferably have greatly different refractive indices, in order thereby to make the patterning effect clearly visible. In addition, the layers of lacquer between which the patterning effect is produced are such that they cannot be separated from each other by means of chemical or physical methods. Therefore, in order to prevent the layers of lacquer from being separated by chemical means, the lacquers must be such that in principle they are of the same composition. Separation of the layers of lacquer by means of physical methods can be prevented by the layers consisting of lacquers which produce a chemical bonding therebetween, for example lacquers comprising organic groups which are not yet cross-linked or which only gradually react.
With a foil in accordance with the principles of the invention therefore, there is practically no possibility of an intending forger being able to expose in a neat and tidy fashion the interface between the two layers of lacquer, which provide the three-dimensioning patterning, thus constituting an effective safeguard against forgery by virtue of attempts at removal of the patterning effect. In other words, the patterning cannot be directly removed from the foil to which it is originally applied, for the purposes of transfer to another foil, thus providing a good safeguard against forgery.
In accordance with a preferred feature of the invention, in order to make the patterning or the structure which produces an optical diffraction effect visible to the naked eye, it may be desirable for the decoration layer which is made up of at least the first and second successive layers of lacquer to include a non-translucent layer, preferably of metal, which is arranged on the surface, which is remote from the backing foil, of the layers of lacquer which between them provide the patterning effect. By virtue of its effect of causing reflection or absorption of the incident light, the metal layer enhances the contrast effect in the region of the interface portion which carries the patterning effect, in comparison with a foil in which only the two layers of lacquer which form the patterning effect therebetween have different optical properties.
The first and second layers of lacquer making up the decoration layer with the patterning effect therebetween may consist of any suitable lacquers. However, it has been found that particularly sound adhesion in the interface region is achieved if the layers of lacquer which provide the patterning effect are formed by acrylate lacquers which can be cross-linked or cured by UV-radiation, polyurethane lacquers which can be cured or cross-linked by heat, or a mixture of such lacquers. That is because such lacquers can be gradually cured or dried, with bonding of the two layers of lacquers occurring in the interface region during the hardening process.
For the purposes of producing foils and more particularly hot embossing foils, the general practice is to apply a first layer of lacquer to the backing foil, then to apply the patterning effect to that layer of lacquer, on a metal layer disposed thereover, and finally to apply a second layer of lacquer over the metal layer. Now, in accordance with the present invention, to afford the maximum safeguard against forgery and thus to provide good adhesion between the first and second layers of lacquer which provide the patterning effect between them, the invention provides a process for the production of the foil according to the invention, which comprises applying the first layer of lacquer to the backing foil, then, before that layer of lacquer has fully dried or cured, producing the patterning effect and then applying the second layer of lacquer. The process of the invention therefore provides that the second layer of lacquer is applied before the first layer of lacquer is fully hardened or set, thereby greatly promoting the production of bonds between the two layers of lacquer so as to give particularly secure adhesion therebetween in the interface region in which the three-dimensioning patterning effect is provided.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional view through a part of a foil according to the invention, and
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a part of an apparatus for producing a foil according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring firstly to FIG. 1, shown therein is a foil which comprises a backing foil 1, for example a polyester foil which is about 19 μm in thickness. Disposed on the backing foil 1 on the surface thereof which faces upwardly in FIG. 1 is a release layer 2 comprising for example a wax-like layer or a layer of special lacquer. Disposed then on the layer 2 is a decoration layer which is generally identified by reference numeral 3 and which comprises a first layer of lacquer 4, a second layer of lacquer 5 and a metal layer 6. The layers 4 and 5 are each about 1-5 μm in thickness, while the metal layer 6 is applied for example by a vapor deposition process.
The layer 3 may be released from the backing foil 1 for example by the effects of heat and pressure, and in use is secured to the item or article to be decorated or protected, for example a plastic credit card, by means of an adhesive layer as indicated at 7. The adhesive layer 7 may be for example from about 0.2 to 0.7 μm in thickness. The adhesive layer 7 may be formed by any suitable material such as a hot melt adhesive or a special lacquer which becomes sticky when heated.
Referring still to FIG. 1, it will be seen therein that between the two layers of lacquer 4 and 5 is an interface region as indicated generally by 8, which is provided with a three-dimensional patterning thereat. The patterning is shown in diagrammatic form only. The patterning in the interface region 8 is for example a structure which has an optical diffraction effect, more particularly for example a hologram.
In order for the patterning effect or optical-diffraction structure at the interface region 8 to be visible, the lacquers 4 and 5 making up the layer 3 are transparent. On the other hand, they have clearly different optical properties from each other, for example they have greatly different refractive indices.
The patterning effect at the interface region 8 is produced in a manner which is known per se from the manufacture of embossing foils, for example by means of a rolling process or by means of a process which involves a linear stroke motion.
The foil according to the invention may be produced in two different ways, either by what is referred to as a dry texturing process or by what is referred to as a wet texturing process.
In the dry texturing process, a lacquer is applied to the backing foil 1 and at least substantially dried. The patterning effect is then produced in that first layer of lacquer, by a rolling process or a stroke motion process as referred to above. The second layer of lacquer is then applied thereto.
When the foil is produced using the dry texturing process, the first layer of lacquer applied to the backing foil may consist of a lacquer of the following composition, being applied over the entire surface of the backing foil with a weight in relation to surface area of from 2.5 to 3.0 g/m 2 :
______________________________________Lacquer A PartsComposition by wt Designation manufacturer______________________________________Aliphatic trifunctional 1000 SR 444 (Sartomer)acrylic esterReactant diluent 200 SR 285 (Sartomer)Silicone-modified polyester 300 Silico (Goldschmidt)resin ftal HTLHydroxyl group-bearing 1500 G-Cure 867 (Henkel)acrylic resinPhotoinitiator 100 Dorocur (Merck) 1664Aromatic polyfunctional 1400 Desmodur (Bayer)isocyanate component ILToluene 2000Methyl ethyl ketone 500______________________________________
When the texturing effect is produced in the layer of lacquer formed from above-defined lacquer A, using the linear stroke process referred to above, operation is effected for example using a pressure in relation to surface area of 1 tonne/cm 2 , a temperature of around 110° C. and a pressure-application period of 0.4 second. If a rolling-type process as referred to above is used for producing the texturing or patterning effect, operation may be with a line pressure of around 150 kp/cm, a temperature of around 110° C. and a speed of movement of the roller or the foil with the lacquer of 15 meters/minute.
The second layer of lacquer is also applied over the entire surface, with a weight in relation to surface area of from 1.0 to 1.5 g/m 2 . For that operation, for example a lacquer of the following composition may be used:
______________________________________Lacquer B Parts (Manufac-Composition by wt Designation turer)______________________________________Hydroxyl group-bearing 1000 SR 399 (Sartomer)aliphatic pentafunctionalacrylic esterAliphatic polyester urethane 1000 Genomer (Rahn)acrylate T1200Photoinitiator 800 Irgacune (Ciba) 651Methyl ethyl ketone 1500______________________________________
The bonding effect between the layers consisting of the applied lacquers A and B occurs by virtue of cross-linking between the constituent of the two layers of lacquer, which constituents are not completely cured, subsequent to the application of the second layer of lacquer, thereby producing a bond between the layers of lacquer in the interface region 8, which in practical terms is inseparable.
If it is found that there is a wish or a need to operate at a higher rate in manufacture of the foil, then the above-mentioned wet texturing process may be used instead. In that connection, reference may be made to FIG. 2 which shows in diagrammatic form the step of applying the first layer of lacquer to the backing foil. As shown in FIG. 2, the first layer of lacquer as identified at 4' and possibly the release layer 2 (not actually shown in FIG. 2) are applied to the backing foil 1' in known manner, for example by an itaglio-type printing process. The backing foil 1' with the first layer of lacquer 4' thereon then passes over the peripheral surface of a cooled roller 10 which rotates with the foil as it passes over the surface thereof. The peripheral surface of the roller 10 bears the three-dimensioning patterning as indicated at 9. The foil is passed over the roller 10 in such a way that the first layer of lacquer 4' faces towards the patterned surface 9 of the roller 10 and is thus provided with the texturing effect as it passes around the roller 10, thereby producing the configuration of the interface region 8'.
It will be seen from FIG. 2 that the backing foil 1' with the layer of lacquer 4' thereon is pressed against the textured-surface roller 10 by means of a roller 11, for example of rubber.
While the backing foil 1' with the layer of lacquer 4' thereon passes on around the roller 10, the foil is subjected to UV-irradiation, as indicated by the arrows 12 in FIG. 2, more particularly from the back of the backing foil 1', that is to say, from the side thereof remote from the side to which the layer of lacquer 4' has been applied. That means that the UV-radiation is suitably attenuated in the backing foil 1' before it reaches the layer of lacquer 4'. If the backing foil 1' comprises polyester material, it can generally be assumed that only radiation of a wavelength of more than 360 nm is transmitted through the backing foil 1' to the layer of lacquer 4', so that the lacquer 4', being of a composition which can be caused to cure by the UV-radiation, is only partially set.
The backing foil 1' with the layer of lacquer 4' thereon then passes around a release roller 13 which is disposed at the downstream side of the roller 10, whereby the backing foil 1' with the layer of lacquer 4' thereon is released from the surface of the roller 10.
The partially completed foil 1' and 4' leaving the roller 10 in FIG. 2 is then subjected to a step in which a further layer of a hardenable lacquer is applied to the layer of lacquer 4' as by an intaglio-type printing process. The two layers of lacquer are then subjected to definitive curing, depending on the composition thereof, either by virtue of being subjected to the effects of heat or by virtue of further UV-irradiation.
The following lacquers may be used for carrying out the wet texturing process described above:
The first layer of lacquer 4' may be a lacquer C, which is applied to the backing foil over the entire surface thereof with a weight in relation to surface area of from 1.5 to 2.0 g/m 2 :
______________________________________Lacquer C Parts (Manufac-Composition by wt Designation turer)______________________________________Aliphatic silicone-modified 1000 Silicon- (Rohm)acrylic ester acrylat VP 6536Hydroxyl group-bearing aliph- 1000 SR 399 (Sartomer)atic pentafunctionalacrylic esterAliphatic polyester urethane 1000 Genomer (Rahn)acrylate D 900Photoinitiator 80 Dorocur (Merck) 1664Methyl ethyl ketone 1500______________________________________
The second layer of lacquer, which is applied to the textured surface of the layer 4' in FIG. 2, consists of a lacquer D which is also applied over the entire surface thereof as for example by an intaglio-type printing process, with a weight in relation to surface area of from 1.0 to 1.5 g/m 2 .
______________________________________Lacquer D Parts (Manufac-Composition by wt Designation turer)______________________________________Aliphatic trifunctional 1000 SR 444 (Sartomer)acrylic esterReactant diluent 2000 SR 385 (Sartomer)Aliphatic polyester urethane 1000 Genomer (Rahn)acrylate D 900Aliphatic polyester acrylate 1000 Prepoliner (Degussa) VSP 2051Copolymerising tertiary amine 600 Uvecryl P (UCB) 101Photoinitiator 400 Irgancune (Ciba) 651Methyl ethyl ketone 1000______________________________________
Instead of using above-defined lacquers B and D which can each be caused to set by means of UV-irradiation, it would also be possible to use the following lacquer E, a cross-linking polyurethane lacquer:
______________________________________Lacquer E Parts (Manufac-Composition by wt Designation turer)______________________________________Low-viscosity nitrocellulose 600 Collodium- (Wolff) Wolle E330High-molecular polymethyl- 600 Plexigum (Rohm)methacrylic resin M 527Silicone-modified polyester 150 Silicoftal (Goldschmidt)resin HTLHydroxyl group-bearing 600 Degalan (Degussa)polymethylmethacrylic resin LS 150/300Aromatic polyfunctional 1400 Desmodur (Bayer)isocyanate component ILEthyl acetate 2000Methyl ethyl ketone 2400Cyclohexanone 600______________________________________
When using above-defined lacquer E, the process must involve a thermally induced hardening operation, for example in a drying cabinet, at a temperature of from about 70° to 80° C. over a period of 12 hours.
When the two layers of lacquer 4 and 5 have been applied to the backing foil 1, then the metal layer 6 may thus optionally also be applied, for example by a vapor deposition process or alternatively by sputtering. It would also be possible to use colored layers of lacquer and the like.
The foil is then finished off by optionally applying the adhesive layer 7 shown in FIG. 1.
It will be appreciated that the foregoing description of the present invention has been set forth solely by way of example thereof and that various modifications in the compositions of materials used and the operating procedures involved may be made therein without thereby departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
|
In a foil which has a three-dimensional patterning, the patterning effect is provided between two layers of lacquer which, by virtue of the composition thereof, cannot be readily separated from each other by chemical or physical means in order thereby to prevent the patterning from being removed for fraudulent purposes.
| 1
|
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a ferroelectric or high dielectric constant capacitor with a multilayer electrode, and in particular to a ferroelectric or high dielectric constant capacitor which is used in a memory cell in a random access memory (RAM), and to a process for its formation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cell typically comprises a charge storage capacitor (or cell capacitor) coupled to an access device such as a Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET). The MOSFET functions to apply or remove charge on the capacitor, thus affecting a logical state defined by the stored charge. The amount of charge stored on the capacitor is determined by the capacitance C=εε o A/d, where ε is the dielectric constant of the capacitor dielectric, ε o is the vacuum permittivity, A is the electrode (or storage node) area, and d is the interelectrode spacing. The conditions of DRAM operation such as operating voltage, leakage rate and refresh rate, will in general mandate that a certain minimum charge be stored by the capacitor.
[0003] In the continuing trend to higher memory capacity, the packing density of storage cells must increase, yet each will maintain required capacitance levels. This is a crucial demand of DRAM fabrication technologies if future generations of expanded memory array devices are to be successfully manufactured. Nevertheless, in the trend to higher memory capacity, the packing density of cell capacitors has increased at the expense of available cell area. For example, the area allowed for a single cell in a 64-Mbit DRAM is only about 1.4 μm 2 . In such limited areas, it is difficult to provide sufficient capacitance using conventional stacked capacitor structures. Yet, design and operational parameters determine the minimum charge required for reliable operation of the memory cell despite decreasing cell area. Several techniques have been developed to increase the total charge capacity of the cell capacitor without significantly affecting the cell area. These include new structures utilizing trench and stacked capacitors, electrodes having textured surface morphology and new capacitor dielectric materials having higher dielectric constants.
[0004] As DRAM density has increased (1 MEG and beyond) thin film capacitors, such as stacked capacitors, trenched capacitors, or combinations thereof, have evolved in attempts to meet minimum space requirements. Many of these designs have become elaborate and difficult to fabricate consistently as well as efficiently. Furthermore, the recent generations of DRAMs (4 MEG and 16 MEG, for example) have pushed thin film capacitors technology to the limit of processing capability. Thus, greater attention has been given to the development of thin film dielectric materials that possess a dielectric constant significantly greater (>10×) than the conventional dielectrics used today, such as silicon oxides or nitrides.
[0005] Recently, a lot of attention has been paid to Barium Strontium Titanate (BST), Barium Titanate (BT), Strontium Titanate (ST), Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) and other high dielectric constant materials as a cell dielectric material of choice of DRAMs. These materials, in particular BST, have a high dielectric constant (>300) and low leakage currents which makes them very attractive for high density memory devices. However, there are some technical difficulties associated with these materials. One problem with incorporating these materials into present day DRAM cell designs is their chemical reactivity with the polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon or “poly”) that conventionally forms the capacitor electrode or a buried electrode contact. Capacitors made by polysilicon-PZT/BST sandwiches undergo chemical and physical degradation with thermal processing. During chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of PZT/BST, oxygen in the ambient tends to oxidize the electrode material. The oxide is undesirable because it has a much lower dielectric constant compared to PZT/BST, and adds in series to the capacitance of the PZT/BST, thus drastically lowering the total capacitance of the capacitor. Therefore, even a thin native oxide layer present on the electrode results in a large degradation in capacitance. Furthermore, even when the electrode proper is made of a noble metal, such as Pt, oxygen will still tend to diffuse through it, contaminating the underlying polycrystalline silicon plug.
[0006] Ferroelectric memory devices have been proposed as alternatives to conventional memory devices. Ferroelectric memory devices utilize the spontaneous polarization properties of ferroelectric films to provide data storage elements which offer relatively fast read/write operations compared with conventional storage elements. In addition, using a capacitor having a ferroelectric dielectric as a data storage device for a memory cell can reduce the power consumption of the memory cell and increase operational speed as refresh operations typically are not required to maintain data in the capacitor. Moreover, such a ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) device may operate from a single power supply voltage.
[0007] Generally, two types of FRAM cells are conventionally used: (1) a transistor employing a ferroelectric film as a gate insulation film, and (2) an access transistor connected to a cell capacitor employing a ferroelectric film as a dielectric. Fabrication difficulties associated with the first type of cell include the potential formation of a silicon oxide film by reaction of silicon with oxygen atoms at the interface between the silicon channel region of the transistor and the ferroelectric gate insulation film. In addition, it may be difficult to form a high-quality ferroelectric film due to a lattice constant difference or thermal expansion coefficient difference between the silicon substrate and ferroelectric film.
[0008] For these reasons, conventional FRAM devices tend to employ the second structure described above, wherein a cell capacitor uses a ferroelectric dielectric material as a dielectric. Typically, barium strontium titanate (BST) or lead zirconate titanate (PZT) are used for the capacitor dielectric. According to a typical fabrication process, BST or PZT is deposited by a sol-gel process. The annealing temperature of 500 to 650 degrees Celsius used during the heat treatment phase of the sol-gel process may deform a conventional aluminum electrode, or oxidize a tungsten electrode. Therefore, the lower electrode of a ferroelectric capacitor is typically made of platinum because it has a high oxidation resistance and a high melting point.
[0009] Platinum is an excellent lower electrode material to use with ferroelectric and high dielectric constant (HDC) dielectric materials. Platinum provides a low energy crystallization surface which catalyzes the formation of perovskite crystals, it maintains its electrical properties at the crystallization temperatures routinely used for sintering ferroelectric and HDC materials, and it is highly compatible with the ferroelectric properties of ferroelectric dielectric materials.
[0010] There are disadvantages to using platinum as an electrode, however, which are generally related to semiconductor process integration. Platinum generally allows oxygen to diffuse through it and hence typically allows neighboring materials to oxidize. Platinum also does not normally adhere well to traditional dielectrics such as silicon dioxide, and the high degree of stress placed on the platinum-silicon dioxide bond generated by the crystallization of the ferroelectric or HDC dielectric material peels the platinum off the substrate during processing. It may also rapidly form a silicide at low temperatures, and also may form hillocks which degrade leakage current properties or short out the capacitor. In addition, alpha-particle creation by the radioactive isotope of platinum (Pt-190), which is typically present as a small percentage of the total platinum atoms in a sample, may be detrimental to the electrical functioning of the capacitor.
[0011] There is needed, therefore an improved lower electrode for a ferroelectric or high dielectric constant capacitor having the advantages of a platinum electrode while avoiding problems of oxidation and separation from the substrate. A simple method of fabricating an improved lower electrode is also needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention provides a ferroelectric or high dielectric constant capacitor with a multilayer lower electrode for use in a RAM or FRAM memory cell. The multilayer lower electrode has at least two layers—a platinum layer adjacent the dielectric, and a platinum-rhodium layer beneath the platinum layer. The platinum-rhodium layer serves as an oxidation barrier and may also act as an adhesion layer for preventing separation of the lower electrode from the substrate, thereby improving capacitor performance. Titanium and/or titanium nitride layers may be used under the platinum-rhodium layer if desired. A ferroelectric or HDC dielectric material is used as the capacitor dielectric, and the upper electrode may take the form of a conventional upper electrode, or may have the same multilayer structure as the lower electrode. Also provided are processes for manufacturing the multilayer lower electrode.
[0013] Additional advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] [0014]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the ferroelectric capacitor of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] [0015]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the ferroelectric capacitor of a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] [0016]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ferroelectric capacitor of a third embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] [0017]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a semiconductor substrate having transistors and an insulating layer formed thereon.
[0018] [0018]FIG. 5 shows the substrate of FIG. 4 undergoing the process of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] [0019]FIG. 6 shows the substrate of FIG. 5 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 5.
[0020] [0020]FIG. 7 shows the substrate of FIG. 5 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 6.
[0021] [0021]FIG. 8 shows the substrate of FIG. 5 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 7.
[0022] [0022]FIG. 9 shows the substrate of FIG. 4 undergoing the process of a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] [0023]FIG. 10 shows the substrate of FIG. 9 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 9.
[0024] [0024]FIG. 11 shows the substrate of FIG. 9 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 10.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 12 shows the substrate of FIG. 9 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 11.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 13 shows the substrate of FIG. 9 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 12.
[0027] [0027]FIG. 14 shows the substrate of FIG. 9 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 13.
[0028] [0028]FIG. 15 shows the substrate of FIG. 4 undergoing the process of a third embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] [0029]FIG. 16 shows the substrate of FIG. 15 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 15.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 17 shows the substrate of FIG. 15 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 16.
[0031] [0031]FIG. 18 shows the substrate of FIG. 15 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 17.
[0032] [0032]FIG. 19 shows the substrate of FIG. 15 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 18.
[0033] [0033]FIG. 20 shows the substrate of FIG. 15 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 19.
[0034] [0034]FIG. 21 shows the substrate of FIG. 15 at a processing step subsequent to that shown in FIG. 20.
[0035] [0035]FIG. 22 is an illustration of a computer system having a ferroelectric capacitor according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0036] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and that structural, logical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0037] The terms “wafer” and “substrate” are to be understood as including silicon-on-insulator (SOI) or siicon-on-sapphire (SOS) technology, doped and undoped semiconductors, epitaxial layers of silicon supported by a base semiconductor foundation, and other semiconductor structures. Furthermore, when reference is made to a “wafer” or “substrate” in the following description, previous process steps may have been utilized to form regions or junctions in the base semiconductor structure or foundation. In addition, the semiconductor need not be silicon-based, but could be based on silicon-germanium, germanium, or gallium arsenide.
[0038] The term “high dielectric constant dielectric material” or “HDC dielectric material” as used herein refers to dielectric materials having high dielectric constants (ε=˜20 or higher), and including, but not limited to barium strontium titanate (BST or Ba x Sr (1-x) TiO 3 ), lead zirconate titanate (PZT or PbZr (1-x) Ti x O 3 ), lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT), lead scandium tantalate (PST), strontium bismuth tantalate (SBT or SrBi 2 Ta 2 O 9 ), barium bismuth tantalate (BBT or BaBi 2 Ta 2 O 9 ), barium titanate (BT or BaTiO 3 ), strontium titanate (ST or SrTiO 3 ), tantalum pentoxide (Ta 2 O 5 ), and other metallic oxides having perovskite or ilmenite crystal structures and high dielectric constants (ε=˜20 or higher). The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.
[0039] Referring now to the drawings, where like elements are designated by like reference numerals, an embodiment of the capacitor 40 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The capacitor 40 is formed on a silicon substrate 50 having word line 52 and active areas 54 , 56 forming a transistor 58 thereon. An oxide layer 60 of a material such as silicon dioxide is formed over the transistor 58 , and a conductive plug 62 of doped polysilicon, tungsten, or other suitable material extends through the oxide layer 60 to form a contact to active area 54 . Protective layer 64 is formed over the oxide layer 60 , and is of a material such as borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG), borosilicate glass (BSG), phosphosilicate glass (PSG), or silicon dioxide. The capacitor 40 is formed in the protective layer 64 over the conductive plug 62 .
[0040] The capacitor 40 comprises an upper electrode 70 , a dielectric layer 72 , and a lower electrode having multiple layers. The upper electrode 70 may be comprised of any suitable material such as titanium nitride, tungsten, tungsten nitride, platinum, palladium, tantalum, tantalum nitride, aluminum, molybdenum, polysilicon, or other semiconductor conducting materials, or may have a structure identical to that of an embodiment of the lower electrode of this invention, as is further described below. The dielectric layer 72 may be any HDC dielectric material described above, but preferably is BST, PZT, SBT, or tantalum pentoxide, and has a thickness of less than about 5000 Angstroms, preferably less than about 500 Angstroms.
[0041] As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, the lower electrode comprises at least two layers—a platinum layer 74 and a platinum-rhodium layer 76 —formed on the protective layer 64 . FIG. 2 depicts a capacitor 240 of a second embodiment, in which the lower electrode has an additional titanium layer 78 formed between the platinum-rhodium layer 76 and the protective layer 64 , and FIG. 3 shows a capacitor 340 of a third embodiment, in which an additional titanium nitride layer 80 is present between the titanium layer 78 and the protective layer 64 . The capacitors 240 , 340 of the second and third embodiments may also have a silicide layer 82 formed between the lower electrode and the protective layer 64 as a result of the fabrication process, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0042] Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 3, the platinum layer 74 of the lower electrode is typically about 50 to about 300 Angstroms thick, preferably about 50 to about 150 Angstroms, and the platinum-rhodium layer 76 is typically from about 100 to about 800 Angstroms thick, preferably about 150 to about 300 Angstroms. The platinum-rhodium layer 76 is comprised of an alloy having a composition of approximately 3 to approximately 40 percent rhodium and approximately 97 to approximately 60 percent platinum by weight. The titanium layer 78 of the lower electrode, if it is present, is about 60 to about 200 Angstroms thick, preferably about 60 to about 100 Angstroms, and the titanium nitride layer 80 is about 100 to about 200 Angstroms thick, preferably about 100 to about 150 Angstroms.
[0043] The capacitor 40 is manufactured through a process that begins with the structure illustrated by FIG. 4. The process begins subsequent to the formation of the word line 52 , active areas 54 , 56 , oxide layer 60 , conductive plug 62 and protective layer 64 . A resist 90 (not shown) is applied, and photolithographic techniques are used to define an area to be etched-out. An etching process such as wet etching using an acid such as nitric and/or hydrofluoric acid, or dry etching methods such as plasma etching or reactive ion etching (RIE) is used to etch through the protective layer 64 to expose the conductive plug 62 and form a trench 92 , as shown in FIG. 4. The photoresist is then stripped.
[0044] The capacitor 40 of the preferred embodiment is then manufactured through a process described as following, and illustrated by FIGS. 5 through 8. As shown in FIG. 5, the first step in the process is to form the platinum-rhodium layer 76 on the surface of the protective layer 64 and in the trench 92 . This layer may be formed by means such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), sputtering, evaporation, or other suitable means, and is formed to a thickness of about 100 to about 800 Angstroms, preferably about 150 to about 300 Angstroms. The platinum-rhodium layer 76 is an alloy comprising approximately 3 to approximately 40 percent rhodium and approximately 97 to approximately 60 percent platinum by weight.
[0045] [0045]FIG. 6 depicts the next step, in which the platinum layer 74 is formed on the surface of the platinum-rhodium layer 76 by suitable means such as CVD, PVD, sputtering, or evaporation. This layer has a thickness of about 50 to about 300 Angstroms, preferably about 50 to about 150 Angstroms. A preferred method of forming the platinum-rhodium and platinum layers 76 , 74 is in-situ CVD. In this method, the substrate 50 is placed in a CVD reactor, and platinum and rhodium precursors are introduced into the reactor chamber to form the platinum-rhodium layer 76 . When the platinum-rhodium layer 76 has been formed to the desired thickness, the flow of rhodium precursor is shut off so that the platinum layer 74 may then be formed. Another preferred method of forming these layers uses a CVD reactor with two ampoules. The first ampoule is charged with a mixture of platinum and rhodium precursors, and the second ampoule is charged only with platinum precursors. The platinum-rhodium layer 76 is formed using the first ampoule, and then the platinum layer 74 is formed using the second ampoule. This method achieves better process stability than other known methods.
[0046] The dielectric layer 72 is then formed over the platinum layer 74 , as illustrated by FIG. 7. The dielectric layer 72 , which may be a layer of any of the HDC dielectric materials described above, is then formed. The HDC dielectric material, which is preferably BST, PZT, SBT, or tantalum pentoxide, may be formed by any suitable process such as spinning, sputtering, CVD, ion beam sputtering, laser beam deposition, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), evaporation, or a sol-gel process. Typically a sol-gel process is used. In this process, a solution or sol containing the desired oxide or non-oxide precursor is formulated and applied to the surface of the platinum layer 74 by spinning, dipping or draining. The resultant dielectric layer 72 is then dried at a low temperature, e.g., 100 degrees Celsius, and then treated by exposing it to high temperatures (300 to 1100 degrees Celsius) for a period of time sufficient to drive water and solvent out of the layer and to form a hard dielectric layer 72 .
[0047] Referring now to FIG. 8, the upper electrode 70 is formed on the dielectric layer. The upper electrode 70 may be a single layer of suitable conductive material such as titanium nitride, tungsten nitride, platinum, or polysilicon, or may have a multilayer structure identical to that of the lower electrode, with a platinum layer and a platinum-rhodium layer. CVD, PVD, sputtering, evaporation, or other suitable means may be used to form the upper electrode 70 , and the means chosen will vary depending on the desired structure and materials, as is known in the art. The capacitor 40 now appears as shown in FIG. 8. Further steps to create a functional memory cell containing the capacitor 40 may now be carried out, such as the formation and etching of insulating layers, e.g., BPSG, PSG, BSG, silicon dioxide or the like, to form conduits for electrical contacts (not shown), and for additional insulating, passivating, and wiring interconnect layers.
[0048] A second embodiment of the capacitor 240 may be manufactured starting with the structure of FIG. 4 by a process depicted in FIGS. 9 through 14, and as described below. Referring to FIG. 9, a titanium layer 78 is formed on the surface of the protective layer 64 and in the trench 92 by means such as CVD, PVD, sputtering or evaporation. The titanium layer is formed to a thickness of about 60 to about 200 Angstroms, preferably about 60 to about 100 Angstroms. Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the platinum-rhodium layer 76 is formed by a suitable process such as CVD, as explained with reference to FIG. 5 above.
[0049] [0049]FIG. 11 depicts the next step in which the platinum layer 74 is formed on the surface of the platinum-rhodium layer 76 . The dielectric layer 72 is then formed on the platinum-rhodium layer 76 by a sol-gel process, as shown in FIG. 12. During the heat treatment phase of the sol-gel process, a silicide layer 82 may be formed by an interaction between the titanium layer 78 and silicon of the oxide layer 60 and/or the conductive plug 62 , depending on the material of the conductive plug 62 , as shown in FIG. 13. Formation of the silicide layer 82 results in a lower contact resistance between the titanium layer 78 and the conductive plug 62 .
[0050] Referring now to FIG. 14, the upper electrode 70 is formed on the dielectric layer, and may be a single layer of suitable conductive material, or a multilayer structure identical to that of the lower electrode, as is described above with reference to FIG. 8. The capacitor 240 now appears as shown in FIG. 14. Further steps to create a functional memory cell containing the capacitor may now be carried out, such as the formation and etching of insulating layers, e.g., BPSG, PSG, BSG, silicon dioxide or the like, to form conduits for electrical contacts (not shown), and for additional insulating, passivating, and wiring interconnect layers.
[0051] A third embodiment of the capacitor 340 may be manufactured starting with the structure of FIG. 4 by a process depicted in FIGS. 15 through 21, and as described below. Referring to FIG. 15, a titanium nitride layer 80 is formed on the surface of the protective layer 64 and in the trench 92 by means such as CVD, PVD, sputtering or evaporation. The titanium nitride layer 80 is formed to a thickness of about 100 to about 200 Angstroms thick, preferably about 100 to about 150 Angstroms. Next, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the titanium layer 78 and platinum-rhodium layer 76 are formed by suitable processes such as CVD, as explained with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10 above.
[0052] [0052]FIG. 18 depicts the next step in which the platinum layer 74 is formed on the surface of the platinum-rhodium layer 76 . The dielectric layer 72 is then formed on the platinum-rhodium layer 76 by a sol-gel process, as shown in FIG. 19. During the heat treatment phase of the sol-gel process, a silicide layer 82 may be formed by an interaction between the titanium nitride layer 80 and silicon of the oxide layer 60 and/or the conductive plug 62 , depending on the material of the conductive plug 62 , as shown in FIG. 20. Formation of the silicide layer 82 results in a lower contact resistance between the titanium nitride layer 80 and the conductive plug 62 .
[0053] Referring now to FIG. 21, the upper electrode 70 is formed on the dielectric layer, and may be a single layer of suitable conductive material, or a multilayer structure identical to that of the lower electrode, as is described above with reference to FIG. 8. The capacitor 340 now appears as shown in FIG. 21. Further steps to create a functional memory cell containing the capacitor may now be carried out, such as the formation and etching of insulating layers, e.g., BPSG, PSG, BSG, silicon dioxide or the like, to form conduits for electrical contacts (not shown), and for additional insulating, passivating, and wiring interconnect layers.
[0054] As can be seen by the embodiments described herein, the present invention encompasses HDC and ferroelectric capacitors having multilayer electrode stacks, and processes of forming the same. As may be readily appreciated by persons skilled in the art, the platinum and platinum-rhodium layers of the lower electrode serve as oxidation barriers and exhibit improved adhesion to the substrate, thereby providing improved stability and performance of the capacitor.
[0055] A typical processor based system which includes a memory containing capacitors according to the present invention is illustrated generally at 400 in FIG. 22. A processor based system is exemplary of a system having digital circuits which could include ferroelectric or HDC capacitor devices. A processor system, such as a computer system, for example generally comprises a central processing unit (CPU) 444 , e.g., a microprocessor, that communicates with an input/output (I/O) device 446 over a bus 452 . The memory 448 also communicates with the system over bus 452 . In the case of a computer system the processor system may include peripheral devices such as a floppy disk drive 454 and a compact disk (CD) ROM drive 456 which also communicate with CPU 444 over the bus 452 . Memory 448 is preferably constructed as an integrated circuit which includes capacitors having multilayer electrodes, as previously described with respect to FIGS. 1 to 21 . The memory 448 may be combined with a processor, such as a CPU, digital signal processor or microprocessor, with or without memory storage, in a single integrated circuit.
[0056] It should again be noted that although the invention has been described with specific reference to memory circuits and ferroelectric and HDC capacitors, the invention has broader applicability and may be used in any integrated circuit requiring capacitors. Similarly, the process described above is but one method of many that could be used. Accordingly, the above description and drawings are only illustrative of preferred embodiments which achieve the objects, features and advantages of the present invention. It is not intended that the present invention be limited to the illustrated embodiments. Any modification of the present invention which comes within the spirit and scope of the following claims should be considered part of the present invention.
|
A ferroelectric or high dielectric constant capacitor having a multilayer lower electrode comprising at least two layers—a platinum layer and a platinum-rhodium layer—for use in a random access memory (RAM) cell. The platinum layer of the lower electrode adjoins the capacitor dielectric, which is a ferroelectric or high dielectric constant dielectric such as BST, PZT, SBT or tantalum pentoxide. The platinum-rhodium layer serves as an oxidation barrier and may also act as an adhesion layer for preventing separation of the lower electrode from the substrate, thereby improving capacitor performance. The multilayer electrode may have titanium and/or titanium nitride layers under the platinum-rhodium layer for certain applications. The capacitor has an upper electrode which may be a conventional electrode or which may have a multilayer structure similar to that of the lower electrode. Processes for manufacturing the multilayer lower electrode and the capacitor are also disclosed.
| 7
|
TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of static dissipative coatings. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the use of static dissipative non-chrome-containing coatings comprising carbon nanotubes.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In the field of aeronautics, it is important to predictably and effectively dissipate static and other incidental electrical charges away from critical aircraft and vehicular components, including electronics, fuel tanks, etc. These components are typically coated with paints that can provide a number of important functions, such as, for example, protection from corrosion and other forms of environmental degradation, overcoat or sealant adhesion, abrasion resistance, appearance, etc. The paint coatings are often electrically insulative, resulting in an impediment to the dissipation of static and other electrical charges. The need for static dissipation is increasingly important as aircraft manufacture continues to incorporate non-metallic materials (such as composites, plastics, etc.) that do not dissipate static charges predictably across their surfaces.
[0003] Conductive coatings for such non-metallic materials to dissipate static charges have been tried with varying success. However, the known conductive coatings must be loaded with conductive particles to such an extent (sometimes as much as 50 - 70 weight percent) that other required coating characteristics suffer.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0004] The present disclosure relates to static dissipative coatings, particularly useful in aerospace applications, such as, for example, aircraft fuel tank coatings. Such coatings must satisfy environmental regulations, while achieving desirable properties such as adequate resistivity, corrosion protection, etc.
[0005] According to one variation, the present disclosure contemplates making a non-chrome-containing static dissipative coating comprising the steps of preparing a solution comprising carbon nanotubes and a non-polar solvent, sonicating the solution, adding an amount of base resin to the solution to form a mixture while, preferably concurrently, sonicating the mixture, and maintaining the mixture at a temperature below 120° F. According to one variation, prior to use, a curing agent is added to the mixture with stirring. The non-polar solvent can be any useful non-polar solvent that is compatible with the selected base resin.
[0006] The carbon nanotubes are preferably multi-walled carbon nanotubes having a preferred dimension of from about 6 to about 9 nm in width, and a length of about 5 μm. The carbon nanotubes are added to the solvent in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 1.0 weight percent, and preferably from about 0.2 to about 0.4 weight percent. The weight percent of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) selected depends only on the other desired coating characteristics, as well as the desired level of resistivity to be imparted by the coating. Nevertheless, the very low concentration (weight percent) of carbon nanotubes introduced into the coating mixture provides the required conductivity, and represents a significant departure from known coatings.
[0007] According to one variation, a curing agent can be added up to two weeks or more after preparing the coating mixture. This is due to the superior dispersion of the CNTs in the present formulations according to the disclosed methods. The ability to prepare coatings having dispersed CNTs allows a manufacturer and end user to pre-disperse the CNTs, and obviate known mixing/dispersing issues. Preferred curing agents include, for example, polyfunctional amine-containing compounds for epoxy-based systems and diisocyante-containing compounds for polyurethane-based systems. According to a further variation, the present disclosure is directed to coatings made according the method set forth immediately above.
[0008] According to a still further variation, the present disclosure relates to static dissipative coatings comprising an amount of carbon nanotubes, an amount of solvent, an amount of resin and an amount of curing agent. The carbon nanotubes are added in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 1 weight percent, and preferably in an amount of about 0.2 to about 0.4 weight percent. The solvent is preferably a non-polar solvent compatible with the selected base resin. According to one preferred variation, an epoxy resin is used with tert-butyl acetate as the solvent.
[0009] The resin may be selected from chromated and non-chromated resins, but non-chromated resins are preferred, including aerospace non-chrome-containing primers possessing superior fuel resistance, corrosion resistance and adhesion. Particularly preferred resins include epoxies, polyurethanes, and combinations thereof
[0010] Preferably, the coating is sprayable onto a surface, and has a preferred resistivity of from about 10 5 to about 10 9 ohms/square.
[0011] According to still further variations, the present disclosure contemplates a substrate surface comprising the coatings set forth above, including fuel tanks, and substrates including aircraft components and surfaces, vehicle components and surfaces and stationary structure surfaces.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Having thus described variations of the disclosure in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing, which is not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a preferred method of making static dissipative non-chrome-containing coatings comprising carbon nanotubes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] According to a variation, the present disclosure contemplates a method for preparing a conductive, static dissipative coating. FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram for a preferred method 10 where an amount of carbon nanotubes (CNT) are added to an amount of solvent 12 . The mixture is sonicated 14 , followed by adding an amount of base resin 16 . The mixture is again sonicated 18 for a period up to 1 to 3 hours at a temperature not to exceed 120° F. The mixture obtained after sonication 18 may be shelved until the desired use, at which point a curing agent is added with stirring 20 .
[0015] Sonication is understood to be the process by which sound waves propagate into a liquid media resulting in alternating high-pressure (compression) and low-pressure (rarefaction) cycles. During rarefaction, high-intensity sonic waves create small vacuum bubbles or voids in the liquid, which then collapse violently (cavitation) during compression. Ultrasonication is understood here to be occurring at greater than about 20 kHz, resulting in agitation. Double-ultrasonication involves immersing multiple (typically two) sonication probes in a liquid media to perform the ultrasonication. It is understood that the mixing of components in solution according to the methods of the present disclosure, including the CNTs in solution, are sonicated to keep the CNTs in a desired orientation and from agglomerating in the mixture.
[0016] The following Examples describe variations of the present disclosure.
EXAMPLE 1
[0017] A carbon nanotube (CNT) in a solvent solution was made by combining 0.53 grams of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) powder (Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, Product Number 724769) with 74.78 grams of tert-butyl acetate solvent. The MWCNTs used were specified to be >95% carbon with an outer diameter of 6-9 nm, and a length of 5 μm. This solution comprised CNTs in an amount of 0.2 weight percent. A horn sonicator (Model W-385—Heat Systems-Ultrasonics, Inc.) was immediately placed into the solution and set to 4-6% output power. The solution was sonicated for 30 minutes with occasional stirring by moving the cup in a rotational motion to achieve substantially uniform sonication. An amount of 120 grams of an epoxy resin primer was added to the solution during sonication. The solution was stirred with a stir bar and then sonicated at a 4-6% output power setting for 2 hours and 8 minutes with occasional movement of the solution container to achieve substantially uniform sonication. At the time of 20 to 60 minutes after the addition of the base resin primer, the solution mixture was placed on an ice bath to maintain the temperature below 120° F. Sonication was stopped after 2 hours and 38 minutes. An amount of 73.35 grams of curing agent, typically a polyfunctional amine was added to the mixture with stirring for 10 minutes. The mixture was loaded into a sprayer (Binks Spray cup gun). The mixture was sprayed as a primer onto a non-conductive aluminum substrate surface, and the resulting film was cured at ambient conditions. Conductivity measurements were taken at 3 days and paint performance tests were conducted at 7 days. Surface resistivity and volume resistivity of the film were measured using a ProStat PRS-801 resistance meter with the ProStat PRF-911 concentric ring using the constant voltage of 10V and 100V. Different locations were measured on the same panel with values recorded. Surface resistivity for the aluminum coated panels were 3.8E05 Ohms/square. Semi-conductive panels were measured at 2.5E9 Ohms/square. Coated glass samples were measured at 1.9E11 Ohms/square.
EXAMPLE 2
[0018] A carbon nanotube (CNT) in solvent solution was made by combining 0.40 grams of untreated multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) powder (Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, Product Number 724769) with 78.27 grams of p-xylene solvent. The MWCNTs used were specified to be >95% carbon with an outer diameter of 6-9 nm, and a length of 5 μm.
[0019] This solution comprised CNTs in an amount of 0.18 weight percent. A horn sonicator (W-385,from Heat Systems-Ultrasonics, Inc.) was immediately placed into the solution and set to 4-6% output power. The solution was sonicated for 30 minutes with occasional stirring by moving the cup in a rotational motion to achieve substantially uniform sonication. An amount of 88.59 grams of non-chrome epoxy primer (a bisphenol-A-diglycidyl ether) was added to the solution during sonication. The solution was stirred in with a stir bar until the solution became uniform in color. At the time of 20 to 60 minutes after the addition of the base resin primer, the solution mixture was placed on an ice bath to maintain the temperature below 120° F. Sonication was stopped after 2 hours and 27 minutes. An amount of 55.48 grams of curing agent (a polyfunctional amine) was added to the mixture with stirring for 10 minutes. The mixture was loaded into a sprayer Binks Spray cup gun. The mixture was sprayed as a primer onto the non-conductive; semi-conductive and highly-conductive substrate surfaces and the resulting films were cured at 70° F.-75° F. and 30% relative humidity for 3-7 days. Surface resistivity and volume resistivity of the film were measured using a ProStat PRS-801 resistance meter with the ProStat PRF-911 concentric ring using the constant voltage of 10V and 100V. Different locations were measured on the same panel with average values recorded at 3.4E10 Ohm for static dissipative primer on non-conductive substrate; 1E8 Ohm for static dissipative primer on semi conductive substrate and 6.6E4 Ohm for static dissipative primer on highly conductive substrate.
[0020] The Examples above discusses the use of glass fiber reinforced plastic material systems useful on aircraft components (including spacecraft components), vehicle components and stationary structure components requiring protection from static energy build-up. However, the apparatuses, systems and methods set forth herein are further contemplated for use with manned or unmanned vehicle components or objects of any type or in any field of operation in a terrestrial and/or non-terrestrial and/or marine or submarine setting. A non-exhaustive list of contemplated vehicles include manned and unmanned aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, terrestrial, non-terrestrial vehicles, and surface and sub-surface water-borne vehicles, etc.
[0021] While the preferred variations and alternatives of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes and substitutions can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. When introducing elements of the present invention or exemplary aspects or embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, the details of these embodiments are not to be construed as limitations.
|
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of static dissipative coatings. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the methods of making static dissipative, preferably non-chromium-containing, coatings comprising carbon nanotubes, the coatings themselves, and structures comprising such coatings.
| 2
|
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the priority of U.S. Provisional Application for Patent Ser. No. 60/866,604, filed on Nov. 20, 2006, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a latch for releasably securing a first member, such as a door, panel or the like, relative to a second member.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Latches are used to releasably secure panels, covers, doors, electronic modules, and the like to other structures such as compartments, cabinets, containers, doorframes, other panels, frames, racks, etc. Although many latch designs are known in the art, none offers the advantages of the present invention. The advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the attached detailed description and drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention is directed to improvements in latch design. The illustrated embodiment of the present invention is a rotary pawl latch with the capability to provide a compressive force between the first member and the second member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIGS. 1-117 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a latch according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0008] Referring to FIGS. 1-117 , a latch 200 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention can be seen. The latch 200 includes a latch housing 202 , a pawl 204 , a trigger or catch 206 , and actuation means for selectively moving the trigger 206 out of engagement with the pawl 204 and retracting the pawl toward the interior of the housing 202 . In the illustrated embodiment, an electrically operated actuator assembly 208 serves as the actuation means for selectively moving the trigger 206 out of engagement with the pawl 204 and retracting the pawl toward the interior of the housing 202 .
[0009] The latch 200 is generally applicable wherever one or more closure members need to be secured in a certain position. The latch 200 can be used together with the striker 308 to secure any two closure members together. In the illustrated example, the latch 200 is shown being used for securing a trunk lid 300 relative to the trunk of a vehicle (not shown). In use, the latch 200 can be secured to the interior of the vehicle trunk, such that it can be engaged by the striker 308 , using any well known means such as, for example, screws or the like.
[0010] Preferably, the housing 202 is of the clam-shell type having a first portion 211 and a second portion 213 so as to allow the housing 202 to receive the various components of the latch 200 . Furthermore, the housing must be adapted to allow an unobstructed path to the pawl slot 258 for the striker 308 when the pawl 204 is in the open configuration relative to the support plate 215 . The housing 202 has an opening that allows at least a portion of the striker 308 to enter the housing 202 for engagement by the pawl 204 . In the illustrated example, the opening is in the form of a slot 212 that passes through the first portion 211 of the housing 202 . The slot 212 forms an open, approximately U-shaped cut-out in the housing 202 as viewed in profile. The slot 212 allows at least a portion of the striker 308 to enter the housing 202 for engagement by the pawl 204 . The slot 212 allows an unobstructed path to the pawl slot 258 when the pawl 204 is in the open configuration relative to the support plate 215 . The slot 212 is sized such that the housing 202 will not interfere with the movement of the striker 308 relative to the housing 202 as the pawl 204 is moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration relative to the support plate 215 by contact with the striker 308 and as the pawl 204 is retracted toward the interior of the housing 202 by the electrically operated actuator assembly 208 .
[0011] The electrically operated actuator assembly 208 includes a motor 210 , a worm gear 214 that is in the form of an Archimedes or helical screw, a pinion gear 216 , a cam gear 218 and the support plate 215 . The motor 210 has an output shaft 220 that normally rotates in response to the motor being energized. Reversing the polarity of the current supplied to the motor 210 causes the direction of rotation of the output shaft 220 to be reversed. The motor 210 is received in the housing 202 and is installed at a fixed location therein. The worm gear 214 is diagrammatically represented in the attached drawings. The worm gear 214 is attached to the output shaft 220 of the motor 210 such that the worm gear 214 rotates with the shaft 220 as a unit during normal operation of the latch 200 .
[0012] The pinion gear 216 includes two adjacent coaxial gear wheels 229 , 227 that rotate as a unit about a common axis of rotation. The first gear wheel 229 is of a larger diameter as compared to the second gear wheel 227 . In the illustrated example, the pinion gear 216 , including the gear wheels 229 , 227 , is of one-piece construction. The pinion gear 216 also includes two axially projecting pivot pins 223 , 225 for rotationally supporting the pinion gear 216 in the housing 202 . The worm gear 214 is in mesh with the pinion gear 216 . In the illustrated example, the helical screw of the worm gear 214 engages the gear teeth (not shown) of the gear wheel 229 , such that the worm gear 214 is in mesh with a first portion of the pinion gear 216 . Accordingly, rotation of the worm gear 214 causes rotation of the pinion gear 216 when the motor 210 is energized.
[0013] The cam gear 218 includes a gear wheel 222 , a proximal cam 203 , and a distal cam 205 . The proximal cam 203 is adjacent the gear wheel 222 . The distal cam 205 is adjacent the proximal cam 203 , with the proximal cam 203 being intermediate the gear wheel 222 and the distal cam 205 . The gear wheel 222 , the proximal cam 203 , and the distal cam 205 rotate as a unit about a common axis of rotation. The gear wheel 222 of the cam gear 218 has a plurality of gear teeth (not shown) evenly distributed about its circumference. The proximal cam 203 has an arc-shaped cam lobe 207 , located at a distance from the axis of rotation of the cam gear 218 , for tripping the catch or trigger 206 . The distal cam 205 is substantially in the shape of a right circular cylinder supported eccentrically relative to the axis of rotation of the cam gear 218 . In the illustrated example, the cam gear 218 , including the gear wheel 222 , the proximal cam 203 , and the distal cam 205 , is of one-piece construction. The cam gear 218 is rotationally supported in the housing 202 by the cam gear pin 209 . The cam gear pin 209 is held in place by the cam gear screw 217 . The cam gear 218 is in mesh with the pinion gear 216 . In the illustrated example, the teeth (not shown) of gear wheel 222 of the cam gear 218 engage the gear teeth (not shown) of the gear wheel 227 , such that the cam gear 218 is in mesh with a second portion of the pinion gear 216 . Accordingly, rotation of the pinion gear 216 causes rotation of the cam gear 218 when the motor 210 is energized.
[0014] The support plate 215 is supported for rectilinear translation by the housing 202 . The support plate 215 rotationally supports the pawl 204 . The support plate 215 pivotally supports the trigger 206 . The support plate 215 has a cut-out 224 proximate the pawl 204 such that the support plate 215 will not interfere with the movement of the striker 308 relative to the support plate 215 as the pawl 204 is moved from the open configuration to the closed configuration relative to the support plate 215 by contact with the striker 308 . The support plate 215 has an elongated slot 226 that is engaged by the distal cam 205 of the cam gear 218 , such that rotation of the cam gear 218 causes reciprocating, rectilinear movement of the support plate 215 relative to the housing 202 . The elongated slot 226 has a width that is approximately equal to the diameter of the distal cam 205 , while the length of the elongated slot 226 is greater than the sum of the diameter of the distal cam 205 and twice the distance between the central axis of the distal cam 205 and the axis of rotation of the cam gear 218 .
[0015] As previously stated the latch assembly 200 includes a pawl 204 shown pivotally or rotationally connected to the support plate 215 with suitable attachment means such as the pawl pivot pin 238 that passes through the hole 240 in the pawl 204 . The support plate 215 is provided with a hole 232 for receiving one end of the pivot pin 238 . Thus, the pawl 204 is rotationally supported by the support plate 215 .
[0016] The pawl 204 has first and second teeth 254 , 233 provided for engagement by the trigger 206 . The pawl 204 is provided with a pawl slot 258 to capture and hold the striker 308 when the pawl 204 is in either one of a first latched position (shown in FIGS. 4 and 12 - 18 ) and a second latched position (shown in FIGS. 28 and 29 ) relative to the support plate 215 . In the illustrated example, the striker 308 has a rod-shaped portion 234 that engages the pawl slot 258 as the trunk lid 300 is moved to the closed position relative to the vehicle's trunk (not shown) and consequently relative to the latch 200 .
[0017] During normal operation, assuming the latch 200 is initially in the normal unlatched configuration shown in FIGS. 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 , and 11 , when the trunk lid 300 is closed, the rod-shaped portion 234 of the striker 308 will be positioned or caught in the pawl slot 258 with the pawl 204 being moved to the first latched position relative to the support plate 215 .
[0018] A pawl torsion spring 262 is installed on the support plate 215 with the coiled portion 264 of the torsion spring 262 surrounding the pivot pin 238 . An arm 268 of the torsion spring 262 engages the notch 260 in the pawl 204 . The torsion spring 262 also has a second arm 272 that engages the support plate 215 .
[0019] With the arm 272 of the torsion spring 262 in engagement with the support plate 215 , the arm 268 of the torsion spring 262 exerts a force on the pawl 204 that biases the pawl 204 toward the open or unlatched position relative to the support plate 215 .
[0020] The trigger 206 is pivotally supported on the support plate 215 . The pivot axis of the trigger 206 , as defined by the trigger pivot pin 270 , is parallel to the pivot axis or axis of rotation of the pawl 204 . Furthermore, the pivot axis of the trigger 206 , as defined by the trigger pivot pin 270 , is spaced apart from the pivot axis or axis of rotation of the pawl 204 . The trigger 206 is pivotally movable between any one of a first engaged position (shown in FIGS. 12-18 ) and a second engaged position (shown in FIGS. 28 and 29 ) and a disengaged position (shown in FIGS. 19 , 20 , 30 , and 31 ) and is spring biased toward the first and second engaged positions. In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second engaged positions of the trigger 206 may be coincident, but they need not be so. A trigger spring 288 is provided for biasing the trigger 206 toward the first and second engaged positions. The trigger spring 288 is a torsion spring and has a coiled portion 274 , a first arm 276 , and a second arm 278 . The trigger spring 288 is installed on the support plate 215 with the coiled portion 274 of the torsion spring 288 surrounding the trigger pivot pin 270 . The arm 276 of the torsion spring 288 engages the step or notch 282 in the trigger 206 . The second arm 278 of the torsion spring 288 engages the support plate 215 .
[0021] The trigger 206 has a first lever arm 284 and a second lever arm 286 that extend approximately along the same arc on either side of the pivot axis of the trigger 206 as defined by the trigger pivot pin 270 . The trigger pivot pin 470 passes through a hole in the trigger 206 . The trigger 206 has a notch 290 that receives and engages the first tooth 254 of the pawl 204 to hold or retain the pawl 204 in the first latched position relative to the support plate 215 . Also, the notch 290 of the trigger 206 receives and engages the second tooth 233 of the pawl 204 to hold or retain the pawl 204 in the second latched position relative to the support plate 215 .
[0022] The operation of the latch 200 will now be explained. With the latch initially in the fully unlatched configuration of FIGS. 1 , 2 , 5 - 7 , and 11 , as the trunk lid 300 is moved to the closed position, the rod-shaped portion 234 of the striker 308 will be positioned or caught in the pawl slot 258 with the pawl 204 being moved to the first latched position relative to the support plate 215 as a result of the contact of the striker 308 with the pawl 204 . The pawl 204 is now in the first latched position relative to the support plate 215 as illustrated in FIGS. 12-14 . The trigger 206 is in its first engaged position relative to the support plate 215 and retains the pawl 204 in its first latched position. The cam lobe 207 of the cam gear 218 is in its initial position shown in FIGS. 12 and 14 where it does not contact the trigger 206 . As shown in FIG. 13 , when the pawl 204 reaches the first latched position a pin 219 carried by the pawl and projecting through the arc-shaped slot 221 in the support plate 215 trips a microswitch 332 that is mounted on the side of the support plate 215 opposite the pawl 204 . Once the microswitch 332 is tripped a signal is generated to an electronic control circuit (not shown) that controls the current supplied to the motor 210 , and in response the control circuit causes the supply of electrical current to the motor 210 with a first polarity to cause the rotation of the cam gear 218 to the position illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16 . This is the fully latched configuration of the latch 200 and the cam lobe 207 of the cam gear 218 is in its fully latched position relative to the housing 202 . As the cam gear 218 rotates from its initial position to its fully latched position, the cam lobe 207 does not contact the trigger 206 . As the cam gear 218 rotates from its initial position to its fully latched position, the distal cam 205 causes the support plate to move rectilinearly to the retracted position shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 , corresponding to the fully latched configuration of the latch 200 . During the rectilinear movement of the support plate 215 to the retracted position, the support plate 215 rectilinearly translates about 5.5 mm inward relative to the housing 202 . This movement of the support plate 215 pulls the striker 308 about 4.5 mm toward the interior of the latch 200 . In use, this would compress a sealing gasket (not shown) provided around the edge of the trunk lid 300 with a compressive force of up to 800 N.
[0023] In the fully latched position a second microswitch 231 of the double switch type, supported by the housing 202 , senses that the latch is in the fully latched position and signals the control circuit to shut off the supply of electrical current to the motor 210 . The latch is now fully latched. The microswitch 231 can sense when the cam gear 218 is in the position corresponding to the fully latched position of the latch and when the cam gear 218 is in the position corresponding to the unlatched position of the latch. This can, for example, be accomplished by two projections (not shown) that are 180° apart and are provided on the side of the gear wheel 222 opposite the cam lobe 207 . These projections would trip the microswitch 231 in either position of the cam gear 218 . Alternatively, two microswitches can be provided in the housing 202 that are 180° apart and that are tripped by a single projection on the gear wheel 222 . These are examples of the many configurations for detecting the position of a gear wheel that are well known in the art and can be used in the present invention. The present design can withstand a force of up to 12,000 N without breaking.
[0024] If normal closing is blocked, for example by items in the trunk, after a predetermined time without a signal from the microswitch 231 , the control circuit reverses the current to the motor to trip the trigger 206 by the reverse movement of the cam lobe 207 and the trunk lid 300 is released and the latch 200 is returned to the initial fully unlatched configuration.
[0025] To open the latch 200 the motor 210 is energized by the user using a remotely located switch (not shown). The cam gear 218 rotates from the fully latched position of FIGS. 15 and 16 to bring the cam lobe 207 into contact with the first lever arm 284 of the trigger 206 as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 . The rotation of the cam gear 218 to its trigger release position trips the trigger 206 to release the pawl 204 as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 . The striker 308 is now released and the trunk lid 300 can be opened. The motor 210 remains energized until the cam gear 218 is once again in its fully unlatched position and the support plate 215 is return to its extended position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 , 2 , 5 - 7 , and 11 . The microswitch 231 senses that the latch 200 is in the fully unlatched position and signals the control circuit to stop energizing the motor.
[0026] Referring to FIGS. 22-27 , if the motor 210 or associated circuitry fail with the latch fully latched and the trunk lid 300 closed, the Bowden cable 350 provides a back-up mechanical release mechanism that will be operated by a lever (not shown) from the interior of the vehicle. The Bowden cable 350 is engaged to a sliding block 352 that is supported for rectilinear movement by the housing 202 . When the Bowden cable is pulled the sliding block 352 engages the second lever arm 286 to trip the trigger 206 and release the pawl 204 and consequently the striker 308 , and the trunk lid can then be opened. A spring 354 returns the sliding block to its original position once the Bowden cable 350 is released.
[0027] If the trunk lid 300 is closed on the inoperable latch 200 , the striker 308 can engage and move the pawl 204 to the second latched position where the pawl 204 is held by the trigger 206 and the striker 308 is captured by the pawl slot 258 . This second or back-up latched configuration is illustrated in FIGS. 28 and 29 . This arrangement allows the trunk lid 300 to be secured in a near closed position until the vehicle can be taken in for service.
[0028] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed above, but includes any and all embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.
|
The present invention is directed to improvements in latch design. The illustrated embodiment of the present invention is a rotary pawl latch with the capability to provide a compressive force between the first member and the second member.
| 4
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/901,751, filed Nov. 8, 2013, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of batteries and particularly to safety features of batteries for use with implantable medical devices such as wirelessly-powered ventricular assist devices (VADs).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0003] A lithium-ion battery (LIB) is a type of rechargeable battery that is widely used in various applications due to its very high energy density compared to other rechargeable battery types. LIBs are commercially available in portable electronics, power tools, electric vehicles, and many other devices.
[0004] Commercially available LIBs are generally designed to be charged and discharged at room temperature. Such consumer-targeted LIBs also are designed to safely discharge down to a cut-off voltage of around 2.5-3.0 V.
[0005] It is known to use LIBs to power medical implants, such as ventricular assist devices (VADs). Unlike consumer-use LIBs, the LIBs used in medical implants are designed to be charged and discharged at body temperature (around 37° C.). Also, medical implant LIBs typically are designed to discharge down to close to 0 (zero) V. This low cut-off voltage capability for implantable LIBs is a safety feature to protect the LIBs from over-discharge conditions which can damage the LIB cell and lead to its failure.
[0006] Although commonly used, LIBs present certain safety hazards. LIBs are particularly susceptible to abuse, which can lead to thermal runaway. Abuse can be external physical abuse, such as puncture, compression, dropping, vibration, or exposure to heat or fire. Abuse can also result from internal causes like over-charging, over-discharging, high rate charge at low temperature, or high or low temperature operation.
[0007] Thermal runaway refers to a situation where an increase in temperature causes a further increase in temperature, leading to a dangerous chain reaction. In such conditions, temperatures may quickly rise to unsafe levels, creating a potentially destructive result such as an explosion or fire. Thermal runaway can result from an internal fault, either from improper use or raw material defects.
[0008] To prevent dangerous conditions and explosions, consumer LIBs generally have vents, which allow the cell to release excess internal pressure. In the event of an abusive situation, the vents can release vapors of the cell's organic solvent electrolyte. Unlike consumer LIBs, the LIB s for use in implantable medical devices are hermetically sealed and have no vents, due to the damage that would be done to the body if vapors or organic solvent electrolytes escaped from the cell.
[0009] For life-sustaining medical devices, battery failure could lead to catastrophic results. For any battery implanted in the body, a battery explosion could do significant harm to the user. Some batteries known in the art are capable of measuring temperature to determine that a fault has occurred. But for critical devices like VADs, once a fault has occurred, it may be too late to mitigate the disastrous health effects.
SUMMARY
[0010] What is needed is a system and method for monitoring a working multi-cell battery pack, such as a Lithium-ion battery pack, for parameters in a cell that predict a battery failure or explosion before it happens. Then a user could be alerted to the condition and respond to the situation to minimize or avoid the potential harm. Also needed are improved battery casings for use with implanted battery packs that would adequately respond to abuse without causing physical harm to the user.
[0011] The present disclosure provides devices, systems, and methods for identifying one or more conditions of a battery that could result in fault or failure of the battery, making adjustments to the configuration of the battery to mitigate the conditions, and alerting a user of the conditions. The disclosed devices, systems, and methods are particularly useful in the field of implanted medical devices. These devices, systems, and methods help prevent the risk associated with a battery fault or explosion occurring inside a patient's body. According to the invention, when a potential fault or failure in the battery is identified, an implanted medical device can be caused to continue operating with its battery in a safer configuration. Also the patient within which the device is implanted can be alerted about the fault or failure and instructed to switch to a backup external power source. The battery can also alert the user that it has met a certain threshold probability of explosion, and that the user should immediately schedule a surgery to replace it.
[0012] In some embodiments of the invention, a battery management system (BMS) or controller unit monitors the function of the battery, including the individual cells of a multi-cell battery. In response to potential fault conditions, the BMS makes adjustments to the configuration of the battery to allow it to continue functioning. In response to a fault condition in a multi-cell battery, for example, the BMS can turn off, isolate, or otherwise disable a problematic cell and boost the voltage of the remaining functional cells. In other embodiments, the BMS can turn on a backup or reserve cell by activating a shunt. The reserve cell can take the place of the debilitated cell and the BMS can rebalance the remaining cells to maintain proper voltage output of the battery as a whole. In some embodiments of the invention, the BMS can assess whether the faulty cell remains capable of providing at least enough voltage to run the auxiliary functions of the electronic device, and if so, the BMS can assign the diminished cell to power those functions.
[0013] The disclosure also provides methods and systems for warning a user that the battery has had a fault or will potentially have a fault in the future. The alert may include information about the condition of the battery, such as that it has exceeded a threshold of probability to stop working or to explode. The warning can serve to alert the user to secure some backup power source, or it can alert the user that surgery is required to replace the defective battery. In embodiments involving implantable electronic devices, the backup power source can be an external wired or wireless power source.
[0014] Also provided in the present disclosure are battery casing designs for use with implantable electronic devices that allow venting of the battery to prevent overheating or explosions, while protecting the user from severe bodily harm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0015] FIG. 1 shows a known rechargeable battery.
[0016] FIG. 2 shows a known lithium-ion battery.
[0017] FIG. 3 shows a diagram of a battery system according to the invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 shows a system for alerting a user to a battery fault using a radio-frequency signal.
[0019] FIG. 5 shows a system for alerting a user to a battery fault including a capacitor.
[0020] FIG. 6 shows a backup power system.
[0021] FIG. 7 shows a double-walled battery casing.
[0022] FIG. 8 shows a battery casing with a dividing wall and a vent.
[0023] FIG. 9 shows a battery casing with a reservoir section.
[0024] FIG. 10 shows a battery casing with a vent capable of directing vapors outside the body.
[0025] FIG. 11 shows a battery casing with a reservoir section that includes a sharp header.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] Various aspects, features, objects, and advantages of the disclosed innovations will become apparent through reference to the following description and the drawings. Any particular embodiments described herein are not mutually exclusive and can exist in various combinations and permutations even if not specifically indicated herein. Also, various modifications may be made to the embodiments described herein, and the disclosed embodiments and details should not be construed as limiting but instead as illustrative of some embodiments in accordance with the inventions.
[0027] A battery according to the present disclosure is capable of identifying a fault or a condition that is a precursor to a fault or that predicts a fault. The fault or pre-fault condition is identified based on the measurement of certain parameters in a cell or cells. Based on one or more measured parameters, the battery may determine that the battery has faulted, is likely to have a fault in the near future, or is experiencing some other error or potential error. The battery may detect that the likelihood of explosion has reached a certain threshold. In response, the battery may reconfigure itself to allow it to continue functioning. It may also trigger an alert, which notifies the user or some other person about the condition so that he or she can take steps to mitigate the potential harm. The alert may involve one or more of: notifying the user to the condition; notifying the user that the battery has reconfigured itself to continue functioning; notifying the user of the amount of time before a fault or explosion occurs; instructing a user that a replacement battery is or will be necessary; instructing the user to supply a backup wireless power source; or instructing the user to connect a wired power source.
[0028] The battery may predict a fault situation using inputs from the cells including but not limited to temperature, voltage, current, resistance, charge speed, discharge speed, electrolyte levels, corrosion, environmental conditions, or other measurable parameters known in the art. For example, a multi-cell battery may monitor the temperature of each cell. If a cell reaches a temperature above a certain threshold, but still below the level that would indicate a fault, the battery may respond to that condition by reconfiguring the battery to prevent the potential fault. It may also alert a user about the potential problem. In its reconfigured state, the battery may be able to continue operating at least long enough so that the user can respond to the alert by replacing or supplementing the battery with an external wireless or wired power source. In this way, catastrophic faults or failures can be avoided, as problems with the battery are addressed before they arise.
[0029] A battery of the present disclosure can detect conditions indicating that a cell is highly likely to fault (for example, when the probability of fault is greater than 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, or 90%), and it can also detect conditions that indicate a fault is less likely to occur (for example, when the probability of fault is less than 1%, 0.1%, 0.01% or less). Depending on the severity of the condition and how likely the cell is to fault, the battery may respond in different ways, with different measures of mitigation and different levels of alerts to the user.
[0030] The battery response may also be related to the particular type of risk posed by the condition. For example, if the condition of a cell is such that it has a 0.0001% likelihood to explode, the response may be to immediately disconnect the cell and alert the patient to schedule a battery replacement surgery. On the other hand, if the condition of a cell is such that it has a 90% chance to stop working but less than a 0.0001% chance of exploding, the battery may simply reconfigure itself to continue working, but not send an urgent alert to the user about needing a replacement. Alternately, the battery in that situation could do nothing until the cell actually stopped working.
[0031] For implanted Lithium-ion batteries in particular, it is vital to avoid explosions and other failures. The present disclosure provides improvements to known batteries, which reduce the likelihood of explosions by notifying user's of dangerous conditions so that the battery can be replaced before the explosion occurs.
[0032] FIG. 1 shows an example of a known rechargeable battery 100 . The battery casing 110 is typically made from aluminum or steel. The casing 110 has two vents 120 for built-in redundancy. The battery 100 has a current interrupt device 130 at the top of the cell, and a discrete positive temperature coefficient (PTC) device 140 . The PTC device 140 is a resistor that increases resistance as battery temperature rises to prevent thermal runaway. In embodiments, a PTC device may be located inside or outside the cell case. It provides a current limiting function primarily for low-current applications, and it can reset itself when the over-current condition is corrected.
[0033] FIG. 2 shows a known lithium-ion battery (LIB) 200 , which embodies known safety features. The battery 200 comprises a casing 210 with a positive cap 220 connected with a gasket 215 . The casing 210 surrounds cylindrical positive electrodes 233 and negative electrodes 234 , with separators 235 in between. The battery 200 features insulation 240 to maintain cell temperature. The battery 200 also features a current interrupt device (CID) 250 . If internal pressures get too high, the CID 250 electrically disconnects the cell. The CID 250 acts as a non-resetting circuit breaker. It may comprise a safety valve, an insulating spacer, and a thin metal plate that connects to the electrodes in the cell. When gasses build within the cell, the safety valve deforms, thereby causing it to separate from the thin metal plate. Once the safety valve and thin metal plate have separated, the electrode is disconnected from the exterior can and current can no longer flow. Other safety devices in the battery 200 are a PTC device 260 , and a gas release vent 288 .
[0034] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a battery system 300 capable of balancing voltages in response to a fault condition. The system 300 includes four lithium-ion cells 111 - 114 connected in series. In an embodiment, these can be the 18650 cylindrical-type cells with a nominal voltage of 3.7 V. Other embodiments may include different types of cells, or may include fewer than or more than four cells.
[0035] Embodiments of the battery 300 may include various cathodes, anodes, and electrolytes known in the art. For example, the cathode may comprise lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO 2 ), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (Li[Ni x Mn y Co z ]O 2 ), lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (Li[Ni x Co y Al z ]O 2 ), lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO 4 ), lithium manganese oxide (LiMn 2 O 4 ), or any other material known in the art. The anode may be graphite or another suitable material. The electrolyte may comprise for example ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, or a mixture thereof, along with a conducting lithium salt such as LiPF 6 , LiBF 4 , LiAsF 6 , LiCF 3 SO 3 , or LiClO 4 .
[0036] The battery-management system (BMS) 120 , also known as a controller unit, receives voltage 71 - 74 , temperature information 81 - 84 , and resistance information 91 - 94 from each cell 111 - 114 . The software of the BMS 120 can be configured to detect when one cell is getting too hot compared to the other cells. It can then respond by isolating the faulty cell from the others, rebalancing the voltages, or taking other steps to mitigate the situation before a thermal runaway or other problematic event can occur. The hardware of the BMS 120 may include thermal sensors, voltage sensors, current sensors, as well as electronic safety circuits that control the charging and discharging of the cells. The BMS 120 measures various cell parameters including current and voltage during operation and the software can determine the state of charge of the cells. In embodiments, the BMS 120 is configured to recognize when a parameter has reached a certain threshold indicative of a pre-fault condition, and respond by taking steps to prolong the operating life of the battery, while simultaneously notifying the user to find another power source.
[0037] The transistors can be metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) or any other transistor known in the art. The load switch or driver 150 is on the high side, meaning that it connects the cells to an electrical load, or disconnects them from it. It is coupled to a controller 120 , which sends a signal to the high-side driver 150 based on inputs 71 - 74 , 81 - 84 , and 91 - 94 , for example, from cells 111 - 114 . If the controller 120 determines, for example, based on the inputs of cell 111 that there is a fault or there is a potential future fault, the controller signals the high-side driver to electronically isolate or turn off the defective cell 111 by turning off the N-channel MOSFET switch 161 .
[0038] In one embodiment, the remaining cells 112 - 114 provide energy to an electronic device (not shown) such as a ventricular assist device (VAD) at the lower voltage that resulted from one cell being turned off. In such embodiments, the VAD would have been designed to accept the lower voltage for operation. Optionally, the system 300 comprises a DC/DC converter or voltage booster 130 . If one or more cells are isolated by the BMS 120 due to faults or potential faults, the voltage booster 130 ramps up the voltage of the remaining cells to maintain a normal power level to the VAD or other device. The controller unit 120 performs cell voltage balancing to keep all the cells in a battery pack at close to the same voltage so as to avoid a destabilizing over-charge. In some embodiments this may be accomplished by using switching shunt resistors across the cell to bring high voltage cells into line with the other cells in the pack. The output voltage is maintained at a level required by the boost converter 130 , as long as one or more cells are active. This redundant cell design allows the battery to maintain its normal output level in a fault situation. In some embodiments the battery is designed to be able to continue functioning with one or more cells turned off. In other embodiments the battery can continue functioning for only a short time with one or more cells turned off.
[0039] In another embodiment of battery system 300 , one of the cells is a reserve cell, which can be connected via a shunt (not shown). The reserve cell can be a backup or spare cell, which is not in use during regular operation of the battery. Alternatively, the reserve cell can have a regular function of powering auxiliary electronics of the VAD or other device. When one of the cells 111 - 114 fails and has been isolated by the operation described above, the reserve cell is switched on and brought into the series by activating the shunt. In embodiments where the reserve cell's normal function is to provide auxiliary power, the controller 120 assesses the failed or isolated cell to determine whether it is still capable of powering the auxiliary electronics. If it is, the controller 120 proceeds to switch that cell and the reserve cell, so that the reserve cell comes into series with the other active cells to provide power to the device, and the failed cell provides power to the auxiliary electronics. If the failed cell is incapable of powering even the less demanding auxiliary electronics, it remains isolated and the pack of functioning cells is used to power the device and the auxiliary electronics.
[0040] In some embodiments the controller 120 can attempt to revive a failed cell by charging it, via slow charge, pulse charge, or another type of charge known in the art. For implantable electronic devices, the type of charge should be compatible with use inside the body. For example, fast charging that results in excessive temperature increase may not be desirable in some embodiments. In embodiments where the cell has not yet failed, but has been determined to be in a pre-failure condition, that pre-failure cell may be revived by the controller 120 in the same manner as described above.
[0041] The present disclosure also provides an alert system for notifying the user when a battery fault has occurred or will potentially occur. Systems of the invention provide differentiable alerts for faults or potential faults of different severity. For example, a small or insignificant fault may trigger a minor alert to keep the user apprised of the battery's condition, whereas a more severe fault may trigger a more emphatic or even painful alert, such as a shock, that underscores the gravity of the fault. Alerts can correspond to potential faults of varying degrees as well.
[0042] FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment of an alert system 400 for alerting a user to an error or a potential error in an implanted battery connected to an implantable electronic device such as a VAD. The error can be a battery fault or another error in the device, or it may be a condition that the BMS has determined is a likely precursor to a fault or other error. The VAD is in electrical communication with a battery system 300 and with an internal controller 410 that is implanted in the user's body. An external controller 420 can be situated outside the user's body. The external controller 420 is capable of receiving radio frequencies from the internal controller 410 . In the event of a minor fault or potential fault in the battery 300 , a signal is sent to the external controller 420 . The external controller 420 may activate a sound, a vibration, or any other indication that can be perceived by the user. In the event of a minor fault where the battery 300 is still functional, the internal device is capable of sending the RF signal. Therefore, this system is ideal for reporting minor faults, potential future faults, or any fault that does not cause the device to shut down completely. Upon perceiving the alert, the user may take an action such as recharging the battery or scheduling a surgery to replace the battery.
[0043] More severe faults or potential faults may have a different type of alert. The differentiation between minor and major faults or potential faults helps the user determine what response, if any, is needed. Also, if the condition constitutes a life-threatening emergency, the alert should be comparably acute. For severe errors, the alert should be sufficient to wake the user if necessary.
[0044] The present disclosure provides an elevated alert for more serious faults and potential faults. The alert can be a strong vibration, an electrical shock, or another jarring sensation to the user. FIG. 5 depicts a system 500 with a configuration including a battery 300 , a VAD, and a separate power source 555 . In the event that the battery 300 fails completely and is no longer capable of providing power at all, the separate power source 555 is activated to produce an alert. The power source 555 can be a capacitor compatible with medical implants, such as the KEMET C2220X104K2RACTU capacitor available from Newark Corporation (Chicago, Ill.). An important safety feature of the disclosure is that in the event of a major error or fault in an implantable electronic device, an alert can still be sent, owing to the separate and independent power source 555 .
[0045] The alarm generated by the power source 555 can be triggered by the power level of the battery falling below a threshold. The threshold can be measured using a comparator. If the battery level drops to the predetermined threshold, the capacitor triggers an electrical shock to notify the user. In another embodiment, the capacitor activates an internal vibration that can be felt by the user. The system may have a variety of alerts, each corresponding to a different type or level of fault.
[0046] In the event of a severe or catastrophic fault wherein the user must immediately seek backup power for the device, the system can include external wired or wireless power source. Examples of backup power sources can be found in U.S. Patent Publication 2013/0053624, filed Aug. 22, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety. FIG. 6 depicts a power transfer system 600 that can be used with the present disclosure as a backup power source. The system 600 includes a power transfer belt 104 connected to an external controller 103 , which provides power to the power transfer belt 104 . The wireless backup power source can be a wearable device such as a belt or a transfer vest, or it may constitute any other suitable configuration. As shown, the power transfer belt 104 can provide wireless power transfer to the internal power receiver 105 , which is connected to an implanted electronic device 106 .
[0047] The system may also comprise a wired external power source, which can be separate from or connected to the wireless power source. In FIG. 6 , the external power transfer system 600 comprises an external male unit 102 with prongs, which can be inserted through the skin and coupled to an implanted female unit 101 . The male unit 102 is connected to the controller 103 , and the female unit is connected to the implanted device 106 . Thus, the connection between the male unit 102 and female unit 101 creates a wired connection between the implanted device 106 and the controller 103 , which provides power. The external power source may have a feature that communicates to the internal battery to shut off in the event that the internal battery is continuing to function.
[0048] In some embodiments, both a wireless and a wired external power source are provided for backup power. In other embodiments, only one or the other is provided. In some embodiments, the wireless external power source is a primary backup power source, and the wired external power source is a secondary backup power source for when the primary backup fails.
[0049] In addition to monitoring battery conditions and alerting the user, the present disclosure provides additional safety features that can be used in conjunction with or separately from the safety features described above. FIGS. 7-13 depict various embodiments of improved battery casings for implantable LIBs. Unlike known implantable batteries, which exclude vents due to the potential bodily harm that could result from venting within the body, the present disclosure reveals designs for battery casings that allow venting to safely occur. These casings prevent explosion or other problems associated with increased pressure in a battery, while minimizing risk to the user.
[0050] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a device 700 including a double-walled battery casing. The battery 300 is surrounded by an inner wall 710 , which is situated within an outer wall 720 . There is a vacuum 750 in between. The walls 710 and 720 can be made from aluminum, steel, stainless steel, titanium, titanium alloy, or any other suitable material known in the art. The double-walled design provides added protection against pressures that build up inside the battery unit 300 when cells vent.
[0051] The vacuum 750 has a stabilizing effect on the temperature of the battery. In a normal implanted battery pressure may increase as temperatures rise. However, the vacuum 750 surrounding the battery 300 mitigates the pressure increase that would otherwise result from the hot vapors. The vacuum 750 insulates the battery from the outside, preventing an increased temperature in a fault situation from causing discomfort or burns. It also can allow the cells to maintain a temperature below body temperature, so that the battery does not necessarily have to be configured to operate at about 37° C. Additionally, the battery experiences less of a temperature rise on charging, making it more efficient and allowing for fast charging. In embodiments that include a PTC device, the vacuum 750 makes PTC device less likely to activate, thereby prolonging the life of the cell.
[0052] In an embodiment of the casing depicted in FIG. 8 , the controller case is divided into two sections by a dividing wall 810 , and the dividing wall 810 has its own vent 88 . The first section 805 is defined by the dividing wall 810 . The second section 807 is a reservoir for the vent pressure. When a cell or cells vent, and the pressure increases inside the first section 805 , the danger of the case bursting and releasing organic solvent into the body is minimized because the vent 88 in the dividing wall 810 will open and release the vapors into the second section 807 .
[0053] FIG. 9 shows another embodiment capable of mitigating extreme pressure differences by directing the first section vent into reservoir section 907 that is an inflatable high volume balloon. When pressure inside the first section 805 increases, the vent 88 may open, releasing organic solvents into the inflatable reservoir section 907 . Because the reservoir section 907 is also deflatable, it may reduce in size as the released vapors eventually cool.
[0054] FIG. 10 shows a controller casing 1000 including a vent 88 that directs vapors to the outside of the body. In the configuration depicted in FIG. 10 , the casing is implanted near an external surface 1001 of the body. This embodiment may be considered a last-resort for relieving a faulty battery from pressure buildup. The vent 88 is configured to break through the skin and release the pressure outside the body. In extreme situations, it is dramatically better to direct the damage to the skin rather than to internal organs.
[0055] FIG. 11 shows an embodiment wherein the inflatable reservoir section 807 comprises a sharp or arrow-like header 1101 that is positioned to break the surface of the skin and release pressure outside the body. The section 807 may be configured to break open to release organic solvents once it has broken through to the outside of the body.
[0056] In another embodiment, the battery is located within a flexible casing envelope. When vapors are vented, they collect in the envelope. The envelope prevents harmful vapors or liquids from coming into contact with the body. The electronic circuitry in the control unit, whether located in the same section as the battery pack, or in the second section, can be encased in a polymer or other material to isolate it and prevent it from being damaged by any organic solvent vapors or liquids that are vented by the cells.
[0057] In other embodiments, insulating materials can be used to protect parts of the battery. Thermal insulation can be inserted between cells to thermally isolate them from each other. The cells can also simply be physically separated by air or a vacuum to prevent direct conduction of heat between them. In other embodiments, cells are divided by insulating plates comprising foam, ceramic, carbon composites, silica fiber tiles, glass fiber insulation, or the like.
[0058] In other embodiments, a heat pipe or heat pin can be used to cool the batteries. The heat pipe controls the transfer of heat between surfaces using thermal conductivity. It can be filled with a solvent whose boiling point is slightly greater than body temperature like cyclopentane (49° C.), dichloromethane (40° C.), acetone (56° C.), or methylene chloride (40° C.).
[0059] In other embodiments, an absorbing material can be included in the control unit to absorb any leaked or vented organic solvent. Without implying any limitation, absorbing materials may comprise vermiculite in granular or other form, absorbing paper (non-woven or woven) or fibers, sawdust, and the like.
|
The present disclosure provides devices, systems, and methods for identifying conditions in a battery that predict fault or failure, alerting a user to the condition, and providing solutions to mitigate the potential harm that would otherwise result from the fault or failure. Further provided are battery casing designs for improved safety. These systems, devices, and methods are applicable to batteries generally, and are particularly useful in the field of implanted medical devices for mitigating the dangers of battery faults or explosions occurring within the body.
| 8
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
[0003] Not applicable
BACKGROUND
[0004] The invention generally relates to an apparatus used for swimming pool water filter and recirculation circuits. More specifically, the invention relates to mounting a shield on the entrance of a pool skimmer to prevent debris from entering the skimmer and clogging flow through the pool filter. Further, the invention relates to a skimmer shield that can be selectively opened and closed without demounting the shield.
[0005] Swimming pools and hot tubs utilize fluid recirculation circuits to filter and regulate chemical balance in the water. Typically, water enters the circuit through a skimmer located in the side of the pool. Once in the skimmer, water flows through a filter and then to the suction of a recirculation pump. The pump typically returns the water to the pool through jets.
[0006] A variety of sizes and shapes of skimmers are available for new pool construction and are in use in existing pools. The skimmer pool water opening is typically rectangular and is located in the side of the pool at the normal water level in the pool. Some simmers have floating weir-type doors. Skimmer filters typically consist of a hidden removable basket which must be emptied of leaves, twigs, animals, insects and other debris. If the filter becomes clogged, flow through the filter is blocked resulting in potential damage to the recirculation pump. Accordingly, the filter must be monitored to prevent costly damage to the recirculation system.
[0007] Debris collecting in the filter can vary with the seasons of the year. For example, deciduous trees and bushes tend to shed leaves and seed pods on a seasonal basis. Winds depositing debris in the pool can be seasonal. During portions of the year, the filter must be examined and emptied daily. Accordingly, the need and effectiveness of skimmer shields is seasonal. During these periods, absent pool owners must either turn off the recirculation pump or utilize skimmer shields to prevent debris from entering the skimmer filter system. Skimmer shields typically consist of screens or other flow-through devices mounted at the skimmer opening that block debris from entering the skimmer. Installation and operation of existing skimmer shields are undesirable.
[0008] For example, prior art skimmer shields proposed to block debris from entering the skimmer include U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,634 to Harry which discloses a removable shield which attaches to the pool by threading bolts into the side of the pool or using suction cups. Drilling holes into the side of pool or face of the skimmer is not recommended, and suction cups can fail leaving the skimmer unprotected.
[0009] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,450 to Benedict, a screen type shield is mounted with retention flanges extending into the sides of the skimmer. This is an example of a skimmer mounting configuration that must be designed to fit a particular size skimmer. This device is quite unattractive and can and must me removed when not needed.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,937,453 to Hodak, et al. discloses a skimmer shield whose mounting configuration requires a specially described skimmer face plate to mate with the skimmer shield. Like the Benedict patent this configuration requires a different design for each different skimmer shape.
[0011] In U.S. Pat. No. 6,770,193 to Foley, the skimmer screen has a rectangular portion designed to fit into a particular shaped skimmer opening.
[0012] The skimmer shield in U.S. Pat. No. 6,989,094 to Knapp, et al. uses magnetic disks glued to the pool side to mount a removable screen filter.
[0013] The removable skimmer closure device in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,208 to Bruce mounts using undesirable screws threaded into the face plate of a skimmer.
[0014] The skimmer guard of U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,041 to Evans, et al. is size dependent and uses spring loaded tabs to fit into the opening of a skimmer.
[0015] Snap hooks spaced to fit in the skimmer opening are used to mount a skimmer guard in U.S. Pat. No. 7,052,602 to Boggs, et al.
[0016] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a shield that can be mounted in a variety of sizes and shapes of skimmers and can be used as needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] In one embodiment, the invention provides a shield that can be mounted in a variety of shapes and sizes of pool skimmers.
[0018] In another embodiment of the present invention, the skimmer shield, once installed, can be selectively changed to block or permit debris to enter the skimmer and filter therein.
[0019] In a further embodiment of the present invention the skimmer shield has a closure means that can be opened and closed to permit or block debris from entering the skimmer.
[0020] In one embodiment, the invention uses sliding perforated doors to selectively prevent debris from entering the skimmer with the pool water.
[0021] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof will be described in detail and shown by way of example. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a skimmer shield according to the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 2A is a front elevation view to the skimmer shield of FIG. 1 with the closure member shown in the closed position;
[0024] FIG. 2B is a front elevation view of the skimmer shield of FIG. 1 with the closure member shown in the open position;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a left side elevation view of the skimmer shield of FIG. 1 ;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a section view of the skimmer shield of FIG. 2A taken on line 4 - 4 looking in the direction of the arrows; and
[0027] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the skimmer shield of FIG. 1 , with the closure member shown in the closed position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] Referring now to the figures wherein reference numerals are used to refer to like or corresponding parts through the several views, there is shown in FIGS. 1-5 one example embodiment of the present invention. In these FIGURES, a skimmer shield assembly referenced generally by reference numeral 10 is illustrated for use as an attachment to a pool skimmer. In FIG. 1 , an example skimmer opening 14 is shown in phantom lines with the skimmer spaced away from it before mounting. The skimmer opening 14 is also illustrated in phantom lines in FIGS. 4 and 5 .
[0029] For ascetic purposes, the shield 10 is constructed from clear or transparent material, preferably a plastic material. In this embodiment, the shield 10 comprises a body 20 having a generally planar central portion 22 . In the illustrated embodiment, portion 22 is generally rectangular and is selected to be of a size to accommodate and cover the pool opening 14 on commonly-available skimmers.
[0030] As viewed in the FIGURES, portion 22 has upper and lower flanges 24 and 26 , respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, flanges 24 and 26 are for ease in fabrication integrally formed with the portion 22 and extend transverse thereto. Flanges are generally trapezoid shaped narrowing in the top plan view away from the portion 22 .
[0031] Left and right side flanges 28 also extend from the portion 22 . For ease of fabrication, these flanges 28 are integrally formed front portion 22 . As shown in FIG. 5 , these flanges 28 are not parallel to portion 22 and extend rearward about 5 degrees to 25 degrees, preferably 15 degrees. Portion 22 and flanges 26 and 28 have a plurality of openings 30 formed therethrough to permit pool water to flow therethrough. Openings 30 are selected to be of a size to permit flow of pool water from the pool into the skimmer opening. Openings 30 are small enough to prevent most debris from passing therethrough. Openings 30 are illustrated as simple drilled holes, however, slots or other shapes could be used. Alternatively, larger openings could be provided covered by a screening material or the like to eliminate debris passage.
[0032] As is illustrated, a passageway 32 large enough to permit most debris to flow therethrough (larger than the openings 30 ) is formed in the portion 22 . In the illustrated embodiment, the passageway 32 is generally rectangular to correspond to the shape of most skimmer openings. The passageway is selected to have a cross-sectional area at least about 25 percent of the cross-sectional area of the skimmer opening and can have a cross-sectional area larger than the skimmer opening. The passageway 32 is centrally located so that, when the shield 10 is installed, it will align with a portion of the skimmer opening 14 . In the illustrated embodiment, passageway 32 is equipped with closure member that can be selectively opened or closed. In the closed position illustrated in FIG. 2A , debris in the pool water is prevented from entering the skimmer opening with the pool water. In the open position illustrated in FIG. 2B , pool water and debris flows through the opening 32 and into the skimmer filter.
[0033] In the illustrated embodiment, the closure member comprises a pair of sliding flow-through door-like structures 40 . Structures 40 are mounted in upper and lower opposed U-shaped tracts 42 and 44 , respectively. Openings 46 are formed in structures 40 to flow pool water therethrough when in the closed position (see FIG. 2A ). Stops 48 are formed on the inside of the structures to limit movement and to maintain the structures 40 in the tracks 42 and 44 . While the sliding configuration has benefits, it is envisioned the pivots or even removal structures could be used in place of the sliding configuration shown.
[0034] As is illustrated in FIG. 3 , a retaining device 50 is mounted in the upper flange 24 . In the disclosed embodiment, device 50 comprises a bolt and a pair of nuts extending through a bore in the flange 24 . The retaining device 50 , when extended into contact with the upper wall 52 of the skimmer opening, functions to hold shield assembly 10 in place.
[0035] Device 50 , of course, could be located in the bottom flange 26 and press the upper flange against wall 52 . Indeed, more than one device 50 could be used, one in each flange or multiples in one or more flanges. In the present embodiment, the flanges 24 and 26 extend from the portion 22 and act as springs to hold the shield in place. It is also envisioned that the device 50 could be in the form of a compressible member or the like such as a leaf or coil spring mounted on one of the flanges. In another embodiment, the device 50 could be in the form of a spreader forcing or deflecting the flanges 24 and 26 outward into contact with the walls of the skimmer opening.
[0036] If multiple devices 50 are used with at lease one in each of the upper and lower flanges, the relative height of the mounted shield can be adjusted to a particular pool water level. This allows the shield to be installed at an ideal operating height in a variety of skimmer sizes.
[0037] To install and use the skimmer shield 10 , upper and lower trapezoid shaped tapered flanges 24 and 26 are inserted into the skimmer opening 14 until the side flanges 28 contact the pool wall 60 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 . The taper of flanges 24 and 26 permits the skimmer shield to be mounted in a variety of widths. Typically, the pool water level intersects the skimmer opening to collect (or skim) floating debris in the skimmer filter.
[0038] According to a feature of the present invention, contact between side flanges 28 and the pool side wall position the portion 22 in a spaced-away relationship with pool wall. This mounting configuration allows the openings 30 , located below the water surface in the lower flange 26 , to come into use when floating debris collected on the shield restricts flow through openings at water level.
[0039] The closure structure 40 is opened gaining access to the mounting bolt and nut assembly 50 . The bolt is extended to contact the upper wall of the skimmer opening 14 (as shown) and is set in place by tightening the nuts. Once installed, the shield can be opened and closed as desired. When needed, such as when the pool owner is out of town, the shield can be closed to prevent the accumulation of debris in the skimmer filter and resulting damage to the pump. When not required, the shield closure is left open allowing the debris to accumulate in the filter and be removed as required.
[0040] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, 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 claims and their equivalents appended hereto.
|
The invention provides a shield for attachment to a swimming pool skimmer to prevent debris in the pool water from entering the skimmer. The skimmer shield has a closure member in the form of a door that can be opened or closed to allow unrestricted flow into the skimmer when necessary. The shield mounts in the skimmer opening using a pair of tapered flanges and releasable lock in the form of a screw.
| 4
|
[0001] REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION
[0002] This application is based on, claims priority to, and hereby refers to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/275,036, filed Aug. 25, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates to indicators and more particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, to devices adapted to provide information relevant to determining whether water-treatment materials for pools and spas should be replaced.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Recreational and therapeutic vessels such as pools and spas typically contain water susceptible to growth of bacteria or other microorganisms potentially harmful to human health. As a consequence of this susceptibility, pool and spa owners are counseled to treat the water with chemicals intended to kill certain microorganisms or render them less harmful to humans. Adding chlorine directly to pool and spa water, for example, has long been an accepted method of treating the water.
[0005] More recently, flow-through canisters or cartridges have been developed for use in pools and spas. Some of these cartridges may be placed in housings plumbed in-line as part of the water-circulation systems of the pools and spas. When no longer effective, the cartridges may be removed from the housings and replaced.
[0006] Commercially marketed by the assignee of the application under the “Nature2” name are silver-containing materials useful in addition to, or as replacement for part of, the chlorine conventionally added to the water. The silver-containing materials may be placed within flow-through cartridges, which in turn are positioned within housings plumbed into (or otherwise connected to) the water-circulation systems. Accordingly, circulating pool or spa water may enter a housing, flow through its associated cartridge in contact with the silver-containing material, and exit the housing for eventual return to the pool or spa. U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,777 to Bachand, et al., describes various of many examples of these cartridges and housings.
[0007] Irrespective of the type of chemicals used to treat the water, the chemicals within (or created by) the cartridge eventually dissolve, erode, or otherwise are removed from the cartridge. At some time the cartridge becomes insufficiently effective to accomplish its intended purpose and thus should be replaced. Frequently, though, the cartridge is not immediately visible to the pool or spa owner (because positioned within a housing, for example) or, even if visible, is not immediately recognizable as requiring replacement. Further, because “Nature2”-type cartridges of the assignee may be useful for extended periods (on the order of six months), consumers have time to forget about the existence of the cartridges and their need for eventual replacement. Need thus exists to indicate to pool and spa owners, or their employees or agents, when water-treatment materials should be replaced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides indicators useful for this purpose. The indicators may provide information visually, aurally, tactilely, or otherwise as desired. Preferably, however, the indicators provide at least some information visually, with certain versions including both a graphical or numerical display and a warning light. Other embodiments of the invention provide a weekly countdown starting, for example, at twenty-six weeks; when the countdown is complete, the warning light illuminates and begins to blink. Persons skilled in the art will, of course, recognize that any numerical display may provide information other than or in addition to a weekly countdown and any warning light (if present) may activate prior to or after the countdown is complete or, when activated, illuminate continuously rather than in a flashing manner.
[0009] Likewise, any visual display need not necessarily be numerical. As one example, such a non-numerical visual display may comprise a multi-element bar graph, with bars either appearing or disappearing as a function of time. A six-element bar graph may be especially useful for indicating remaining useful life of a six-month product such as the cartridge mentioned above, as each bar may represent one month of product life. As another example, a graphical display may include a representation of a pointer and multiple areas signifying remaining useful life, with the pointer pointing to different areas as a function of elapsed time.
[0010] Versions of the invention may connect directly to the cartridge-containing housings. This connection is useful both to avoid loss or misplacement of an indicator and to identify to persons maintaining pools or spas that cartridge placement may then or soon be required. However, these versions additionally may be disconnected from the housings and moved to alternate locations if desired. Indeed, some persons having outdoor pools may prefer to move the indicators indoors so as to be able to ascertain effectiveness information without needing to venture outside. Whether the indicators are indoors or outdoors, though, optional mounting plates or other structures may permit attachment of the indicators to numerous other objects via magnets, tape, hooks, or other devices.
[0011] It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide indicators configured to provide information visually, aurally, tactilely, or otherwise as desired.
[0012] It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide indicators useful in identifying when materials used to treat pool or spa water should be replaced.
[0013] It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide indicators having either numerical displays adapted to provide countdowns of the effectiveness of materials or graphical displays (or both).
[0014] It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide indicators having warning lights.
[0015] It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide indicators configured for connection to housings containing water-treatment cartridges.
[0016] It is yet another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide indicators which may be disconnected from the housings and either used as freestanding objects or mounted to other objects (either indoors or outdoors).
[0017] Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art with reference to the remaining text and drawings of this application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an exemplary indicator of the present invention.
[0019] FIGS. 2A-B are perspective views of the indicator of FIG. 1 with an optional mounting plate attached.
[0020] FIGS. 3A-B are exploded perspective views of the indicator and mounting plate of FIGS. 2A-B .
[0021] FIGS. 4A-C are various views of the indicator of FIG. 1 as attached to a housing.
[0022] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the indicator of FIG. 1 .
[0023] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the indicator and mounting plate of FIG. 2 .
[0024] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a display or an alternate exemplary indicator of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of an alternate exemplary indicator of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] Illustrated in FIG. 1 is exemplary indicator 10 of the present invention. Indicator 10 may include a front, or face 12 through which numerical (or other) display 14 and optional warning light 18 are visible. Indicator 10 additionally may include body 22 of any appropriate shape and size. In at least one version of the invention, indicator 10 is designed to provide a weekly countdown from approximately twenty-six to zero, with light 18 illuminating discontinuously (i.e. blinking) when the countdown reaches zero. FIG. 2A depicts indicator 10 part-way through the countdown (at twenty-three weeks as shown on display 14 ), whereas FIGS. 1 and 2B illustrate a completed countdown (with “00” appearing on display 14 ). Indicator 10 may, however, be configured differently than as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 A-B and may provide information other than a weekly countdown or via a warning light. Nevertheless, for at least certain of the assignee's “Nature2” products, configuring indicator 10 to count down weekly from “26” to “00” is beneficial, as the assignee typically recommends replacing the cartridges containing the products every approximately twenty-six weeks.
[0027] Shown in FIGS. 2A-B and 3 A-B is optional mounting plate 26 . Mounting plate 26 may attach to rear section 30 of body 22 in any appropriate way. Alternatively, mounting plate 26 may be formed integrally with body 22 . As detailed in FIGS. 5-6 , one or more flanged tabs 31 may extend from internal face 32 of plate 26 into suitable recesses 33 of rear section 30 .
[0028] Mounting plate 26 may comprise hook 34 including opening 38 . Opening 38 may receive a protruding object, such as a nail or peg, to connect indicator 10 to another structure (e.g. an interior wall of a house). External face 42 of plate 26 additionally may, if desired, include first recess 46 into which magnet 50 may be fitted and second recess 54 into which double-sided tape 58 may be inserted. Either or both of magnet 50 and tape 58 may function to connect indicator 10 to another structure (either in addition to or in lieu of hook 34 ).
[0029] FIGS. 4A-C depict portions of an exemplary housing H with which indicator 10 may be used. Housing H preferably contains a removable cartridge which in turn contains water-treatment material such as (but not limited to) a mineral sanitizer, chlorine, or bromine. Because effectiveness of the water-treatment material diminishes as a function of time, eventually the cartridge will need to be removed for replacement.
[0030] By appropriately configuring mating surfaces of indicator 10 and housing H, the indicator 10 may be attached to the housing H. FIGS. 4A-C show indicator 10 connected to cover C of housing H, with one or more flanges 62 snap-fitting into channel 66 of rear section 30 . Other attachment means may be used instead, however. If cover C is removable, when the countdown of display 14 reaches zero and warning light 18 activates, someone may simply remove cover C, remove and replace the cartridge within housing H, replace cover C, and attach a new indicator 10 to the cover C. These steps need not proceed in the recited order, though, and removal of the cartridge may occur either before or after the countdown reaches zero. Alternatively, if cover C is permanently attached to housing H and the cartridge need be replaced, indicator 10 may be disconnected from cover C before the combination of cover C, housing H, and the cartridge is discarded, thus allowing reuse of indicator 10 even when cover C and housing H are disposable.
[0031] Indicator 10 may be activated in any suitable manner. Presently envisioned is a pushbutton switch which, when depressed for a period of time, will activate the indicator 10 . Also envisioned in some embodiments is that, once activated, indicator 10 cannot be reset. In alternate embodiments, though, indicator 10 may include a reset mechanism—which may or may not be hidden from the user. In at least some of these alternate embodiments, the same pushbutton switch may, when depressed for a longer period of time, effect resetting of the indicator 10 . In yet other alternate embodiments, an insulating film or sheet may be placed between a terminal of a battery of indicator 10 and its corresponding electrical contact. To activate the indicator 10 , a user may simply remove the insulating sheet, thereby allowing physical contact between the battery terminal and electrical contact so as to complete an electrical circuit.
[0032] As is apparent from the foregoing description, indicator 10 resolves the long-standing problem in the industry of identifying to consumers when pool and spa water-treatment cartridges need replacement. It does so, furthermore, in a simple, inexpensive way. Although conceivably the indicator could be coupled to more complex electronic circuitry, computational devices, or wired or wireless transmitters or transceivers, preferred versions maintain the simplicity of indicator 10 . Because low-cost, an indicator 10 may be included with each housing H sold to consumers and with each replacement cartridge; indicator 10 also may be sold as a standalone item. Similarly, consumers need not hesitate for cost considerations before discarding an indicator 10 when its associated cartridge is discarded.
[0033] Depicted in FIG. 7 is an alternate display 14 ′, preferably a liquid crystal display (LCD), as well as pushbutton switch 180 . Rather than providing a countdown or other numerical information, display 14 ′ may provide representations of a pointer 68 and one or more regions 70 , which may be colored differently. Three such regions are shown in FIG. 7 : first region 70 A (which may be colored green); second region 70 B (which may be colored yellow); and third region 70 C (which may be colored red). Adjacent region 70 C the word “REPLACE” optionally appears.
[0034] Upon activation of the indicator 10 by depressing switch 180 , pointer 68 is shown at or adjacent first region 70 A. Thereafter, as time elapses, pointer 68 is depicted in second region 70 B and then in third region 70 C (including any intermediate depictions), alerting a consumer to the limited useful life of the indicator 10 . Displacement of pointer 68 preferably is constant as a function of time (at least until the pointer 68 indicates “REPLACE”), although variable movement of pointer 68 may occur instead.
[0035] FIG. 8 , finally, illustrates alternate indicator 10 ′ of the present invention. Indicator 10 ′ may include a display, such as (LCD) display 14 ′ (with or without a warning light), visible through an appropriate window or opening (not shown) of face 12 ′. Face 12 ′ may comprise another opening 72 through which pushbutton switch 180 may protrude. In use, display 14 ′ and timer assembly 76 may be fitted between body 22 ′ and rear section 30 ′. Optional ring 80 , if present, likewise may be fitted between body 22 ′ and rear section 30 ′ for sealing or orientation purposes (or both). Screws 84 or any other appropriate fasteners may connect various components of indicator 10 ′.
[0036] Interior surface 88 of rear section 30 ′ may comprise recess 92 . Such recess 92 may be designed to receive magnet 96 ; hence, when indicator 10 ′ is assembled, magnet 96 will be secured therein. Using magnet 96 , indicator 10 ′ may be attached to metal surfaces. Alternatively or additionally, double-sided tape or other adhesive may connect exterior surface 100 of rear section 30 ′ to other (non-metallic or metallic) surfaces.
[0037] The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Additionally, the contents of the Bachand patent are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference.
|
Indicators especially (although not necessarily exclusively) useful for assessing effectiveness of pool or spa water-treatment materials are described. The indicators may provide effectiveness information visually or otherwise, with certain versions including a numerical or graphical display with or without a warning light. Various versions additionally may connect directly to housings containing the water-treatment materials and be removable therefrom as desired.
| 2
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/763,322 filed on Sep. 20, 1991 now abandoned; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 07/615,398, filed Nov. 20, 1990, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to the preparation of high molecular weight hyperbranched polyester and polyamide polymers. The polymers are produced by a one-step process which entails polymerizing specific monomers of the formula A—R—B 2 in such a manner that side-reactions, i.e. reverse reactions, isomerization, crosslinking, and the like are substantially avoided.
P. J. Flory, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 74, 2718 (1952) and Principles of Polymer Chemistry, Cornell University Press, 1953, pp. 361-70, discusses the theory of condensation polymerization of so-called AB n -type monomers wherein A and B functions condense together to form branched polymers. While theoretically such polymers should be of high molecular weight, such has not been the case in actual practice. The only specific disclosures of such polymers are obtained by (i) the Friedel-Crafts condensation of benzyl halides in the presence of a MX 3 catalyst wherein X is a halogen, (ii) the elimination metal halides from alkali metal salts of trihalophenols, and (iii) intermolecular etherification of D-glucose in the presence of dilute acids to form a soluble polyglucose. Hyperbranched polyester and polyamide polymers are not disclosed. Also, only low molecular weight polymers, i.e. less than about 1,000 daltons, were obtained.
A recent attempt at producing a poly(arylene)polymer by following Flory's theory has also resulted in a polymer having a number average molecular weight below 10,000. Kim et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1990, 112, 4592-3, and Kim U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,630 disclose wholly aromatic poly(arylene) polymers prepared by the homocoupling of (3,5-dibromophenyl) boronic acid in a mixture of an organic solvent and aqueous sodium carbonate along with a palladium-containing catalyst. The molecular weight of the polymer was found to depend on the organic solvent and temperature employed during polymerization and addition of additional monomer at the end of the polymerization neither increased the molecular weight nor gave a bimodal distribution. Kim et al. could not explain what causes the molecular growth of the system to stop. Only low molecular weight polymers, i.e. about 5,000 daltons, were produced. During the polymerization, only single bonds between arylene groups are formed and no polyester or polyamide polymers are disclosed or suggested.
Baker et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,939 discloses condensation polymerizing other ARB 2 monomers, i.e. polyhydroxymonocarboxylic acid aliphatic compounds, but only succeeds in generating polymers with molecular weights below 4,000 daltons. While the molecular weights obtained in Baker et al. are not provided, the acid values which are provided permit the calculation thereof.
In view of the previous inability to directly prepare high molecular weight hyperbranched polymers in accordance with Flory's theory, the art is replete with multi-step procedures attempting to accomplish a similar result. For instance, Tomalia et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,507,466, 4,558,120, 4,568,737, 4,587,329, and 4,737,558 disclose dense “starburst” polymers produced by allowing a polyfunctional amide core molecule to react with excess methyl acrylate in a Michel-type addition. Each arm of the resulting star-branched molecule is then reactivated to an amine-terminated moiety by exhaustive amidation using excess 1,2-diaminoethane to afford a chain extended product in which each primary amino group becomes a new branch point in the next series of Michael additions. The polymers are thus built up, layer after layer, from a core substance by selective condensation of functional groups with each successive layer becoming a core for the subsequent layer. Only aliphatic polyamides and polyethers are exemplified and the monomers used are of the A-B type.
Similarly, Denkewalter et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,289,872, 4,360,646 and 4,410,688 disclose highly branched polyamide polymers produced from lysine—an A—R—B 2 monomer having one carboxy group, two amino groups, and an aliphatic body—but utilizes a multi-step process of blocking the functional groups and then unblocking them. only relatively low molecular weight polymers were produced due to the inherent difficulty in obtaining complete reaction for each of the multiple of blocking, unblocking, and reacting steps.
Copending application U.S. Ser. No. 07/369,270, filed Jun. 21, 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,516, issued Aug. 20, 1991, of Frechet et al. discloses a convergent pathway for preparing dendritic molecules in which accurate placement of one or more functional groups on the outer surface of the macromolecules is accomplished. The convergent approach entails building the final molecule by beginning at its periphery, rather than at its core as in divergent procedures, but still requires a blocking-unblocking multi-step operation, albeit of only a single reactive group at a single focal point which avoids the prior art problem of dealing with a multiplicity of reactive groups as the molecule grows.
Extensive prior art exists on the preparation of linear aromatic polyesters derived from, for example, 4-hydroquinone and phthalic acid or derivatives thereof. Also, Kricheldorf et al., Polymer Bulletin 1, 383-388 (1979) discloses preparing linear aromatic polyesters by heating trimethylsilyloxybenzoyl chloride to greater than 150° C. Kricheldorf et al., Polymer, 23, 1821-29 (1982) discloses forming predominantly aromatic polyesters from 3-trimethylsilyloxybenzoyl chloride and incorporating small amounts, i.e. 0.6 to 16.6 mole %, of 3,5-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)benzoyl chloride to produce a few branch points. The polyesters so formed behave as predominantly linear polymers since they contain only a few potential branches while the present high molecular weight hyperbranched polyesters behave much more like individual particles.
Accordingly, the art has failed to teach a method which succeeds in producing high molecular weight hyperbranched aromatic polyester and polyamide polymers and it is an object of the present invention to produce such polymers to take advantage of their unique properties, i.e. of high polarity, low crystallinity, and lower than usual viscosity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides soluble hyperbranched aromatic polyester or aromatic polyamide polymers having at least 40% branching and a molecular weight of at least 10,000 and 1,00 daltons respectively, as determined by gel permeation chromatography with polystyrene calibration.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The soluble hyperbranched polymers of the present invention are derived from monomers of the formula A—R—B 2 in which R is or contains an aromatic moiety and A and B are reactive groups that (i) can take part in either an esterification reaction or an amidation reaction and (ii) yield a by-product which is gaseous at the conditions of the reaction.
Suitable aromatic moieties R for use herein include phenyl, napthyl, bi-phenyl, diphenyl ether, diphenyl sulfone, benzophenone, and the like.
Suitable A and B groups for use in preparing the hyperbranched polyesters include trialkylsilyloxy and acid halide wherein the alkyl groups contain about 1 to 4 carbon atoms and the halide is chloride, bromide, or fluoride. Specific such monomers include 3,5-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)benzoyl chloride, 5-trimethylsilyloxy-isophthaloyl dichloride, 3,5-bis(triethylsilyloxy)benzoyl chloride, 3,4-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)benzoyl fluoride, 2,4-bis(triethylsilyloxy)benzoyl bromide, and the like in which the benzoyl group is replaced with other aromatic moieties such as those above.
Suitable A and B groups for use in preparing the hyperbranched polyamides include trialkylsilylamino and acid halide wherein the alkyl groups contain about 1 to 4 carbon atoms and the halide is chloride, bromide, or fluoride. Specific such monomers include 3,5-bis(trimethylsilylamino)benzoyl chloride, 5-trimethylsilylamino-isophthalamino dichloride, 3,5-bis(triethylsilylamino)benzoyl chloride, 3,4-bis(trimethylsilylamino)benzoyl fluoride, 2,4-bis(triethylsilylamino)benzoyl bromide, and the like in which the benzoyl group is replaced with other aromatic moieties such as those above.
The condensation polymerization of the A—R—B 2 monomer is preferably performed neat, i.e. in the absence of any solvent, since the presence of a solvent has been found to substantially reduce the molecular weight of the resulting hyperbranched polymer. The polymerization rapidly occurs by heating the monomer to an elevated temperature at which reaction between A and B will occur. The temperature must not be so high as to cause either monomer or polymer decomposition or degradation. Generally a temperature of about 150 to 300° C. will be suitable with the lower temperatures currently preferred for producing higher molecular weight polymers.
The hyperbranched polymers produced herein contain only four different structural units. The first unit is a “focal unit” in which the A group is unreacted and both B groups have reacted. Only a single “focal unit” is present in a polymer molecule. The second unit is a “dendritic repeating unit” in which the A group and both B groups have reacted to form ester or amide linkages. The third unit is a “half-reacted repeating unit” in which the A group and only one of the B groups have reacted while the other B group is unreacted and results in a termination point. The “half-reacting repeating units” reduce the overall degree of branching of the hyperbranched polymer while also contributing to overall growth and the unusual properties of the hyperbranched polymer. The fourth unit is the “terminal unit” in which the A group has reacted but neither of the B groups has reacted.
In the final polymer, it will be quite common for the work-up thereof to hydrolyze or otherwise change the unreacted groups to such as —OH, simple alkoxy groups, or carbamate. Alternatively, after polymerization is complete and before work-up, the hyperbranched polymer may be reacted with a monosubstituted polymer chain terminating compound of the formula Y—R 1 —A, wherein Y is hydrogen or any functional group which is unreactive under the conditions of the polymerization, R 1 is any aliphatic or aromatic moiety, and A is as defined above. Examples of suitable Y groups include such as ester, cyano, ketone, halide, nitro, amide, thioether, sulphonic ester, alkoxy, and the like. Thus, the outer surface of the globular polymer has a multiplicity of a single functional group.
The degree of branching (DB) of the hyperbranched polymers may be determined by the following formula: DB = ( # of dendritic repeating units ) + ( # of terminal units ) + 1 total # of units
wherein the 1 is for the single focal unit since it also contributes to overall branching. As such, the DB must be equal to or less than 1. The % branching is merely DB×100.
The hyperbranched polymers of this invention have a % branching of at least 40%, preferably at least 50%. The % branching for a particular polymer may be controlled. To increase it, for example, a polyfunctional core molecule containing more than two B groups can be used to initiate growth and control subsequent growth; the monomer unit can be added slowly to the reaction mixture rather than all present initially; different reaction conditions can be used; fluoride ion activation with such as CsF, KF, or (n-butyl) 4 NF as sources of fluoride ion; or the like. To decrease the % branching, small amounts of an A—R—B monomer or a chain terminating compound as described above may be added before or during the polymerization. Generally, however, as high a % branching as possible will be preferred with the theoretical maximum being 100%.
The molecular weight of the hyperbranched polyester polymers is at least 10,000 daltons and the molecular weight of the hyperbranched polyamide polymers is at least 10,000 daltons, both as determined by gel permeation chromatography with polystyrene calibration. The molecular weight of the polyester polymers is preferably at least 20,000 daltons; more preferably at least about 40,000; and still more preferably from about 40,000 to about 200,000 daltons. The molecular weight of the polyamide polymers is preferably from about 1,000 to about 50,000 daltons. In view of the reporting of polystyrene equivalent weights, the actual molecular weight of the polymers may in fact be substantially different from these values.
The hyperbranched polyester or polyamide polymers have a generally globular shape with a substantial number of hydroxyl, amino, carboxylic acid or ester groups located at the outer surface of the globules. The presence of the multiplicity of a single type functional group contributes to the usefulness of the hyperbranched polymers. For instance, when the groups are polar hydroxyl groups, the polymers are particularly useful in coatings since their adhesion to polar surfaces is enhanced over less functional materials. And when the groups are carboxylic acid, they can be transformed to ionic carboxylate units in basic medium to form a dendritic ionomer which will be useful in aqueous medium in coatings, additives, high resistance waxes, rheology control additives, and the like. In addition, the hyperbranched polymers exhibit very low crystallinity, very low compressibility, and a lack of shrinking.
The hyperbranched polymers also exhibit a substantially lower than usual viscosity for such high molecular weight polymers. This is in sharp contrast to the higher viscosity observed with conventional linear and normal lightly branched polyesters and polyamides of lower molecular weight. Accordingly, the hyperbranched polymers are particularly useful in both high solids-contents and dry coatings. Also, due to the fully aromatic structures, the polymers possess high thermal stability.
In addition, the hyperbranched polyester and polyamide polymers are expected to be useful in blends, as rheological modifiers, as stiffening agents, and the like, either alone or in combination with linear and/or lightly branched polyesters, polyamides, polycarbonates, polyphenylene oxides, and the like.
In the following non-limiting examples, all parts and percents are by weight unless otherwise specified.
EXAMPLE I
Preparation of Trimethylsilyl 3,5-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)benzoate
To a solution of 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (50.0 g, 0.32 mol) and trimethylsilyl chloride (113 g, 1.04 mol) in dry toluene (500 ml) was added dropwise triethylamine (108 g, 1.07 mol). The mixture was then heated at refluxed for 3 hours under nitrogen, cooled, filtered and evaporated to dryness. The crude product was purified by distillation and the fraction boiling at 179-190° C. (0.3 mm was collected. The trimethyl silyl ester was obtained as a colorless oil (111 g, 90%).
Preparation of 3,5-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)benzoyl chloride
To a solution of trimethylsilyl ester (42.0 g, 114 mmol) in dry dichloromethane (60 ml) containing trimethylammonium chloride (190 mg, 1.2 mmol) was added freshly distilled thionyl chloride (16.2 g, 136 mmol) dropwise under nitrogen. After the addition was complete, the solution was heated at reflux for three hours, cooled, and evaporated to dryness at room temperature. The crude product was purified by short path distillation at 175° C. (0.3 mm) to give the acid chloride as a pale yellow oil (20.6 g, 65%).
Polymerization of 3,5-bis(trimethylsilyloxy)benzoyl chloride
The purified acid chloride (6.0 g, 19.0 mmol) was heated with stirring under nitrogen in an oil bath at 200° C. for one hour. Vigorous effervescence was observed initially and the reaction mixture solidified after about 30 minutes. After cooling, the residue was dissolved in the minimum amount of pyridine/benzene (1:1, ca. 10 ml) at 50° C. and precipitated into methanol (ca 1000 ml). The precipitated polymer was collected by filtration and dried at 80° C. under high vacuum for 3 days and was obtained as a light brown solid (91% yield). Gel permeation chromatology (with polystyrene calibration) showed that the polymer thus obtained had a weight-average molecular weight M w of approximately 150,000 and a polydispersity of 3.0. The % branching was 55%.
EXAMPLE II
The procedure of Example I was repeated except that the polymerization was conducted at 250° C. Vigorous effervescence was observed initially and the reaction mixture solidified after ca. 15 minutes. After cooling the residue was dissolved in the minimum amount of pyridine/benzene (1:1, ca. 10 ml) at 50° C. and precipitated into methanol (ca 1000 ml). The precipitated polymer was collected by filtration and dried at 80° C. under high vacuum for 3 days and was obtained as a light brown solid (80% yield). The polymer thus obtained had a M w of ca. 50,000 (by GPC with polystyrene standards) and a polydispersity of 2.0). The % branching was 55%.
Comparative Example A
The procedure of Example I was repeated except that (i) the purified acid chloride (5.0 g) was dissolved in 1,2-dichlorobenzene solvent (15 ml) prior to commencing the polymerization and (ii) the polymerization was conducted at the reflux temperature of the solvent, 180° C. The resultant polymer was found to have a molecular weight of only about 3,000 (by GPC with polystyrene standards) with about 50% branching.
Comparative Example B
The procedure of Example I was repeated except that the acid chloride was not purified by the short path distillation before polymerization was attempted. The subsequent polymerized material was insoluble and thus no data could be obtained. It was discarded.
Comparative Example C
The purified acid chloride (6.0 g, 19.0 mmol) of Example I was dissolved in dry tetrahydrofuran (THF) solvent (10 ml) and added dropwise to a solution of tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride (1 M sol in THF, 39.0 ml, 39.0 mmol). After stirring at room temperature for 30 minutes, the reaction mixture, which contained a heavy precipitate, was evaporated to dryness and redissolved in methanol (20 ml). The polymer was then precipitated from the methanol solution into a 1:1 mixture of conc. HCl and water. The precipitated polymer was collected by filtration and dried at 80° C. under high vacuum for 3 days. It was obtained as alight brown solid (91% yield). Gel permeation chromatography (with polystyrene calibration) showed the polymer to have a weight-average molecular weight of about 7,000 and a polydispersity of 1.35. The % branching was 50%.
|
Hyperbranched polyester and polyamide polymers are prepared by a one-step process of polymerizing a monomer of the formula A—R—B 2 so that high molecular weight globular polymers having a multiplicity of a particular functional group on the outside surface are obtained.
| 2
|
RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application JP 2000-170431, and the disclosure of that application is incorporated herein by reference to the extent permitted by law.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to a battery pack and is applicable to a battery pack based on a lithium-ion secondary battery, for instance.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Conventionally, a battery pack based on a lithium-ion secondary battery is adapted to prevent over-voltage charge and under-voltage discharge by use of a control IC for controlling operations of switching field effect transistors.
[0006] [0006]FIG. 6 is a connection diagram showing a battery pack. That is, a battery pack 1 has a secondary battery cell 2 and a protective circuit 3 respectively housed in a predetermined case. The battery pack 1 , when mounted to a charging device or a loading device, enables charge and discharge currents to be supplied and outputted between the charging device or the loading device and the secondary battery cell 2 through a positive external terminal 4 A and a negative external terminal 4 B.
[0007] In the battery pack 1 , a terminal voltage of the secondary battery cell 2 and terminal voltage between the positive external terminal 4 A and the negative external terminal 4 B or the like are monitored by use of the control IC 5 to permit switching field effect transistors 6 , 7 placed in a charge and discharge path to be on-off controlled according to the monitoring results. That is, the battery pack 1 is structured that discharge and charge-control N-channel field effect transistors 6 , 7 are placed in series in the charge and discharge path between the negative external terminal 4 B and a negative terminal of the secondary battery cell 2 . Incidentally, parasitic diode is existent between a source and a drain of each of the N-channel field effect transistors 6 , 7 for the structural reasons. Therefore, when the terminal voltage of the secondary battery cell 2 is reduced down to a predetermined value or less, the battery pack 1 switches over the discharge-control field effect transistor 6 to the Off-state to prevent under-voltage discharge. On the other hand, when the terminal voltage of the secondary battery cell 2 is increased up to a predetermined value or more, the battery pack switches over the charge-control field effect transistor 7 to the Off-state to prevent over-voltage charge.
[0008] Incidentally, the battery pack 1 applies P-channel field effect transistors 8 , 9 , instead of the N-channel field effect transistors 6 , 7 , to constitute the switching means in some cases as shown in FIG. 7.
[0009] When high charge and discharge currents are required, the battery pack 31 is structured that the field effect transistors constituting the switching means are connected in parallel to control charge and discharge currents as shown in FIG. 8 by contrast with FIG. 6. That is, the battery pack 31 is provided to supply a control signal outputted from the control IC to gates of the field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B through a resistor 10 . Incidentally, FIG. 8 shows only the discharge-control field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B without a description of the charge-control field effect transistors. It is to be understood that output impedance of a control signal output terminal in the control IC is considered to be ordinaryly 10 [KΩ] or more, which corresponds to an equivalent circuit having the resistor 10 connected in series.
[0010] Incidentally, a user sometimes carries the battery pack of this kind in one's hand in use, and as a result, high voltage caused by static electricity is applied to the battery pack on such occasions. While the high voltage caused by the static electricity is limited to about 6 to 15 [kV], application of voltage of several [kV] or more is considered to be enough to cause breakdown of the field effect transistors. Accordingly, it is feared that breakdown of the field effect transistors might be caused by static electricity when the user frequently carries the battery pack in one hand in use.
[0011] With the breakdown of the field effect transistors caused by the static electricity or the like in the conventional battery pack, a source-to-drain resistance value of the field effect transistor is increased, resulting in difficulty in using the battery pack structured that each of the charge and discharge-control field effect transistors constituting the switching means is placed individually in the charge and discharge path as described in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this connection, while the source-to-drain resistance value is limited to 100 [mΩ] or less in a ordinary condition, while being increased up to 1 [kΩ] or more in consequence of the breakdown as described the above.
[0012] On the other hand, in the battery pack structured that the field effect transistors are connected in parallel as described in FIG. 8, the breakdown of only one of the parallel connected field effect transistors is supposed to be caused by static electricity. In this case, when a large number of field effect transistors are connected in parallel and so on, each field effect transistor makes sure of a capacity enough to permit the remaining field effect transistors to apply sufficient charge and discharge currents in some cases. The battery pack, if made available for such a case, is considered to be convenient. However, the conventional battery pack presents a problem in difficulty in making the battery pack available for such a case.
[0013] A description will now be given by taking the case of the battery pack having the structure shown in FIG. 8. That is, the control IC is provided to set the discharge-control field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B to the On-state and the Off-state on the basis of the rise and fall of gate control voltage of the discharge-control field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B. The voltage required for setting the discharge-control field effect transistors to the On-state is set at a value approximately equal to the terminal voltage of the secondary battery cell 2 , for instance. On the other hand, there is a need for setting the gate control voltage at approximately 0 [V] to set the discharge-control field effect transistors to the Off-state. When the terminal voltage of the secondary battery cell is reduced down to 2 [V], the control IC for use in the lithium-ion secondary battery switches over the field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B from the On-state to the Off-state.
[0014] The resistor 10 in the battery pack is set to have a resistance value of about 100 [kQ] so that a gate-to-source resistance value in each of the field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B comes to about 1 to 200 [MΩ] in a ordinary condition. Thus, the control IC 5 makes it possible to set the terminal voltage of the control terminals at 4 [V] and 0 [V] for setting the gate voltage of the field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B at 4 [V] and 0 [V] respectively.
[0015] The least gate-to-source voltage required for maintaining the source-to-drain resistance value of each of the field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B smaller is about 1.5 [V]. Accordingly, the battery pack makes it possible to set the terminal voltage of the control terminals at 4 [V] and 0 [V] for setting the field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B to the On-state and the Off-state.
[0016] On the other hand, when the breakdown of the field effect transistors is caused by static electricity or the like, the gate-to-source resistance of the field effect transistor is reduced down to about 1 [kΩ]. Assuming that the breakdown of the field effect transistor 6 A is caused by static electricity, for instance, the gate-to-source voltage in the undamaged-side field effect transistor 6 B is also reduced down to about 0 [V], resulting in difficulty in setting the field effect transistor 6 B to the On-state. Incidentally, FIG. 9 shows a resistance value of each part in the constitution of the battery pack shown in FIG. 8 without a description of the charge-control field effect transistors. In FIG. 9, the source-to-drain resistance value of the field effect transistor is given as the total resistance value of the two field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B. According to the table in FIG. 9, since the total source-to-drain resistance value of the field effect transistors after the breakdown by static electricity reaches 2 [kΩ] even if the terminal voltage of the secondary battery cell 2 is set at 4 [V], it is to be understood that supplied discharge current is limited to 2 [mA](4 [V]÷2 [kΩ]) regardless of short-circuiting of a load. For that reasons, when the breakdown of one of the field effect transistors is caused by the static electricity, the battery pack permits no supply of discharge current as much as 3 [mA] to 10 [A], which is considered to be the discharge current in the ordinary condition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The present invention is made by considering above described points. Accordingly, it would be desired to provide a battery pack having a function of controlling charge and discharge currents by use of parallel-connected field effect transistors, even if breakdown of a part of the field effect transistors is caused, for example, by static electricity.
[0018] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a battery pack having a function of controlling charge current and discharge current by use of parallel-connected field effect transistors constituting charge or discharge-control switching means, available by supplying control voltage to gates of the parallel-connected field effect transistors through resistors of 10 [kΩ] or more, even if breakdown of a part of the field effect transistors is caused by static electricity or the like.
[0019] In order to attain the above object, a battery pack according to the present invention takes measures to supply control voltage to gates of a plurality of field effect transistors through resistors of 10 [kΩ] or more.
[0020] Accordingly, even if breakdown of any of the field effect transistors is caused by static electricity or the like and the gate-to-source resistance is reduced to an extremely small value, the battery pack constituted to supply the control voltage to the gates of the plurality of field effect transistors through the resistors of 10 [kΩ] or more makes it possible to prevent a reduction of other field effect transistor gate voltage, permitting control of charge and discharge currents by use of the other field effect transistors.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0022] [0022]FIG. 1 is a connection diagram showing a battery pack according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] [0023]FIGS. 2A, 2B are equivalent circuit diagrams showing the peripheral constitution of a field effect transistor gate of the battery pack in FIG. 1;
[0024] [0024]FIG. 3 is a table for explaining the operation of the battery pack in FIG. 1;
[0025] [0025]FIG. 4 is a connection diagram showing a battery pack according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] [0026]FIG. 5 is a connection diagram showing a battery pack according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] [0027]FIG. 6 is a connection diagram showing a battery pack in the related art;
[0028] [0028]FIG. 7 is a connection diagram showing a battery pack, in which P-channel field effect transistors are in use, instead of N-channel field effect transistors;
[0029] [0029]FIG. 8 is a connection diagram showing a battery pack structured that field effect transistors are connected in parallel; and
[0030] [0030]FIG. 9 is a table for explaining the operation of the battery pack in FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] (1) First Embodiment
[0032] (1-1) Constitution of First Embodiment
[0033] [0033]FIG. 1 is a connection diagram showing a battery pack according to the first embodiment of the present invention by contrast with the battery pack in FIG. 8. In a battery pack 21 shown in FIG. 1, the constituents similar to those of the battery pack previously described in FIG. 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals without a repetitive description thereof. Incidentally, while FIG. 1 shows only discharge-control field effect transistors in the battery pack 21 , it is to be understood that charge-control field effect transistors are similar in constitution to the discharge-control field effect transistors.
[0034] The battery pack 21 is provided to supply control voltage from a control IC to the respective field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B through respective resistors 22 A, 22 B. In this embodiment, a resistance value of each of the resistors 22 A, 22 B is selectively determined to meet the requirements that even if breakdown of any of the field effect transistors is caused by static electricity or the like to reduce the gate-to-source resistance to a smaller value, a gate voltage enough to switch over the other field effect transistor to the On-state may be applied through the rise of control voltage.
[0035] That is, when output impedance of control voltage of the protective IC 5 is denoted by ROUT, resistance values of the resistors 22 A, 22 B are respectively denoted by R 22 A, R 22 B and gate-to-source resistances of the field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B are respectively denoted by R 6 A, R 6 B, the control voltage of the protective IC 5 is expressed as shown in FIG. 2A. Now assuming that breakdown of the field effect transistor 6 A is caused by static electricity or the like, the gate-to-source resistance R 6 A of the field effect transistor 6 A is reduced down to several [kΩ], whereas the gate-to-source resistance R 6 B of the undamaged-side field effect transistor 6 B is increased to as high as about 100 [MΩ]. Thus, when the resistance values R 22 A, R 22 B of the resistors 22 A, 22 B are selectively determined to meet the requirements that the gate voltage enough to switch over the other field effect transistor to the On-state may be applied through the rise of control voltage, the control voltage of the protective IC may be expressed as shown in FIG. 2B in the equivalent circuit.
[0036] For that reasons, the resistance values R 22 A, R 22 B of the resistors 22 A, 22 B are set to meet the requirements that voltage Vth resulting from dividing the voltage of 4(V) as the rise of the control voltage of the control IC 5 together with the output impedance ROUT of the control IC 5 is made higher than voltage enough to switch over the field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B to the On-state. In the preferred embodiment, the resistance values R 22 A, R 22 B of the resistors 22 A, 22 B are set at 100 [kΩ] to meet the requirements that the divided voltage Vth is made higher than the voltage enough to switch over the field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B to the On-state while leaving a sufficient margin. Incidentally, in the control IC 5 provided to on-off control the field effect transistors as the switching means, output impedance ROUT is relatively high in most cases. However, even if the breakdown of one field effect transistor occurs, the control IC provided with the resistor of 10 [kΩ] or more for the gate of each field effect transistor permits sufficient control of charge and discharge by use of the other field effect transistor practically.
[0037] (1-2) Operation of First Embodiment
[0038] In the above embodiment, when the battery pack 21 is connected to a load, power of the battery cell 2 is supplied to the load through the positive external terminal 4 A and the negative external terminal 4 B. Further, the terminal voltage of the battery cell 2 is monitored by use of the control IC 5 . When the terminal voltage reaches 2 [V], the control voltage of the control IC 5 is reduced from 4 [V] to 0 [V]. With the reduction of the control voltage from 4 [V] to 0 [V], the source-to-drain resistance value is switched over from 27 [mΩ] to 300 [kΩ] in a parallel circuit of the field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B as shown in FIG. 3 by contrast with FIG. 9. Accordingly, the field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B are switched over to the Off-state to control the stop of power supplied to the load, resulting in a prevention of under-voltage discharge.
[0039] On the other hand, when the battery pack is connected to a charging device, power of the charging device is supplied to the battery cell 2 through the positive external terminal 4 A and the negative external terminal 4 B. Further, charge voltage is monitored by use of the control IC 5 . Then, when the charge voltage reaches a predetermined value, the control voltage of the control IC 5 is reduced from 4 [V] to 0 [V] with respect to the charge-control field effect transistors (not shown). In this case, the charge-control field effect transistors are also switched over from the On-state to the Off-state to control the stop of charging, resulting in a prevention of over-voltage charge.
[0040] In control of charge and discharge as described the above, when the breakdown of the field effect transistor 6 a is caused by static electricity, for instance, the source-to-drain resistance value is changed from 57 [mΩ] to 2 [kΩ], while the gate-to-drain resistance value is changed from 120 [MΩ] to 1 [kΩ] in the damaged field effect transistor 6 A. Accordingly, the battery pack 1 in case of setting the terminal voltage of the secondary battery cell 2 at about 4 [V] short-circuits the terminals 4 A, 4 B to permit the current of about 2 [mA] to flow. On the other hand, the field effect transistor 6 A is held in the approximately Off-state to be placed in the state that the gate voltage is reduced to approximately 0 [V] as it is.
[0041] However, regardless of the reduction of the gate voltage of the field effect transistor 6 A, the battery pack 21 makes it possible to apply the voltage enough to switch over the remaining ordinary field effect transistor 6 B to the On-state to the gate of the field effect transistor 6 B through the resistor 22 A provided for the gate of the field effect transistor 6 A on the rise of the control voltage up to 4 [V], permitting control of discharge operation by use of the undamaged-side field effect transistor.
[0042] As to the charge-control operation, even if breakdown of one field effect transistor occurs, the battery pack 21 permits control of charging by use of the undamaged-side field effect transistor in the similar manner.
[0043] Incidentally, since the current of about 2 [mA] is permitted to flow through short-circuiting of the external terminals if the breakdown of one field effect transistor occurs as described the above, the battery pack, when being allowed to stand as it is connected to the load and further to the charging device, is supposed to be in danger of under-voltage discharge and over-voltage charge. However, when the battery pack is connected to the load and the charging device, it is considered that the charge and discharge currents based on the breakdown-side field effect transistor are reduced to a further smaller current value in fact, resulting in no possibility of degrading reliability.
[0044] (1-3) Effect of First Embodiment
[0045] According to the above constitution, even if the breakdown of a part of the field effect transistors is caused by static electricity or the like, the battery pack provided to control charge and discharge currents by use of the parallel-connected field effect transistors is made available by supplying the control voltage to the gates of the field effect transistors through the resistors of about 10 [kΩ] or more.
[0046] (2) Second Embodiment
[0047] [0047]FIG. 4 is a connection diagram showing a battery pack according to the second embodiment of the present invention. A battery pack 31 is provided to apply control voltage to the resistors 22 A, 22 B through a resistor 32 as shown in FIG. 4 by contrast with the battery pack 21 of FIG. 1. In the battery pack 31 shown in FIG. 4, the constituents similar to those of the battery pack 21 in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals without a repetitive description thereof. Incidentally, as to the battery pack 31 , the charge-control field effect transistors are also similar in constitution to the discharge-control field effect transistors, and hence, its description will be omitted.
[0048] A resistance value of the resistor 32 is selectively determined, together with the resistance values of the resistors 22 A, 22 B, to meet the requirements that voltage enough to switch over the ordinary field effect transistor 6 B to the On-state may be applied to the gate of the field effect transistor 6 B on the rise of the control voltage up to 4 [V], regardless of the reduction of the gate voltage of the field effect transistor 6 A, for instance. In the second embodiment, the resistance value is set at 10 [kΩ]. Incidentally, it is to be understood that the resistance value of the resistor 32 is set to be smaller than that of the resistors 22 A, 22 B.
[0049] As shown in FIG. 4, the battery pack, even if constituted to apply the control voltage of the control IC 5 to the resistors 22 A, 22 B provided for the respective gates through the resistor 32 , may also have the effects similar to those in the first embodiment.
[0050] (3) Third Embodiment
[0051] [0051]FIG. 5 is a connection diagram showing a battery pack 41 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In the battery pack 41 shown in FIG. 5, the constituents similar to those of the battery pack 21 in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals without a repetitive description thereof. As to the battery pack 41 , the charge-control field effect transistors are also similar in constitution to the discharge-control field effect transistors and hence, its description will be omitted.
[0052] In the battery pack 41 , the discharge current is controlled by P-channel field effect transistors 8 A, 8 B, instead of the N-channel field effect transistors 6 A, 6 B, while the charge current is also controlled by the parallel-connected P-channel field effect transistors.
[0053] As shown in FIG. 5, the battery pack, even if applying the P-channel field effect transistors to constitute the switching means, instead of the N-channel field effect transistors, may have also the effects similar to those in the first embodiment.
[0054] (4) Other Embodiments
[0055] While the foregoing description has been given of the embodiments of the battery pack structured that two field effect transistors are connected in parallel to constitute the switching means, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and is also widely applicable to a battery pack structured that three or more transistors are connected to constitute the switching means.
[0056] While the foregoing description has been given of the embodiments of the battery pack used for preventing over-voltage charge and under-voltage discharge under control of the field effect transistors, it is also to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and is also applicable to a battery pack used for preventing over-current discharge and over-current charge.
[0057] While the foregoing description has been given of the embodiments applied to the battery pack based on the lithium-ion secondary battery, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and is also widely applicable to a variety of battery packs such as nickel-metal hydride battery.
[0058] According to the present invention, even if the breakdown of a part of the field effect transistors is caused by static electricity or the like, the battery pack provided to control charge and discharge currents by use of the parallel-connected field effect transistors constituting the charge or discharge-control switching means is made available by supplying control voltage to the gates of the field effect transistors through the resistors of 10 [kΩ] or more.
[0059] A battery pack in accordance with the present invention may be used as a power supply for various electronic apparatus such as a portable computer apparatus.
|
A battery pack mounted to a predetermined apparatus to permit supply and output of power of a secondary battery cell between the battery pack and the apparatus, comprising: a plurality of field effect transistors for stopping charge or discharge current in response to a control signal; and a control circuit for controlling the charge or discharge current of the secondary battery cell by outputting control voltage for controlling the field effect transistors; wherein the control voltage is supplied to the respective gates of the plurality of field effect transistors through resistors of 10 [kΩ] or more.
| 7
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shoes, particularly running shoes, of the type which provide at least a pedometer function, especially by electronic means.
2. Background Art
Pedometers of various forms have long been known and U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,147 to Wu, for example, discloses a running shoe having a switch embedded in the sole thereof whose output feeds a signal to an electronic step counter. A display element is associated with the electronic counter for providing a digital readout of the number of steps taken with the shoe. However, for a runner to determine useful information from a mere step count readout is complicated, time consuming and inaccurate, even under the best of circumstances.
Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,704 also discloses a shoe incorporating an electronic pedometer and further discloses that, by incorporating a microprocessor into the pedometer unit, the step count can be converted into values corresponding to such data as the total number of steps taken, distance covered, average speed, peak speed or the like for selective readout by the user on a display incorporated into the device. However, the unit of this patent is basically merely a combination pedometer and stop watch with means to calculate distance and time related data on the basis of a constant that corresponds to an average stride length that is set by the user in a memory storage location of the processing circuitry.
While such a device enables a user to obtain time and distance related data in a less complicated and cumbersome manner that can be achieved via a mere pedometer and stop watch, the resulting data is no more accurate due to the crude calibration of the processor unit that unrealistically relies upon a single average stride length that is the same for all speeds at which the shoe wearer travels. In this regard, Searcy, in his disclosure relative to a jogger's computational device in U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,996, points out that conventional mechanical or electronic pedometers are not useful for providing an indication of distance traveled since the normal length of stride varies depending upon whether the athlete is walking, jogging or running; although, despite this recognition, the calculations performed by Searcy's computational device still are determined on the basis of a single, average stride length approximation that the user inputs, prior to use, on the basis of whether his activity will be running, walking, or jogging.
In addition to the above, the Johnson patent also discloses that, by having his pedometer incorporate a micro-processor that senses footstrikes via a gravitationally or inertially-operated switch or other sensor, no sensor need be incorporated into the shoe itself, so that the unit could be formed as an attachment secured to the shoe, such as by being detachably secured or clipped to the heel thereof, or by being fastened on top of the shoe by a strap. However, no specific manners for implementation of this concept are illustrated or described. Thus, there is no recognition of the problem that could result if such an attachment were not secured firmly enough to the shoe to prevent relative accelerations between the shoe and attachment which could effect operation thereof, nor is there any indication as to how such an attachment could be optimally configured and constructed from both a manufacturing and use standpoint.
Furthermore, a sophisticated running shoe system is disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent Ser. No. 701,194 filed Feb. 23, 1985, that enables distance-related data to be accurately produced. However, the system of this application achieves such accuracy by measurement of actual stride length and requires a transmitter-receiver arrangement capable of providing signal inputs from which actual stride length determinations can be made.
Thus, no simple pedometer-type shoe arrangement exists which is capable of producing accurate data related to the distance and speed of travel of a user thereof. Likewise, no attempt has been made, until now, to provide a shoe system which will not only provide accurate data, but which can form part of a comprehensive record keeping and training system which is adapted, not only to the use of a particular individual, but also to the needs of organizations such as running clubs, track teams, and the like. In particular, there has been no attempt to provide a shoe with an electric device capable of communicating with a computer in order to take advantage of the fact that personal computers are now in relatively widespread use as a convenient and accurate means of keeping records, so as to integrate the shoe system into a comprehensive record keeping and training analysis system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and versatile running shoe system that will provide accurate data concerning the activities of one of more shoe wearers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a running shoe having an electronic device capable of communicating with a computer.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a running shoe with an electronic device, the electronics of which are housed in a manner that enables the entirety thereof to be transferred from one shoe to another having a compatible housing for use therein.
Yet a further object in accordance with the present invention is to provide an electronic device, in accordance with the preceding objects, wherein the housing thereof actually contributes to the performance of the shoe as a running shoe.
These and other objects are achieved in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein one, and preferably both of a pair of running shoes is provided with a housing at the heel thereof, into one of which an electronic device is removably mounted. The shoe mounted electronic device comprises a normally open inertia switch for producing a footstrike count, an oscillator crystal for providing a stopwatch function, a buzzer or other sound generating device for providing acoustic indications to the user, a battery as a power source and, most importantly, a gate array including a pair of dividers, one for time in seconds and one for footstrikes.
External aspects of the system include a personal computer and a cable for coupling the computer to the shoe electronics. The computer enables a running log to be maintained for an unlimited number of electronic shoe users, the information stored within the shoe as a result of a period of usage to be decoded, and information to be down-loaded into the shoe when, instead of recording information concerning a run to be made, it is desired to set a goal for the run and have the shoe produce an appropriate acoustical indication when such is achieved.
Because the electronic device in the shoe provides the footstrike count and the run time, but a separate processor unit assimilates this information into meaningful data, the shoe electronics can be kept relatively simple, yet a single system can be utilized by a number of runners and can accurately provide a large range of distance and time related information as well as caloric expenditure, including graphic displays of goals verses actual distances. In this regard, despite the simple electronics carried by the shoe, a high degree of accuracy is achieved, in comparison to that achieved by existing pedometer type devices, due to the fact that the system does not rely on a single preset average stride length value for calculating the output values, such as distance covered, average speed, and the like. Instead, the system of the present invention determines a pair of stride length regression constants for use in the calculation of the desired information from data values obtained during a usage period so as to take advantage of the knowledge that stride length and stride time vary considerably as a function of running or walking speed and, thus, a more accurate determination can be made if it is known how fast the user was actually traveling.
In particular, the system in accordance with the present invention is not calibrated by the use of a predetermined average stride length, but rather is calibrated through the inputting of a plurality of times and numbers of footstrikes at which a predetermined distance was covered (for example, data from ten to twenty calibration runs must be input). From this information, the computer is able to produce a regression line to describe the individual footstrike time-speed relationship for each user. Thereafter, distance, time and caloric cost information can be calculated for any given run based upon the user's body weight and stride time regression relationship read from computer memory and run data read from the shoe.
Similarly, for preloading the shoe with values so that the shoe will emit tones which, for example, indicate when a given distance has been completed, since one cannot know, in advance, how fast the runner will actually run, the invention does not merely load a number of footstrikes into the shoe electronics that is equal to the desired distance divided by some predetermined average stride length. Instead, the present invention is able to examine the speed used over a preceding period of time (such as the last 30 days) for which data exists. Then the mean of these values can be taken and the stride time for this speed calculated from the regression coefficients, thereby enabling the number of strides at this speed that would be needed to travel the required distance to be determined and loaded into the shoe electronics.
In order to enable an electronic device capable of communicating with a computer to be incorporated into a running shoe, not only without detracting from the performance characteristics of the shoe, but in a manner complementing it, the housing for the shoe electronics, in the preferred embodiment, has been shaped to be secured about the heel of the shoe in the form of an external counter. Thus, the housing enables the known benefits of an external shoe counter support to be obtained in an effective manner, but without such having to be incorporated during manufacture of the shoe proper. In this respect, it is noted that both shoes of a pair have such housings, even though only one housing will actually receive the electronic device and the other will be merely a dummy housing. In a related vane, it is noted that the present invention, with the provision of dummy housings for the shoe electronics, makes it unnecessary for a person to buy the electronics more than once since, after the original pair of shoes has worn out, subsequent pairs having only dummy housings can be purchased and the electronic device from the worn-out pair simply transferred into one of the dummy housings of the new pair.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description and accompanying drawings which describe, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment computer shoe system in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a shoe forming part of the computer shoe system of the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the electronic device of the shoe shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the electronic device of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In FIG. 1, a complete running shoe system, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 1. This system is comprised of a pair of running shoes 3, 5, a computer (such as a personal computer, for example, an "Apple IIe" personal computer) and a detachable cable 9 by which an electronic device carried by one of the shoes 3, 5 may communicate with the computer 7 before and/or after a usage of the shoes. As typical of such personal computers, it includes a keyboard 11, disk drive 13 and display monitor 15.
The running shoes 3, 5, as is conventional for running shoes, has of an upper 17 and a sole 19 that is comprised of a shock absorbing midsole 20 formed, for example, of a polyurethane foam and an outer sole 21 of a wear resistant material. Furthermore, no special modifications need be made to these components of the running shoes 3, 5 and thus any known running shoe construction may be utilized, including those provided with anti-pronation inserts and specialized outer sole configurations, and the like.
In addition to the noted conventional components, the running shoes 3, 5, in accordance with the present invention, are provided with a housing 23 that is firmly secured to the heel of each running shoe 3, 5. In this regard, it is known to provide an athletic shoe with an external heel counter to provide good heel stability and comfort while preventing blistering. In accordance with the present invention, the housing 23 has been configured so as to provide the characteristics of such an external heel counter by being attached to the exterior of the heel portion of the shoe upper in a manner completely wrapping around the heel from one side to the other and tapering at it front ends.
However, the primary function of housing 23 is to provide a receiving space for an electronic device 25 (FIGS. 3 and 4) constituting the shoe carried electronics portion of system 1. To this end, housing 23 is formed of a hollow shell of a rigid plastic material having an opening on its top side which may be closed by a plate 27 (when no electronics are provided) or when the electronic device 25 is installed, by a closure plate 29 thereof which is identically shaped to closure plate 27. The plates 27, 29 are held in place so as to sealingly close the top opening of the housing 23 by, for example, a pair of screws 31 which may be passed through openings provided therefor, such as the openings 33 shown in plate 29 in FIG. 3. Furthermore, to provide a receiving space within the housing 23 of sufficient height to accommodate a circuit board 35, projecting vertically from the underside of closure plate 29 of the electronic device 25, without undesirably increasing the size of the housing or affecting the housing's function as an external heel counter, or the running performance of the shoe itself, the bottom side of the housing 23 is provided with a downwardly projecting wedge-shaped area, the apex of which is positionally set so as to be in alignment with the bottom edge of the circuit board 35 of the electronic device 25, when it is installed within the housing 23.
In addition to the cover plate 29 of the circuit board 35, the electronic device 25 that is carried by the shoe is comprised of the following further components. Firstly, cover panel 29 is provided with an integrally hinged access flap 37, which is swung upwardly to enable the connector 9a of the cable 9 to be attached to an electrical connector 39 (FIG. 3) of the electronic device 25, but which will prevent moisture and dirt from entering the housing when the cable 9 is disconnected for use of the shoe for walking, running or jogging. The other two components which would be visible in an installed condition of the electronic device 35, are a toggle switch 41 and a mode selection button 43; although a pair of switches or a pair of buttons, or equivalent means, are equally suitable. Both switch 41 and button 43 are enclosed, at the top side of cover plate 29, by a flexible rubber or plastic jacketing which will protect the toggle switch, mode button and internal electronics from dirt and moisture, yet will not interfere with the movements required for operation thereof.
In addition to the already noted components of the electronic device, the circuit board contains a gate array, an inertia switch, an oscillator crystal, a battery and a sound emitting device. The portion of the circuit board 35 carrying these components and all moisture sensitive parts carried thereon (see FIG. 4 wherein these components are schematically represented in broken lines) are coated with a moisture proofing material, such as a butyl rubber or the like, to further ensure that the device will not be adversely affected by moisture or dirt to which the shoe is exposed during use.
When the toggle switch 41 is shifted from its off position to its on position, the gate array is capable of being placed in any one of three different modes of operation. Firstly, when the electronic device 35 is turned on by shifting the toggle switch 41 from its off position to its on position, the device powers up in a test mode, from which it can be shifted by operation of the mode button 43 into a run mode or into which the gate array will automatically shift, from either the test or run modes, when the device is left undisturbed for more than a predetermined period of time, such as for example, 16 seconds, wherein the oscillator is switched off reducing battery drain to a trickle level. The nature and operation of the test and run modes will be described in greater detail below. Alternatively, turning on of the electronic device 35 can be triggered by an impact to the shoe, via an impact sensitive switch such as the already present inertia switch. In such a case, the switch 41 can serve, instead, as a reset switch for clearing any values stored in the memories of electronic device 35.
An important part of the gate array is a pair of dividers, one for time in seconds and one for foot strikes. When the shoe is in the "run" mode the oscillator advances the counter in the time divider every second and each footstrike is detected by the inertia switch and causes the other divider to be incremented. In the test mode, the two dividers can also be incremented by an external pulse from the computer for reasons which will become apparent later. Inasmuch as a typical stride time is 0.7 seconds, the capacity for the foot strike count divider should be approximately 30% greater than that for the time count in seconds. By way of example, it is noted that a 19 bit divider would overflow after 524,288 pulses have been received (from either internal, external or both sources) and would correspond to over 145 hours of running time, while a 14 bit divider could accumulate 4.55 hours of time and 16384 foot strikes.
In addition to enabling the dividers to be incremented by an external pulse (which enables communication between the computer and the gate array so that the dividers can be interrogated) except for such external signal pulses, the test mode freezes the counts in the dividers, thereby storing the values contained therein so that, for example, the values can be frozen during a brief interruption in a run or between completion of a run and the time at which the data contained therein can be transferred to the computer 7. Furthermore, the test mode can be utilized to enable the user to determine that the electronic device 25 is operating properly by causing a tone to sound every time that the inertia switch closes, i.e., the user, by hitting the shoe once or twice against a hard surface, may verify that the device is working by listening for the production of a tone.
To determine the count stored in the dividers, with the device 25 in its test mode, the dividers are interrogated by the computer delivering signal pulses, via the cable, to the divider and counting the number of pulses delivered until a signal is received from each divider indicating that it has been caused to overflow. When the dividers have overflowed, the count required to overflow each of the time and footstrike dividers is stored in the computer as a value equal to the difference between the count capacity of the divider and the number of counts required to cause it to overflow. At this point calculations by the computer processors can proceed; however, unlike known pedometers, in accordance with the present invention, the data obtained with respect to the number of footstrikes occurring during a usage is not multiplied by a stride length constant to obtain distance. Instead, as will be explained in greater detail, in accordance with the present invention, a much more accurate distance determination is obtained by taking into consideration the fact that an individual's stride pattern varies with speed and is normally unique to that individual.
In particular, the present invention compensates for the fact that stride length varies considerably as a function of running or walking speed by utilizing the fact that stride time, i.e., the time between two successive strikes of the foot, is also a function of speed. For example, a typical stride time of approximately 0.73 seconds could be expected at a speed of three meters per second, which stride time might change to approximately 0.70 seconds at a speed of four meters per second.
As a result, the system of the present invention provides a means for each user to enter calibration data corresponding to the number of footstrikes and the elapsed time taken to cover a fixed distance course. In order to obtain accurate calibration, these data pairs should be obtained from at least 15 runs or walks of varying speeds taken on at least five separate days. Additionally, the system provides means for producing a velocity-stride time regression equation from the calibration data points and for storing these constants for use in evaluating the particular user's future performance with the running shoes of the system. In this regard, it is noted that the relationship between running speed, V, and stride time (which is equal to the elapsed time, T, divided by the number of foot strikes, S, counted) may be expressed by the following equation, wherein A and B are regression coefficients generated from the calibration data:
V=A*T/S+B
Furthermore, once the running speed has been determined from the stride time, the distance run may be determined from the running speed and running time in accordance with the equation:
D=V*T
Thus, in accordance with the invention, no matter what speed the user runs or walks with the shoes 3, 5, the system will adjust the data extracted from the electronic device 25 carried by shoe 3 so as to produce running speed and distance information that is much more accurate and useful than that which could be obtained from a mere pedometer because it is based upon stored data reflecting the specific individual's own performance characteristics.
Additionally, to offset errors that occur in measurement that tend to bias the calculations towards a longer predicted stride time than the actual stride time, it is desirable to unbias the extracted data prior to use thereof in the above-noted calculations. In particular, since it takes a runner a finite amount of time to start running after switching on the shoe, and a finite amount of time to turn the shoe off after running, a value of, for example, 3 seconds, should be substracted from the time value extracted from the electronic device 25 and this adjusted time value used instead. Likewise, since it is more likely for the shoe to miss a few foot steps because the runner may occasionally make a light step (which is below the threshold of the inertia switch) than for the electronic device 25 to count too many footstrikes, it is suggested that the number of footstrikes extracted from the shoe electronics 25 be increased by a small fixed percentage by multiplying the count extracted by an unbiasing factor, such as a value of 1.01. Thus, a typical relationship for determination of running speed might be:
V=-33.0*(T+3)/(S*1.01)+27
Another advantage of the present system, which utilizes a separate and independent computer, over simple electronic pedometers is the ability to accumulate and plot statistics over a period of time, such as a month, or a year, and to compare it with goals that have been entered into the system. For example, plots of distance by month and by day, can be produced. Additionally, by providing a means for storing user body weight values, output in terms of caloric expenditure resulting from a particular run can be produced as well.
In addition to providing the ability to obtain accurate information concerning a user's performance as well as providing a means for storing and analyzing the performance of one of more user, in accordance with another advantageous feature of the present invention, it is possible to set a distance goal in the shoe electronic device 25 so that a tone will be produced informing the wearer when that distance has been covered. In accordance with the present invention, an approach which may be taken is for the system to examine the running speeds of the user over, for example, the past 30 days, for which data exists in memory, and from the mean of these values to calculate, from the regression coefficients, the stride time for this speed. On this basis, the number of strides which would be required to travel the desired distance at this speed is calculated. The shoe is then reset and the computer 7 operated to pulse the dividers of the gate array of the electronic device 25 so as to bring the divider to within the calculated number of strides from overflowing. Thus, once the required number of footstrikes have occurred with the shoe, the desired distance should have been covered and a tone will sound to so advise the wearer.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the present invention provides a computer shoe system that is more accurate and versatile than any mere pedometer could be, while being simple and easy to use. Furthermore, it will also be appreciated that the design of the shoes of the present system includes a housing that not only is a constructional component for enclosing the on-board electronic device of the shoe, but also improves the stability of the shoe itself.
Additionally, since running shoes have only a finite life, the design by which the housing removably receives the onboard electronics enables the life of the electronic device to extend beyond that of the original shoes. That is, once a first pair of running shoes has worn out, a replacement pair, both shoes of which have dummy housings (as shown for shoe 5) can be acquired, whereby the electronic device 25 can be transferred from the worn-out shoe to one of the replacement shoes. Likewise, this feature affords the possibility that a club or team could have a computer shoe system, with a single computer and one or more electronic devices 25, service a much larger number of runners, each of which has their own pair of shoes 3, 5 to one of which an electronic device 25 can be installed and removed as needed.
While I have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is understood that the same is not limited thereto, but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art. For example, the inventive conversion of footstrike count and time data into running speed and distance information as a function of stride time can be advantageously used in a system that may or may not be able to communicate with a separate and independent computer, e.g., a system wherein electronic device 25 includes a microprocessor, calibrated with the described regression coefficients, and an electronic display, whereby the data from the gate array can be fed to the microprocessor, the above-noted computations performed, and the calculated information on speed and distance provided to the user on the shoe display, virtually immediately, after which the user may or may not electronically communicate the data or information to a separate and distinct computer for graphic analysis, record keeping, etc. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein, but intend to cover all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.
|
A pair of running shoes provided with a housing at the heel thereof, into one of which an electronic device is removably mounted. The electronic device comprises a normally open inertia switch for producing a footstrike count, an oscillator crystal for providing a stopwatch function, a sound generating device, a battery power source and a gate array for counting time and footstrikes. The electronic device together with a computer and a cable for enabling communication between the computer and the electronic device in the shoe form a computer shoe system for enabling accurate information to be obtained with respect to a period of usage of the shoes of one or more users as well as enabling a running log to be maintained. The computer shoe system is capable of producing more accurate data related to distance and speed of travel than simple pedometer arrangements because, instead of utilizing a stride length constant, the system converts running time and footstrike data into distance and running speed information as a function of stride time. In a preferred form, the housing for each shoe wraps around the heel thereof so as to form an external heel counter.
| 8
|
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application entitled “Virtual Data Storage (VDS),” Ser. No. 09/102,520, which was filed on Jun. 22, 1998, now abandoned.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to computer system data storage. More particularly, this invention relates to a virtual data storage system that can be configured to provide multiple virtual data storage devices for a single physical data storage device, and to selectively isolate at least one virtual data storage device from the computer system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A typical computer system generally includes one or more memory subsystems which are connected to one or more central processing units (“CPUs”) either directly or through a control unit and a communications channel. The function of these memory subsystems is to store data and programs which the CPU(s) use in performing particular data processing tasks. Modern computer systems also include systems in which a relatively large computer system is formed by networking together multiple smaller computer systems.
Many types of memory subsystems are used in a variety of combinations in current computer systems. These include random access memory (“RAM”), dynamic random access memory (“DRAM”), read-only memory (“ROM”), nonvolatile memory and large-capacity storage devices for storing large quantities of data. A typical large-capacity storage device subsystem may include one or more disk drives, tape drives and/or CD-ROMs connected to the computer system through appropriate control units. A serious problem arises, however, if a memory subsystem fails or is caused to fail such that data stored therein is destroyed, corrupted and/or no longer available to the system.
Such a failure could for example be caused by a computer virus, an illegal program instruction or the failure of all or part of a disk drive's storage medium. Such failures typically cause the entire computer system to cease functioning (i.e., “crash”), and also compromise the security of all of the data stored within the computer system. These types of failures could for example destroy all stored data, the computer's operating system and/or the operating system's ability to initialize and restart (i.e., “boot”) the computer. Such data failures can take any number of forms, from the slow subtle destruction of sensitive data to the instantaneous destruction of all data and software necessary to run or restart the computer system.
Computer system memory subsystems such as disk drives typically operate by communicating with the computer system's CPU(s) either directly or indirectly through an appropriate control unit. Operating disk drives in this conventional fashion normally exposes the entire contents of the disk drive storage device to spurious commands and electronic signals for the entire time the computer system is operating. As a result, during this time all of the data stored in the disk drive is exposed to destruction or corruption.
Although attempts have been made in the prior art to protect memory subsystems from unwanted corruption or destruction, none of these solutions has succeeded in providing the level of protection necessary to eliminate such risks in the case of events such as infiltration by a computer virus. In the case of disk drive storage systems in particular, none of the prior art solutions provide sufficient protection against corruption of data stored therein. This is because prior art systems do not sufficiently restrict the computer system's access to only portions of the disk drive containing data necessary for operation of the computer system by the current user or users.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,586,301 and 5,657,470 disclose personal computer hard disk protection systems which partition hard disk drives into multiple zones, each having restricted user and application program access. U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,088 discloses a mechanism for dynamically reconfiguring such partitions based on the computer system's changing requirements. U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,053 discloses a more efficient mechanism for managing the partitioning code data which is used to control such a partitioning scheme. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,844 discloses a RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) disk drive architecture for providing redundant disk drive copies of data so that, in the event that one copy is irreparably corrupted or destroyed, another undamaged copy of the data nevertheless can be retrieved. None of these protection systems, however, prevents a computer system and its operating system from accessing or communicating with certain portions of a disk drive system in the event that program data is corrupted, such as in the event of infiltration by a computer virus for example. In the event of such an infiltration, all data stored in the disk drive system could be corrupted or destroyed.
Therefore, a need has arisen for a system which will protect certain desired portions of data stored in a computer memory subsystem from spurious commands and electronic signals while the computer system is operating, thereby protecting such stored data from possible undesired destruction or corruption. The need has also arisen in particular for a system which provides such protection to a disk drive storage system, and which restricts the computer system to communicating with only those portions of data necessary for operation of the computer system by the current user or users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a Virtual Data Storage (“VDS”) System for computer memory systems which substantially eliminates or reduces the disadvantages and problems associated with the corruption and destruction of data in prior computer memory systems.
The VDS System of the present invention provides multiple virtual data storage devices for use in a computer system which contains a central processing unit (“CPU”). The VDS System includes a memory system for storing information and a VDS Controller which is in communication with the memory system and the CPU. The VDS Controller partitions the memory system into multiple virtual data storage devices, and then restricts the computer system from communicating with certain of these virtual data storage devices. The VDS Controller thus selectively isolates at least one of the virtual data storage devices from communicating with the computer system, in order to prevent corruption of information stored in at least one virtual data storage device.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the VDS controller provides multiple virtual data storage devices for use in a computer system which contains multiple smaller computer systems and/or computer system components and/or multiple CPUs.
In another aspect of the invention, the VDS controller can be configured to select the quantity and size of the multiple virtual data storage devices, as well as the virtual data storage devices which are selectively isolated from communication with the computer system. In a preferred embodiment, the computer system engages in an initialization boot sequence followed by a period of normal operation. In this embodiment, the VDS Controller is configured during the computer system's initialization boot sequence, and the VDS Controller selectively isolates the selected virtual data storage devices from communication with the computer system during the computer system's period of normal operation. In yet another preferred embodiment, the computer system has multiple users, one or more of which configures the VDS Controller. In another preferred embodiment, the virtual data storage devices which are selectively isolated from communication with the computer system are determined according to the user(s) operating the computer system during the computer system's period of normal operation. In yet another preferred embodiment, the computer system engages in the initialization boot sequence when electrical power is applied to the computer system or when the computer system is reset.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the VDS Controller is configured using a stored initialization and configuration routine and stored configuration data, which the computer system can access only during the initialization boot sequence. In a preferred embodiment, the initialization and configuration routine and the configuration data are stored in the computer system's memory system.
In another aspect of the invention, the computer system used in connection with the invention is a personal computer (“PC”) system, and the initialization boot sequence is a BIOS sequence. In yet another aspect of the invention, the BIOS sequence invokes the stored initialization and configuration routine for configuring the VDS controller.
In a preferred embodiment, the memory system is a disk drive storage system and the virtual data storage devices are virtual disk drives. In yet another preferred embodiment, the disk drive storage system includes multiple disk drive storage units. In yet another preferred embodiment, the VDS Controller is configured so that only one virtual data storage device can communicate with the computer system. In still another preferred embodiment, the VDS Controller is configured so that more than one virtual data storage device can communicate with the computer system.
The present invention also provides a method for providing multiple virtual data storage devices for use in a computer system which has a memory system for storing information. This method includes partitioning the memory system into multiple virtual data storage devices, and then restricting communication by the computer system to communication with only certain of the virtual data storage devices. The method of the invention thus selectively isolates at least one virtual data storage device from communication with the computer system, in order to prevent corruption of information stored in at least one virtual data storage device.
The details of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Once the details of the invention are known, numerous additional innovations and changes will become obvious to one skilled in the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures showing illustrative embodiments of the invention, in which
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a prior art computer system.
FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram of one embodiment of the Virtual Data Storage System of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram of another embodiment of the Virtual Data Storage System of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an exemplary block diagram depicting a physical disk drive and multiple virtual disk drives in an embodiment of the Virtual Data Storage System of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an exemplary block diagram depicting a physical disk drive and multiple virtual disk drives in another embodiment of the Virtual Data Storage System of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an exemplary process flow diagram depicting a virtual disk drive initialization and configuration routine of the Virtual Data Storage System of the present invention.
Throughout the figures, the same reference numerals and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like features, elements, components or portions of the illustrated embodiments. Moreover, while the subject invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures, it is done so in connection with the illustrative embodiments. It is intended that changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the subject invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention can be applied to any type of memory subsystem used in computer systems. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is utilized in connection with a large-capacity memory storage subsystem, in particular a disk drive memory subsystem.
FIG. 1 depicts a prior art computer system employing a conventional disk drive system. The computer system includes a single CPU 2 connected to a disk drive system via data bus 4 . The disk drive system includes Disk Drive 6 connected to Disk Drive Controller 8 via Disk Drive Interface Bus 10 . Also typically included in a prior art computer system but not shown in FIG. 1 would be a main memory subsystem and I/O (input/output) devices.
In a prior art computer system such as that depicted in FIG. 1, it is possible for CPU 2 to access the entire contents of Disk Drive 6 through Disk Drive Controller 8 . That is to say, the entire contents of Disk Drive 6 is “presented” to CPU 2 by Disk Drive Controller 8 . Thus in the prior art system depicted in FIG. 1, CPU 2 and the computer system directly control where on physical Disk Drive 6 data is stored and from where it is retrieved. As a result, in the event of an occurrence such as infiltration by a computer virus, all of the data stored in Disk Drive 6 could be corrupted or destroyed at any time while the computer system is operating.
FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of the present invention wherein Virtual Data Storage (“VDS”) Controller 12 is substituted for Disk Drive Controller 8 and serves as the interface between CPU 2 and Disk Drive 6 . VDS Controller 12 maps Disk Drive 6 into multiple virtual disk drives, as will be described in additional detail below. At any given time the computer system is operating, VDS Controller 12 presents for access by CPU 2 and the computer system only certain of these virtual disk drives. That is to say, for every attempt by CPU 2 or the computer system to access physical Disk Drive 6 , VDS Controller 12 maps the access request into a corresponding request to an active virtual disk drive which has been configured by VDS Controller 12 . Thus in the present invention, the VDS Controller 12 , rather than CPU 2 , Disk Drive Controller 8 or the computer system, controls where on physical Disk Drive 6 data is stored and from where it is retrieved.
VDS Controller 12 thus controls which portion or portions of the total storage space of Disk Drive 6 is accessible by (i.e., is presented to) CPU 2 and the computer system. Specifically, VDS Controller 12 restricts communication access by CPU 2 and the computer system to portions of Disk Drive 6 necessary for operation of the computer system by the current user or users. Thus, in the case of an event such as infiltration by a computer virus in the present invention, the only portions of Disk Drive 6 which are susceptible to possible data corruption or destruction are those portions corresponding to the virtual disk drive(s) presented by VDS Controller 12 to CPU 2 and the computer system. The remaining portions of Disk Drive 6 cannot be accessed by CPU 2 or the computer system, and the data contained therein therefore cannot be corrupted or destroyed.
In order to provide this level of protection to Disk Drive 6 even in the event of an occurrence such as a computer virus, the virtual disk drive configuration provided by VDS Controller 12 is not accessible by CPU 2 or the computer system, or any operating system program or application program being run by the computer system, during the computer system's normal operation. Rather, as discussed in additional detail below, the virtual disk drive configuration provided by VDS Controller 12 is accessible by CPU 2 and the computer system only during the computer system's initialization (i.e., boot) and configuration sequence. This access to VDS Controller 12 for purposes of configuration is accomplished using Data Bus 4 or another parallel or serial data connection (not shown) to VDS Controller 12 . Alternatively, the virtual disk drive configuration provided by VDS Controller 12 could also be configured based on the position of hard-wired switches configured by the user or users.
FIG. 3 depicts another embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 is similar to that depicted in FIG. 2, except that Disk Drive Controller 8 serves as the interface between CPU 2 and VDS Controller 12 , and Disk Drive Controller 8 communicates with VDS Controller 12 via VDS Bus 14 . Such an embodiment would be particularly appropriate where it is necessary to interface the VDS system of the present invention to a conventional disk drive control system. Of course, in the present invention as depicted in either of FIGS. 2 or 3 , VDS Controller 12 and Disk Drive 6 could be integrated into a single unit. Similarly, in the present invention as depicted in FIG. 3, VDS Controller 12 and Disk Drive Controller 8 could also be integrated into a single unit, either together with or separate from Disk Drive 6 .
Although the present invention can be implemented in any type of memory subsystem in any type of computer system, the present invention is particularly well suited for use in disk drive subsystems, and more particularly for use in personal computer (“PC”) disk drive subsystems. In addition, the present invention can operate with any type of industry-standard bus interface such as the IDE (Intelligent/Integrated Drive Electronics) Interface, SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) or PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) Bus, for example. The VDS Controller 12 could for example be a PCI card for installation in a standard PC. In a PC application of the present invention, the virtual disk drive configuration provided by VDS Controller 12 could for example be provided during the computer system's initialization (i.e., boot) sequence by the PC system's BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) routine communicating with the VDS Controller 12 via a serial or parallel data bus. This serial or parallel data bus could for example be Data Bus 4 as depicted in FIG. 2, VDS Bus 14 as depicted in FIG. 3, or another parallel or serial data connection (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) to VDS Controller 12 , such as an RS-232 or V24 serial connection for example.
Although the embodiments of the present invention depicted in FIGS. 2-3 include only a single Disk Drive 6 , other preferred embodiments include more than one Disk Drive 6 . Such multiple disk drives can be configured for example in any of the numerous arrangements well known in the art. Such arrangements include for example configurations to provide redundancy, such as is provided by well-known RAID systems for example, and configurations to provide disk drive systems having very large amounts of storage. In the case of computer systems having multiple disk drives, VDS Controller 12 maps each individual Disk Drive 6 into multiple virtual disk drives or, alternatively, maps the aggregate of the multiple Disk Drive 6 s into multiple virtual disk drives.
In addition, although the embodiments of the present invention depicted in FIGS. 2-3 include only a single CPU 2 , other preferred embodiments include more than one CPU 2 . Such multiple CPUs can be configured for example in any of the numerous arrangements well known in the art, such as in multiprocessor or distributed processor arrangements, for example. In the case of a computer system having multiple CPUs, VDS Controller 12 can be configured either to provide each CPU 2 with the same communication access to the virtual disk drives or, alternatively, can be configured to provide each CPU 2 with different communication access to the virtual disk drives.
Further, although the embodiments of the present invention depicted in FIGS. 2-3 include only a single computer system, other preferred embodiments include computer systems which are formed by networking together multiple smaller computer systems and/or computer system components. Such multiple smaller computer systems and/or components can be communicatively connected together for example in any of the numerous arrangements well known in the art, such as by any combination of a Local Area Network (“LAN”), Wide Area Network (“WAN”), encrypted secure Virtual Private Network (“VPN”), or other private secure network connection, for example. In the case of a computer system containing multiple smaller computer systems and/or components networked together, VDS Controller 12 is communicatively connected to the network connecting together the multiple smaller computer systems and/or components in order to provide each of them access to the virtual disk drives. VDS Controller 12 can be configured either to provide each of the smaller computer systems and/or components with the same communication access to the virtual disk drives or, alternatively, can be configured to provide each of the smaller computer systems and/or components with different communication access to the virtual disk drives.
The present invention enables a PC or other computer system which is periodically used by different users to provide each user with their own virtual disk drive which can be accessed only when that user is operating the computer system. This arrangement allows each user to operate the computer system using exclusively their own personal virtual disk drive. Thus, any corruption or destruction of data which occurs while that user is operating the computer system can occur only to data or programs stored in the portion of physical Disk Drive 6 corresponding to that user's virtual disk drive. No corruption or destruction can occur to data or programs stored in any other portions of physical Disk Drive 6 . This arrangement of the present invention permits, for example, different family members sharing a home PC to each operate the PC using their own files, operating system and application programs, without any risk of destroying or corrupting the files, data or programs belonging to other family members.
The present invention also permits a single computer system to run multiple different operating systems depending on which virtual disk drive is active at a particular time. Similarly, a single computer user can also maintain multiple virtual disk drives if, for example, that user wishes to run different operating systems at different times of operation.
A single computer user can also maintain multiple virtual disk drives for use with different application programs and computer functions. For example, a user can use a particular virtual disk drive when connected to the Internet. Thus, in the event that the computer system is compromised by viruses or corrupted data downloaded from the Internet, the only data and programs at risk of being corrupted are those which are stored on the portion of physical Disk Drive 6 corresponding to the virtual disk drive which is active at the time.
Although use of the present invention in the manner described above requires that multiple copies of certain programs (such as operating systems and application programs, for example) be maintained, the resulting higher memory demands in exchange for the increased system security provided is not problematic in view of the relative large size and low cost of modern disk drive subsystems. As disk drive subsystems continue to become increasingly large and less expensive, the benefits provided by the present invention will continue to become even more attractive.
Implementation of the present invention will now be discussed in additional detail. As is well known in the art, modern disk drives such as Disk Drive 6 depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 are typically mapped into multiple blocks. Access to the disk drive is accomplished by specifying the block number or numbers being accessed. Such accessing schemes are well known in the prior art, and are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,844, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 and as will be discussed below in additional detail in connection with FIG. 6, VDS Controller 12 generates the virtual disk drive configuration by first determining from Disk Drive(s) 6 the number of storage blocks contained therein. VDS Controller 12 then determines from user input the number of virtual disk drives to be configured, the number of blocks in each such virtual disk drive, and the virtual disk drive which is to be active. VDS Controller 12 then generates a map of the virtual disk drive blocks to the physical disk drive blocks located on physical Disk Drive 6 . Any data and required program instructions for implementing the virtual disk drive configuration are stored in a section of memory unable to be accessed or altered by CPU 2 or the computer system once the computer system has completed its initialization (i.e., boot) sequence and begins normal operation. In a preferred embodiment, this memory can be nonvolatile memory, such as nonvolatile RAM (“NVRAM”) for example.
Table 1 below and FIG. 4 represent an example of a virtual disk drive configuration mapping scheme for a physical Disk Drive 6 containing 1000 blocks of storage space mapped into 3 virtual disk drives. The 3 virtual disk drives, Virtual Disk Drive A 16 , Virtual Disk Drive B 18 and Virtual Disk Drive C 20 , contain 300, 500 and 200 blocks of storage space, respectively.
TABLE 1
Virtual Block
VDS
Numbers
Controller
Size of
Corresponding
Presented to
Mapping
Virtual
Physical
CPU and Com-
Offset
Disk Drive
Block
puter System
(in blocks)
(in blocks)
Numbers
Virtual Disk
0-299
0
300
0-299
Drive A
Virtual Disk
0-499
300
500
300-799
Drive B
Virtual Disk
0-199
800
200
800-999
Drive C
As depicted above in Table 1, if Virtual Disk Drive A 16 is active, VDS Controller 12 presents only that virtual disk drive to CPU 2 and the computer system. Accordingly, when Virtual Disk Drive A 16 is active, VDS Controller 12 presents to CPU 2 and the computer system only virtual block numbers 0 - 299 , which correspond to physical block numbers 0 - 299 of physical Disk Drive 6 . In this case, as can be seen in Table 1, VDS Controller 12 uses an offset of 0 blocks to map the virtual disk drive blocks to the physical disk drive blocks.
Similarly, if Virtual Disk Drive B 18 is active, VDS Controller 12 presents only that virtual disk drive to CPU 2 and the computer system. In this case, as can be seen from Table 1, VDS Controller 12 presents to CPU 2 and the computer system only virtual block numbers 0 - 499 , which correspond to physical block numbers 300 - 799 of physical Disk Drive 6 . When Virtual Disk Drive B 18 is active, VDS Controller 12 uses an offset of 300 blocks to map the virtal disk drive blocks to the physical disk drive blocks.
If Virtual Disk Drive C 20 is active, VDS Controller 12 presents only that virtual disk drive to CPU 2 and the computer system. In this case, VDS Controller 12 presents to CPU 2 and the computer system only virtual block numbers 0 - 199 , which correspond to physical block numbers 800 - 999 of physical Disk Drive 6 . In this case, as can be seen in Table 1, VDS Controller 12 uses an offset of 800 blocks to map the virtual disk drive blocks to the physical disk drive blocks.
Table 2 and FIG. 5 depict a preferred embodiment of the virtual disk drive configuration similar to that depicted in Table 1 and FIG. 4 . In the embodiment depicted in Table 2 and FIG. 5, the data and any required program instructions for implementing the virtual disk drive configuration are stored on Disk Drive 6 , rather than in some other area of memory.
TABLE 2
Virtual Block
Numbers
VDS
Size of
Corres-
Presented to
Controller
Virtual
ponding
CPU and
Mapping
Disk
Physical
Computer
Offset
Drive
Block
System
(in blocks)
(in blocks)
Numbers
Virtual Disk
0-299
0
300
0-299
Drive A
Virtual Disk
0-499
300
500
300-799
Drive B
Virtual Disk
0-198
800
199
800-998
Drive C
Virtual Disk Drive
None
999
1
999
Configuration
Storage Block
The virtual disk drive configuration depicted in Table 2 and FIG. 5 is the same as that depicted in Table 1 and FIG. 4, except that 1 block of physical disk space (physical block number 999 ), namely Virtual Disk Drive Configuration Storage Block 22 , is used to store the data and any required program instructions for implementing the virtual disk drive configuration provided by VDS Controller 12 . In addition, in order to accommodate this, Virtual Disk Drive C 20 is 1 block smaller and therefore comprises virtual block numbers 1 - 198 , which correspond to physical block numbers 800 - 998 of physical Disk Drive 6 . As can be seen in Table 2, VDS Controller 12 uses an offset of 999 blocks to map the Virtual Disk Drive Configuration Storage Block 22 to the physical disk drive block number 999 .
The Virtual Disk Drive Configuration Storage Block 22 is not accessible by CPU 2 or the computer system once the computer system has completed its initialization (i.e., boot) sequence. Thus as shown in Table 2, during normal computer operation the Virtual Disk Drive Configuration Storage Block 22 is not accessible by, and therefore is not presented by VDS Controller 12 to, the CPU 2 or the computer system. Of course, although the Virtual Disk Drive Configuration Storage Block 22 comprises only one block of storage space in the example depicted in Table 2 and FIG. 5, this Configuration Block can be of any size.
During normal computer operation, the above-described mapping operations of the present invention and VDS Controller 12 are transparent to CPU 2 and the computer system. That is to say, VDS Controller 12 communicates with the computer system in the same way as does Disk Drive Controller 8 in prior art computer systems, such as that depicted in FIG. 1 .
In other embodiments of the present invention, certain virtual disk drives may be designated to be shared by more than one user. In addition, and if appropriate, virtual disk drive configurations such as those depicted in Tables 1-2 and FIGS. 4-5 can activate more than one virtual disk drive at the same time. Such an arrangement might be desirable if for example the user or users share certain virtual disk drives, and/or wish to access data or application programs stored in more than one virtual disk drive to which they are entitled access.
FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary process flow for the initialization and configuration of the present invention, beginning with Block 24 . As shown in Block 24 , the process depicted in FIG. 6 is performed by VDS Controller 12 when the computer system is either powered up or reset as part of the computer system's initialization (i.e., boot) sequence. At the beginning of the process depicted in FIG. 6, it should also be noted that VDS Controller 12 can optionally perform a self-test routine.
As shown in Block 26 , VDS Controller 12 then determines whether there is an existing virtual disk drive configuration, such at those depicted in Tables 1-2. As shown in Block 28 , if there is an existing configuration and no changes to the configuration are required by the user, then the VDS Controller 12 proceeds to determine which virtual disk drive should be made active, beginning with Block 30 . Otherwise, the VDS Controller 12 queries the user to determine whether a new virtual disk drive configuration is to be provided, beginning with Block 32 .
If there is an existing configuration and no changes are required, VDS Controller 12 displays for the user a representation of the configuration, as well as a means for selecting the desired virtual disk drive(s) which are to be active, as shown in Block 30 . The user or users could for example make this selection in the form of a User I.D. input by way of a computer keyboard or mouse. Alternatively, this selection could be made by way of a user-configured hardwired switch. As shown in Block 34 , VDS Controller 12 then determines which virtual disk drive(s) have been selected to be active by the user or users.
As shown in Blocks 36 - 38 , VDS Controller 12 typically will require a login password in order to activate the virtual disk drive(s) which have been selected by the user. This type of security precaution ensures that users cannot gain access to virtual disk drives which they are not authorized to use. If the user cannot provide the required login password, VDS Controller 12 once again attempts to determine from the user which virtual disk drive should be made active, as shown in Block 30 . If on the other hand the user provides the required login password, VDS Controller 12 then proceeds to activate the virtual disk drive(s) selected by the user, in accordance with the existing virtual disk drive configuration provided by VDS Controller 12 , as shown in Block 40 .
As shown in Blocks 26 and 28 , if there is no existing virtual disk drive configuration, or the user wishes to change the existing configuration, then VDS Controller 12 proceeds with a configuration routine, beginning with Block 32 , to determine and then generate a new virtual disk drive configuration, such as those depicted in Tables 1-2 and FIGS. 4-5. As shown in Blocks 32 , 42 and 44 , VDS Controller 12 typically will require a login password before a user is permitted to generate a new virtual disk drive configuration. This security precaution ensures that users cannot gain access to virtual disk drives which they are not authorized to use, and that unauthorized users cannot generate a new virtual disk drive configuration.
If the user provides the required login password, VDS Controller 12 first determines the type and size of the physical Disk Drive(s) 6 installed in the computer system, as shown in Block 46 . This can be accomplished for example by testing for any connected physical Disk Drive(s) 6 , and by then querying the disk information files to determine the size and type of each Disk Drive 6 . This can be accomplished for example by using Disk Drive Interface Bus 10 or, in a PC-based embodiment of the present invention, a SCSI bus interface to Disk Drive 6 , for example.
As shown in Block 48 , VDS Controller 12 then provides the user with a configuration menu which prompts the user to specify the quantity of virtual disk drives desired, and the size of each such virtual disk drive. The user could for example input this information using a computer keyboard or mouse. Alternatively, this information could be provided by user-configured hardwired switches.
The configuration menu of course will not accept from the user any configurations in which the combined size of all of the virtual disk drives exceeds the size of the physical Disk Drive(s) 6 present in the computer system. As shown in Blocks 48 , 50 and 52 , VDS Controller 12 continues to display the configuration menu until the user has provided sufficient input for VDS Controller 12 to determine the quantity and size of the virtual disk drives specified by the user.
Once this has been accomplished, as shown in Block 54 , VDS Controller 12 generates a virtual disk drive configuration and mapping scheme such as those depicted in Tables 1-2, for example. As also shown in Block 54 , VDS Controller 12 also stores this configuration and mapping scheme in the computer system's memory. Once this has been accomplished, and as discussed above, VDS Controller 12 then determines whether any changes are required to the existing configuration, as shown in Blocks 26 and 28 . If not, VDS Controller 12 then determines which virtual disk drive should be made active, beginning with Block 30 , and as described above.
Once the virtual disk drive(s) selected by the user have been activated in accordance with an established virtual disk drive configuration as shown in Block 40 of FIG. 6, the computer system begins its normal operation via the operating system resident on the virtual disk drive which has been activated. During the computer system's normal operation, VDS Controller 12 emulates a conventional disk drive subsystem of the same size as the active virtual disk drive. VDS Controller 12 operates in this manner until the computer system is either reset or powered up again. During the computer system's normal operation, CPU 2 and the computer system cannot access or alter either the process depicted in FIG. 6 or the stored configuration data for implementing the existing virtual disk drive configuration. As shown in Block 24 , CPU 2 and the computer system will not be able to access or alter this process and data unless the computer system is reset or powered up.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the virtual disk drive initialization and configuration routine depicted in FIG. 6 is stored in memory in the computer system. When the computer system is first powered on, the initialization (i.e., boot) sequence executes the routine of FIG. 6 to generate and implement the appropriate virtual disk drive configuration and mapping scheme. The data necessary to implement this configuration and mapping scheme is likewise stored in the computer system's memory, preferably in the same area of memory as the routine of FIG. 6 is stored.
Once the routine depicted in FIG. 6 is complete and the virtual disk drive configuration has been established and implemented, the routine relinquishes control of the computer system to the operating system which resides on the virtual disk drive which has been activated. Once this occurs, the data and program instructions for implementing the virtual disk drive configuration are no longer accessible by CPU 2 or the computer system. Accordingly, these data and program instructions cannot be corrupted or destroyed, even in the case of an event such as infiltration by a computer virus.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, VDS Controller 12 includes a one-time-writeable register which can be written to only once after the computer system is reset or powered up, and thereafter cannot be written to again unless the computer system is again reset or powered up. During the routine depicted in FIG. 6 which is initiated upon reset or power up of the computer system, certain data necessary to implement the virtual disk drive configuration and mapping scheme are written or copied from the computer system's memory into this one-time-writeable register. After this has occurred, the data stored in this register cannot be altered or overwritten, unless the computer system is again reset or powered up, and the routine depicted in FIG. 6 is thus initiated. These stored data could represent, for example, certain of the binary bits used to address Disk Drive 6 . With certain of these addressing bits determined solely in accordance with the contents of the one-time-writeable register, certain portions of Disk Drive 6 necessarily would not be accessible by CPU 2 or the computer system.
In this preferred embodiment, the one-time-writeable register for example has data inputs for receiving the above-mentioned certain data necessary to implement the virtual disk drive configuration and mapping scheme, and outputs representing for example certain of the binary bits used to address Disk Drive 6 . The register also for example has an input connected to the computer system's hardware reset signal, and a write-enable input which is for example activated by the routine depicted in FIG. 6 in order to write the necessary data into the one-time-writeable register. Irrespective of the state of this write-enable input however, the register can be written to only one time following activation of the computer system's hardware reset, which occurs only in the event the computer system is reset or powered up. In a preferred embodiment, the one-time-writeable register is implemented using for example a conventional latch or flip-flop in combination with logic gates, arranged to permit the output of the latch or flip-flop to change only in the event a hardware reset has occurred.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the computer system is a PC system and the routine depicted in FIG. 6 and the data for implementing the virtual disk drive configuration are stored on Disk Drive 6 in the Virtual Disk Drive Configuration Storage Block 22 depicted in Table 2 and FIG. 5 . In such a preferred embodiment, the PC BIOS initialization (i.e., boot) sequence directs the instruction counter of CPU 2 to begin executing the program instructions contained in the routine of FIG. 6 . This could be accomplished for example by altering the BIOS sequence so that CPU 2 begins executing instructions at the memory location where the FIG. 6 routine is stored.
Alternatively, in another preferred embodiment, the BIOS sequence need not be altered. In such a preferred embodiment, the routine of FIG. 6 is stored on Disk Drive 6 beginning at the same memory location where the BIOS sequence of a prior art PC system would normally direct the instruction counter of CPU 2 to begin executing the program instructions which constitute the operating system. Thus in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, rather than the BIOS sequence directing CPU 2 to begin executing the operating system as in prior art systems, the BIOS sequence instead directs CPU 2 to begin executing the virtual disk drive initialization and configuration routine depicted in FIG. 6 . Once this routine has completed executing, it in turn directs CPU 2 to begin executing the operating system resident on the virtual disk drive which the routine has activated. The computer system then begins its normal operation.
Although the present invention has been described in connection with specific exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
|
A Virtual Disk Storage (VDS) System for providing multiple virtual data storage devices for use in a computer system which contains a central processing unit (CPU). The VDS System includes a memory system for storing information and a VDS Controller which is in communication with the memory system and the CPU. The VDS Controller partitions the memory system into multiple virtual data storage devices, and then restricts the computer system from communicating with certain of these virtual data storage devices. The VDS Controller thus selectively isolates at least one of the virtual data storage devices from communicating with the computer system, in order to prevent corruption of information stored in at least one virtual data storage device.
| 6
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to pre-fabricated structural elements and to a method of assembling the same.
Such elements may, but need not be, reinforced concrete elements, such as pre-fabricated reinforced concrete members.
Structural combinations or assembly sets for erecting of such structures as buildings or the like, have been proposed in the art, e.g. from German Published Application No. 1,484,043, German Gebrauchsmuster No. 7,313,393 and British Patent No. 1,601,783. These disclosures are all directed to the problem of attaining stiff, bending-resistant joints in structural assemblies made by connecting pre-fabricated structural elements together. They prepare point-supporting of the elements on frusto-conical abutments. However, experience has shown that these proposals are not advantageous because the magnitude of clamping forces (i.e. retentive forces which prevent relative shifting of the elements) which can be attained in this manner is very low.
The moment acting at the juncture of such prefabricated elements resolves itself into a horizontally acting couple of forces; the direction in which these forces act relative to the juncture or joint (an inclined wedge-shaped plane) produces a force acting parallel to the joint and tending to move the elements apart from one another. This latter force can be absorbed only partially by the frictional resistance which the elements oppose to it in the region of the joint. This factor determines the limits of the degree of efficiency of this prior-art form of support because the magnitude of the frictional resistance required to obtain a state of equilibrium (i.e. for the frictional force to completely absorb the separating force) cannot be ascertained with general validity for the erection of structures.
Accordingly, a form of support must be considered to be statically favorable, wherein the frictional forces in the joint between cooperating structural elements need not be relied upon, but can instead be utilized merely as a secondary way of increasing the carrying capacity of the joint so as to enhance the structural safety.
Another disadvantage of the type of support suggested in the prior art for the structural elements is caused by a horizontally acting separating force which is generated by the vertical load. Depending upon the magnitude of the wedge angle of the support, this force may amount to a multiple of the vertical load. The order of magnitude of this separating force decisively affects the structural and economic factors involved in erecting structures of the type under discussion, as it plays a part in determining the helical reinforcement surrounding a socket, or the strength of the mantle required in a pin-and-socket joint, or the magnitude of the horizontal shear stress.
The prior-art attempts to make a pre-fabricated reinforced-concrete construction method more economical and/or technologically more advantageous by making the support or joint conditions approach those which are known from monolithic concrete-skeleton structures, are well known in the field and need not be discussed here.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the difficulties of the prior art.
More especially, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel set of structural assembly elements which is not possessed of these difficulties.
A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of erecting a structure from pre-fabricated structural components.
Pursuant to these and other objects which will be perceived from a perusal of the following description, one aspect of the invention resides in a set of structural assembly elements which comprises a first and second element having respective abutment faces and being adapted to be so assembled relative to one another that the abutment faces bound with one another an elongated gap. The abutment faces are so shaped that longitudinal sections of the gap which they bound are spatially curved and also define at least partly orthogonal trajectories of the main structural stress lines acting in the region of the gap.
Thus, the invention provides a set of assembly elements in which the cooperating elements form with one another -- due to the shape of their abutment faces and the joint gap which these faces bound and define with one another -- a simple, detachable, push-pull resistant joint which has great bending resistance.
The solution found in accordance with the present invention is based on the recognition that a curved abutment face can be formed in shape and position that gradient corresponds at any point to one of the two principal stress directions which act at right angles to one another. Using thusly shaped surfaces to bound the joint gap between structural elements results in a statically highly favorable form of support, and in a stiff joint which is resistant to bending. Depending upon the purpose of the joint and its static loading, the spatially curved surface may be formed at the bottom end, the top end or the sides of a structural element serving as a support or buttress.
The invention will hereafter be described in more detail with reference to the several exemplary embodiments which are shown in the drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a joint between structural elements employing the invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-section through one of the elements in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing a different embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a cross-section through elements of the embodiment in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but of another embodiment;
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing a further embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 7 is another longitudinal section, showing an additional embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 8 is a horizontal section through a further embodiment and
FIGS. 9-29 are all detail views, partly in section, illustrating connections between structural elements according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Discussing the drawing in detail, reference will first be had to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a joint or cross-over point of two structural elements 1 and 2, wherein an abutment portion 3 is formed on the structural element 1. The gap formed between the juxtaposed abutment faces of elements 1 and 2 is identified with reference numeral 4. The structural element 1 may be oriented horizontally, vertically or even obliquely and the structural element 2 will then, of course, be arranged accordingly. The structural element 1 may act statically as a compression--or tension--element.
The structural element 2 may e.g. be oriented horizontally, and may form e.g. a ceiling- or floor-element; alternatively it may be oriented vertically and e.g. form a wall element of a silo or other structure, or a wall element loaded by soil pressure.
The gap 4 between the juxtaposed abutment faces of the cooperating structural elements 1 and 2 may be left dry and/or be equipped with a prefabricated gap-sealing element (not shown), e.g. of NEOPRENE (registered trade mark) or it may be filled with a mortar or other bonding agent. If the gap is left dry and no sealing element is used, then the juxtaposed abutment faces of the elements 1 and 2 will be in surface-to-surface contact; in such a case the word "gap" should be understood to be merely generally descriptive, as there will actually be none (or hardly any) clearance.
FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the structural element 1 of FIG. 1 as well as the shape of the support- or buttress-abutment portion 3 thereof in a view from below. The cross-sectional shape of the element 2 to be supported may be e.g. round or square.
FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section of a joint resistant to tension and compression and also stiff in bending which e.g. is formed by prefabricated reinforced-concrete structural elements of a multi-story building. The support elements 5 and 7, which are e.g. vertically orientated, are abutting storywise, i.e. vertically; their cavities 6 in the central region may serve, depending on their size, as a vertical supply shaft or to accommodate electrical and/or water and sewage sources. The horizontally oriented ceiling element 8 may be constructed as an area support structure or as an articulated underslung beam structure. The support element 7 is pivotally supported at the level of the upper edge of the support element 5. Prevention of shifting in a horizontal direction is assured by e.g. a steel pipe 11 which is firmly anchored in the support element 5 and has indirect contact with the support element 7 via a material that is cast into the gap 9 defined between pipe 11 and element 7.
Optionally, the two elements 5 and 8 to be joined may be provided with mutually opposite recesses in the region of the gap 4; after the casting of mortar into the gap 4 the presence of such recesses into which the mortar enters increases the strength of the gap for special cases.
FIG. 4 shows a horizontal section of the structural element 5 of FIG. 3 in a view from below.
FIG. 5 shows e.g. a longitudinal section of a stiff jont resistant to bending that is formed between a support element 12 and an on-site concrete foundation plate 13.
FIG. 6 shows e.g. a vertical section of on-site concrete wall 14 and of a horizontal cantilever beam 15 whose lack of supporting force in direction normal to the wall is substituted by a mechanical joint 16, e.g. a bolt connection.
FIG. 7 shows e.g. a vertical section of a shaft-like structural element 17 to which two horizontally opposed structural components 18 are clamped in a manner to form a stiff joint resistant to bending. The supporting force in direction normal to the element 17 which may be lacking in these components, is replaced by a diagrammatically shown mechanical joint 19, e.g. a turnbuckle.
FIG. 8 shows e.g. a horizontal section of a structural unit in the form of a cube-shaped cell 20. The structural elements 21, which are horizontally oriented and are angularly offset by 90° relative to each other, form in this cell a stiff joint resistant to bending. The supporting forces acting in the normal direction which may be lacking in such units, are replaced by mechanical joints 19. When placing the cube-shaped cell 20 e.g. into the center point of a spatial skeleton support system, almost unlimited varieties of single-story or multi-story support structures in skeleton shape may be formed. A cube-shaped cell at the center point of a system forms for example a stiff joint resistant to bending as regards the six Cartesian co-ordinates of space.
A further alternative is formed e.g. by a system center point cell in spherical shape. Depending on the choice of material or element filling the respective gap 4, all the aforesaid joints are so constructed that they may be dismantled in the simplest manner.
FIG. 9 shows a plan view from below of a ceiling unit which is prefabricated locally on the site, e.g. as a reinforced concrete ceiling or a shallow-rib ceiling in a bay construction method, and directly after being mounted on four support elements it forms a carrying structure that is spatially stiff and resistant to bending. The support conditions required therefor have been described with reference to, and illustrated in, FIGS. 1 and 3.
In the socket regions 22 the ribbed articulated ceiling unit is of solid cross-section. Technological and economic advantages are attained owing to low structural height, simple connections, the throughput effect of cantilever beam constructions as well as to the indirect support connection between ceiling and support elements.
FIG. 10 shows, analogous to FIG. 9, a ceiling unit with three-point support. The intermediate structural components 23 may be made in the conventional way.
FIG. 11 shows a plan view from below of two ceiling element units 24 with two-point support, which in the region of the joints 22 are of solid cross-section (see FIGS. 28, 29).
The ceiling units 24 serve at the same time as supports for the conventional intermediate components 25 and 26 which are connected to the ceiling units 24 wholly or partly stiff in bending resistance.
FIG. 12 shows a vertical section of FIG. 11. The designation of the supports with reference 1, 5 is intended to indicate that the same may be made at will either in form of the solid elements 1 in accordance with FIG. 1 or in form of the hollow elements 5 in accordance with FIG. 3.
FIG. 13 shows a vertical section of the aforesaid ceiling unit 24 and is self-explanatory.
FIG. 14 shows the support elements 1, 5 in individual elevation to indicate that they may find application at will e.g. in the embodiments of FIGS. 9 to 12.
FIG. 15 shows by way of example a different, namely a yoke-shaped support element 150.
FIG. 16 shows by way of another example a plate-shaped support element 160.
FIGS. 17, 18 and 19 show e.g. a view of two cell-like story units 27 (compare FIGS. 28, 29). This cell system which is applicable e.g. to the construction of dwellings, comprises comparatively thin-walled floors and ceilings (compare part 28 of FIG. 18).
Between the bulkhead-like support- and wall-elements 29, which connect the floor- and ceiling-plates 28, a floor- or ceiling-re-inforcement 30 is arranged wherein the associated recess is provided. Thus, even with thin-walled floor- or ceiling-elements 28 a connection to a corresponding support element is formed stiff in bending. The story units 27 may serve at the same time as supports for conventional intermediate structural components 25 and 26 which are connected to the story units 27 wholly or partly stiff in bending (compare also FIGS. 28, 29).
FIG. 20 shows an individual representation of a support element 200 as used in the intermediate storys of FIGS. 17 and 18.
FIG. 21 shows e.g. a vertical section of a roof structure with a one-point support, wherein the joint of the support element and the roof structure has the conditions according to the invention. At its foot the support element is held in a conventional manner by the subsequent casting of concrete into a socket of the foundation.
Alternatively, the structure of this Figure is also applicable to a support for an elevated road way.
FIG. 22 and FIG. 23 show e.g., analogous to FIG. 21, one-point supports for tunnel-like supply- or communication- structures.
FIG. 24 shows e.g. a terraced multi-story skeleton building in sectional elevation from which the advantages of the simple, but effective joints stiff in bending can be appreciated: with the support of the ceiling unit as a carrier body structure resting according to the invention on the support elements, a structure free from underslung beams is formed which permits a variable cantilever construction 31 to be made. Thereby a progressive and economic throughput effect on the ceiling unit is established, and at the same time artistic shaping of the building facade is made possible (note the broken line). The usual objections to uniform, barrack-like assemblies can thus be met with simple means.
FIG. 25 shoes e.g. in sectional elevation a multi-story building the center portion of which is erected in a conventional manner. On this center portion the support elements 32 are mounted; the latter form with the ceiling units 250 of each story a connection according to the invention, and thus stabilize the structure even while the same is still in a state of assembly. If the support elements 32 are found as hollow bodies, the supply ducts for services to the individual storys can be accommodated therein. Particularly if the building plan is intended to be variable to permit later changes, the possibility of making subsequent insertion of, or changes to, the services (electrical, water, sewage, gas, etc.) is of decisive importance.
FIG. 26 shows a sectional elevation on the axis of a support unit which is constructed as a supply shaft. The support 33 rests pivotally with its foot 33a on the foundation, but it is restrained vertically and horizontally. In order to increase the carrying capacity in the non-reinforced gap in the region included with the foundation F, the cross-sectional area of the lower part 33b of the supporting element 33 is not made hollow, but solid.
In order to improve the spatial stiffness of the building, a support joint 34 is provided in the upper third of the second story. Horizontal restraint is obtained by insertion of a steel tube 35. The installation of services in the hollow interior of support 33 can be made (and varied) for the individual story from the region intermediate the roof and the uppermost ceiling C.
FIG. 27 shows a sectional elevation on the support axis of a multi-story building in accordance with principles described relative to FIGS. 17, 18, 19 and 20. Like reference numerals identify the elements. The connection of the support element at 36 to the foundation F shows the conditions according to the invention for establishing a joint stiff in bending.
FIG. 28 shows a vertical section of the system illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 in the region of the intermediate structural components 25.
FIG. 29, finally, shows a vertical section of the system illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 in the intermediate range 26, comprising connections by conventional steel loop reinforcements 37 which are locally cast in concrete.
Summing up, it should be emphasized that the present invention establishes particularly economic, versatile, detachable, subsequently variable and space saving joints for the assembly construction of buildings, which joints are resistant in tension and compression, and stiff in bending.
The invention has been illustrated by way of example in the drawing, and has been described with reference thereto. However, I desire not to be limited to these examples and, therefore, the limits of the protection sought by Letters Patent are to be exclusively inferred from the language of the appended claims.
|
Each pre-fabricated element of the invention has an abutment face which, in the assembled condition, is to be juxtaposed with the similar abutment face of another element so as to define a gap therewith which may be filled with a sealant or a bonding agent. The abutment faces are so shaped that longitudinal sections of the gap are spatially curved and define at least partly orthogonal trajecteries of the main structural stress lines acting in the region of the gap.
| 4
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the field of lock mechanisms and, more particularly, to automatic lock mechanisms.
2. Description of the Related Art
Security is an increasingly important concern for both home and business. Despite the existence of numerous types of alarms and electronic security systems, the primary barrier to unauthorized entry in most cases is a locked door, and an important factor contributing to an overall level of security is the impregnability of the lock.
Furthermore, in situations calling for frequent entry and egress, such as a home, convenience is also an important consideration. No matter what advantages a lock may offer, if it is overly complicated or requires a great deal of effort to operate, people will tend to avoid using it. Users often deliberately circumvent elaborate, but inconvenient, security systems.
It is well known that deadbolt lock mechanisms provide greater security and are more resistant to unauthorized entry than conventional doorknob key locks. Unfortunately, standard deadbolt mechanisms lack the convenience of key locks, and therefore, are less frequently used than they might otherwise be. While the majority of doorknob key locks can be set to automatically lock the door when it is closed, a deadbolt lock typically must be locked from the outside with a key. Upon leaving a building, an additional step is therefore required to secure it with a deadbolt lock, compared with the automatic locking feature of the doorknob key lock. This may be sufficient encouragement for people to forego the greater security of the deadbolt. An automatic mechanism that engages a deadbolt without the need for a key would add greatly to the convenience of the deadbolt lock. This, in turn, would conduce to wider use of the deadbolt lock, and enhanced security.
Previous approaches to automatic locking mechanisms suffer from a variety of drawbacks. Many of these designs employ electronic timers or actuators. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,043 to Cox describes an electrically-actuated remote control door lock. Electronic timers are capable of great precision and longevity, and they can be readily integrated with other intrinsic circuitry, e.g., as in an electronic combination lock. However, in the event of power loss such mechanisms may become ineffective. In the worst case, this could mean leaving a door unsecured, or on the other hand, locking out individuals with rightful access. Other approaches to automatic locking make use of pneumatic timing devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,106 to Aragona describes a method for automatically relocking a lock after a prescribed time delay, in which the time delay depends on the compression of air by a piston and cylinder. There are problems with such designs, however. The seals in dashpots and similar devices are prone to wear and subject to temperature changes, which may result in substantial variation in the timing characteristics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problems outlined above are in large part solved by an automatic deadbolt locking mechanism as described herein. The mechanism comprises a deadbolt lock with means for automatically engaging the lock, along with a mechanical timer. The mechanical timer may comprise a system of gears and a coil spring. When the key, or a thumbturn, is turned to unlock the door, the primary gear within the system of gears may be made to rotate, winding the spring and simultaneously compelling the other gears to rotate at a rate determined by their relative gear ratios. The speed at which the primary gear rotates may be determined, for example, by a small propeller or centrifugal weights, as are commonly employed in mechanical clocks. The time required for the spring to completely unwind and restore the gears to their initial orientations constitutes the timer interval.
The deadbolt lock further comprises a deadbolt, which may be pushed into the locked position by a compression spring. Gear teeth on the deadbolt may mesh with teeth on a drive gear, such that when the key or thumbturn is turned the deadbolt is retracted from its locked position. A catch prevents the deadbolt from returning to the locked position until the timer runs down. The catch may be disengaged by a cam on one of the timer gears that, when rotated into position, lifts the retaining catch and releases the deadbolt. Once this happens, the compression spring immediately thrusts the deadbolt into the locked position.
Thus, unlocking the door may activate the deadbolt locking mechanism. Upon this unlocking of the door, after a prescribed interval the timer may automatically reengage the deadbolt lock. Additionally, in one embodiment, a pushbutton may be included in the mechanism that enables or disables the timing mechanism. This function may be useful if it is desired to allow the door to remain unlocked for some period of time.
A method is also contemplated herein for automatically relocking a deadbolt, after a prescribed time interval subsequent to unlocking the door. This method may further comprise means for optionally disabling automatic operation, allowing the mechanism to function as a conventional deadbolt lock.
The method and mechanism described herein are believed to be advantageous by providing increased convenience when using a deadbolt lock. Deadbolt locks are known to offer greater security against unauthorized entry than doorknob locks. Automatic activation of a deadbolt is believed to increase the likelihood that the deadbolt lock will be used. A mechanical design as described herein is believed to have inherently greater reliability than other designs, such as power-dependent electronic systems, pneumatic or hydraulic systems.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the automatic deadbolt locking mechanism, shown in the locked configuration;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the automatic deadbolt locking mechanism embodiment of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a side view of the embodiment of the automatic deadbolt locking mechanism shown in FIG. 1, where the mechanism is shown in the unlocked configuration.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Turning now to FIG. 1, a side view of one embodiment of an automatic deadbolt locking mechanism is shown. Other embodiments are possible and contemplated. The components of the lock are shown in FIG. 1 as they appear when the door is locked. For the discussion which follows, we take this to be the “initial state” of the mechanism. In this view the door is closed, with the doorjamb 10 to the left and the door 12 to the right. A recess in the doorjamb 16 is dimensioned to receive the deadbolt 14 when the door is locked, and a compression spring 18 may apply force to thrust the deadbolt 14 into the recess 16 . However, the spring 18 can be prevented from thrusting deadbolt 14 into recess 16 by a pair of catches, 20 and 22 . In the embodiment of FIG. 1, lower catch 20 is attached to the deadbolt 14 , while upper catch 22 is attached to a fixed point 24 within the door and pivots about point 24 ; when the tip of lower catch 20 engages the tip of upper catch 22 the deadbolt is held in place.
The mechanism may also comprise a system of gears 28 , 30 , and 32 , which are mutually coupled and designed to turn at different rates. The primary gear 28 is coupled to a reduction gear 30 which is, in turn, coupled to secondary gear 32 . The ratio of gear 28 to gear 30 is such that gear 30 rotates at a much higher rate than gear 28 . Gear 32 , on the other hand, rotates at a rate comparable to that of gear 28 . A cam 36 attached to gear 32 may be used to lift the upper catch 22 , disengaging it from the lower catch 20 , as the gear rotates counterclockwise. The speed of rotation of gear 30 may be limited by means of a governor 34 , consisting of one of a number of devices commonly employed for this purpose in mechanical clocks. In one embodiment, a small propeller attached to the shaft of gear 30 creates a drag force that acts against the rotation of the gear, limiting its rate of rotation. Since they are coupled to gear 30 , gears 28 and 32 experience this drag force as well. Primary gear 28 turns freely on a main shaft 38 that is turned by the door key or thumbturn. A slot 40 may be formed within the primary gear 28 through which a pin 42 extends. The pin is attached to the main shaft 38 and serves to transfer rotation of the shaft to the primary gear.
A front view of the mechanism of FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2 . The deadbolt 14 and the lower catch 20 are shown at the top. Turning freely on main shaft 38 , and mounted directly behind primary gear 28 , is drive gear 50 . In this embodiment, gear teeth 52 on the lower catch 20 mesh with teeth on the drive gear 50 . Therefore, when the drive gear 50 turns clockwise (viewed as in FIG. 1) the deadbolt slides out of the recess 16 . The pin 42 attached to main shaft 38 is also visible in the view of FIG. 2, penetrating the slot in primary gear 28 . Fixed to shaft 38 may be a clutch disk 54 , which is designed to interface with the drive gear 50 . Their opposing surfaces comprise a ratcheting mechanism; when clutch disk 54 rotates counterclockwise it turns independently of drive gear 50 , but when rotated clockwise it is coupled to the drive gear, forcing the gear to turn with it.
Turning freely on main shaft 38 and just in front of the primary gear 28 shown in FIG. 1 may be a coupling disk 44 . On the front surface of this disk may be mounted a coil spring 46 , one end of which is attached to the coupling disk at point 48 and the other end of which is attached to a fixed point 56 within the door. Thus, when coupling disk 44 rotates, it winds or unwinds the coil spring. Coupling disk 44 may be thrust forward or retracted, bringing it into or out of contact with primary gear 28 . This may be accomplished for example, by a pushbutton. In a preferred embodiment of the locking mechanism, the coupling disk is normally not in contact with the primary gear unless the button is pushed. The opposing surfaces of the primary gear 28 and coupling disk 44 are designed to interlock with one another when they are brought into contact with one another, such that the coupling disk and the primary gear are made to rotate together. As explained in greater detail below, automatic relocking of the deadbolt is enabled when the coupling disk 44 is in its forward position, engaging the primary gear 28 . When the coupling disk is retracted, the locking mechanism functions as a conventional deadbolt lock. Note that items 16 , 18 - 22 , 28 - 34 , 38 , and 42 - 56 are preferably made of metal, but other suitable materials could conceivably be used. Furthermore, the shapes and spatial arrangement of the components described herein and indicated in the accompanying drawings are intended to suggest a particular embodiment which illustrates the principles underlying the automatic deadbolt locking mechanism. Other embodiments employing these principles are contemplated and should be considered within the scope of the present invention.
Operation of the automatic deadbolt embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 may now be described. To open the door a key or thumbturn is turned in the lock, causing main shaft 38 to rotate clockwise (viewed as in FIG. 1 ). Because of the ratcheting action described above, as shaft 38 rotates clockwise it causes clutch disk 54 to engage drive gear 50 and force it to rotate in the same direction. As the drive gear rotates clockwise it draws the deadbolt 14 out of recess 16 , unlocking the door. At the same time, pin 42 attached to shaft 38 forces primary gear 28 to rotate clockwise. Coupled secondary gear 32 rotates clockwise as well, moving cam 36 out from under the upper catch 22 and enabling the upper catch to engage the tip of lower catch 20 . At this time, if coupling disk 44 is in its forward position it rotates along with primary gear 28 , winding coil spring 46 .
When the door has been unlocked, shaft 38 is returned to its original orientation and the key, if used, is withdrawn. At this time, the components appear as shown in FIG. 3 . Note that pin 42 has returned to its original position, while slot 40 has rotated clockwise. Also note that upper catch 22 has captured lower catch 20 and prevents the compression spring from thrusting the deadbolt 14 into recess 16 . At this point, the operation of the locking mechanism will depend on whether or not automatic locking is enabled.
If the coupling disk 44 was in contact with the primary gear when the door was unlocked, it will have rotated with the primary gear and wound coil spring 46 . Now, as the coil spring 46 unwinds, coupling disk 44 and primary gear 28 turn counterclockwise. However, observe that while the lower and upper catches 20 and 22 are engaged, the deadbolt is prevented from entering the recess and the door remains unlocked.
As coil spring 46 continues to unwind, primary gear 28 and secondary gear 32 eventually return to their orientations as shown in FIG. 1 . It is believed that their rate of rotation is a consistent and predictable function of the respective gear ratios, the characteristics of coil spring 46 and the drag force associated with governor 34 . When secondary gear 32 has rotated sufficiently to lift upper catch 22 with cam 36 , the tip of lower catch 20 is released. This allows compression spring 18 to thrust deadbolt 14 into recess 16 , automatically locking the door.
On the other hand, if coupling disk 44 was retracted, it will not have rotated along with primary gear 28 when the door was unlocked, and coil spring 46 will not be wound. In this case, primary and secondary gears 28 and 34 will not rotate back to their original orientation when the key is withdrawn. Therefore, cam 36 will not be brought into position to disengage lower and upper catches 20 and 22 , so deadbolt 14 will not be released. The door must then be relocked manually by turning the key or thumbturn counterclockwise. When this is done, counterclockwise rotation of main shaft 38 and the action of pin 42 in slot 40 will cause primary gear 28 to also rotate counterclockwise. This rotation is coupled to secondary gear 34 by reduction gear 30 . As the secondary gear rotates it brings into position cam 36 , lifting upper catch 22 and allowing compression spring 18 to thrust the deadbolt back into recess 16 , which locks the door. Note that this mode of operation is essentially that of a conventional deadbolt lock.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that this invention is believed to present a system and method for implementing an automatic deadbolt locking mechanism. Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this description. Such details as the number of gears and the types of springs used in the mechanical timer described herein are exemplary of a particular embodiment. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such modifications and changes and, accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
|
An automatic locking mechanism engages a deadbolt lock after a prescribed time interval following entry. The mechanism employs a spring-operated mechanical timer, which may be actuated when a key or thumbturn is turned to unlock the door, and avoids the need for a key to set the deadbolt. The mechanism includes a gear system for retracting and inserting the deadbolt and a mechanical restraint to withhold the deadbolt until the timer has expired. In a suggested embodiment, a cam attached to one of the timer gears removes the restraint when the timer runs down. This deploys the deadbolt, automatically locking the door. In another embodiment, automatic locking may optionally be disabled by inhibiting coupling between the gear system and the timer spring.
| 4
|
This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/313,419 filed Sep. 27, 1994 which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/007,187 filed Jan. 21, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,376 issued Dec. 27, 1994, entitled POLYMERIC SEALING/SPRING STRIP AND EXTRUSION METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention pertains to a polymeric sealing/spring strip and method of producing same. The polymeric sealing/spring strip of the present invention has several various embodiments which are based upon the incorporation of silicone rubber. Some of the embodiments are based on the formation of a resilient silicone rubber surface to provide a sealing/spring contact with an opposing surface period. Other embodiments of the invention incorporate the silicone rubber in such way as to utilize its resilient properties to produce a sealing/spring strip which has improved mechanical resilience properties.
The method of the present invention allows the production of a sealing/spring strip in accordance with the present invention by using extrusion techniques.
BACKGROUND
There are a wide variety of sealing strips known and used in the prior art. Such sealing strips may be used in many applications such as for weather stripping, insulated doors and windows, such as those found in buildings and on appliances, and in various other applications where a seal between two adjacent surfaces (moveable or immoveable) is desired.
In applications where a seal is desired between two surfaces held in place, it is desirable that a sealing strip maintain a good seal which is uniform throughout the length of the sealing strip. It is also desirable that the strip be resistant to adverse environmental conditions such as heat, water and sun light to which the sealing strip may be exposed, and maintain a seal and notwithstanding such conditions. Known sealing strip materials such as foamed urethane degrade over time when exposed to such environmental conditions.
To do this, it is desirable to provide a flexible and degradation-resistant surface which possess a degree of resilience which is capable of providing a consistent static of force against an opposing surface.
It is also desirable to provide a sealing strip of materials which have heat insulative qualities.
In the instances where a sealing strip is to be applied between two surfaces moveable with respect to one another, it is also important that a sealing strip be adapted to facilitate the movement of such surfaces. It is also desirable that the sealing strip possess overall resilience properties which resist fatigue over several cycles of separating and realigning of the opposing surfaces to which the sealing strip is applied; such as in the case of the opening and closing of a door or a window.
One of the materials often used in insulative sealing is silicone rubber. Silicone rubber has very good resilience and resists the fatigue and environment degradation described above. However, one of the drawbacks to the use of silicone rubber is that it must be applied as a fluid and subsequently cured to form a dimensionally stable material. Because of its flow characteristics in the uncured state, silicone rubber is often difficult to apply in manufacturing processes, particularly in those processes which involve high speed production such as is the case in extrusion machinery set ups. Spillage is also a problem inherent to the use of a liquid material in extrusion production. Accordingly, it is difficult to incorporate a silicone rubber portion into an extrudate at rates at which extrudates are typically formed.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to be able to incorporate dimensionally stable silicone rubber portions into a sealing strip construction, particularly those constructions produced by the polymeric extrusion.
Another disadvantage of the use of silicone rubber is that it is generally a more expensive per unit volume than the industrial polymers typically used in the production of a sealing strip. Accordingly, it would be desirable to be able to incorporate silicone rubber into a sealing/spring strip to gain its advantages while minimizing the amount of silicone used in the sealing strip as a whole.
Another application for the present invention is in the field of spring-like devices, with or without reference to insulative or other environmental sealing. Such devices may find application in a wide variety of settings, such as in cabinetry where a spring-like device is used to urge the opening of doors as they are unlatched. Another potential application is in wall protection systems which are designed to absorb shock, such as those used in hospital interiors to protect walls from the impact of wheeled beds, carts, wheelchairs, etc. Many of the desirable properties discussed above are also important to this general area, such as resilience, fatigue resistance, integrity against environmental degradation. It is also desirable in such applications to minimize the amount of silicone rubber used.
In view of the present disclosure and/or the practice of the present invention and its many embodiments, other advantages or the solutions to other problems may become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a polymeric sealing/spring strip incorporating silicone rubber, and a method of producing the same by extrusion or co-extrusion. The profiles of the polymeric extrudates used in the present invention can all be produced with conventional extrusion equipment, and with extrusion dies produced in accordance with methods known in the art.
The sealing/spring strip of the present invention has many different embodiments, each having features which may be preferred in different applications.
The first embodiment of the inventive sealing/spring strip comprises a longitudinally extending polymer and silicone rubber composite strip. The strip, in cross-section, comprises a base portion which has first and second sides. One side (e.g. the "first" side) is provided with a longitudinally extending well formed in the first side. The well is provided with a cured silicone rubber bead which fills the well to an extent that it extends from the well so that it provides a resilient surface of silicone rubber which extends from (or above) the first surface, i.e. in such a way that it will make contact with an opposing surface before the first surface will.
Rather than being formed in the first side itself, an alternative embodiment provides that the base portion of the cross-section may be provided with at least two extension portions which extend so as to form a well between them (i.e. substantially perpendicular to the base portion's first surface).
With respect to either the first embodiment or its alternative, an additional longitudinally sealing/spring number may be placed in the well so as to enclose a space which is rendered unavailable to filling by the silicone rubber. As can be appreciated particularly in light of the figures showing this embodiment, such excluded space allows the resulting silicone rubber surface to have the particular width and height above the base portion surface desired by the user, while minimizing the overall amount of silicone rubber used.
The above-described first embodiment types are exemplified by FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 discussed in more detail below.
In a second embodiment type, a sealing/spring strip in accordance with the present invention may be provided by forming a longitudinally extending polymeric strip whose cross-section comprises a base portion having first and second sides providing respective first and second surfaces. One of the sides (e.g. the "first" side) is provided with at least one "vaned extension portion" which extends from the first side and is adapted to support uncured silicone rubber and resist the spreading of the uncured silicone rubber over the respective first surface.
As used herein the term "vaned polymeric extension" refers to any extension with a series of one or more sides at angles so as to provide physical support for a bead of uncured silicone rubber, as well as to provide increased surface area so that the silicone rubber will resist spreading of virtue of mechanical resistance and increased surface tension.
The vaned extension in accordance with the present invention may take on almost any imaginable geometric shape functional for the intended purpose such as V-shapes, T-shapes and/or cross-shapes.
Examples of the second embodiment type of the present invention are shown in FIG. 3 below.
The advantages of the first two embodiment types of the present invention include the ability to provide additional structural support for a resilient surface of silicone rubber in a sealing/spring strip. These embodiments also allow the silicone rubber surface to extend substantially further from or above the first surface than if the silicone rubber were left unsupported prior to curing. This is especially important where such sealing/spring strips are produced in an extrusion process so that the silicone rubber can be applied and cured onto a freshly produced extrudate without spreading. This allows the desired height and resilience characteristics can be achieved.
A third embodiment type of the present invention is a sealing/spring strip which also comprises a longitudinally extending polymer and silicone rubber composite strip, the strip having a cross-section which comprises a base portion having first and second sides and at least one extension portion extending from one of such sides (e.g. the "first" side), at an acute angle to the surface of the first side. In this way, a longitudinally extending acute corner is formed between the extension(s) and the first surface.
The extension portion(s) is/are flexible with respect to the base portion, and is/are therefore moveable between a rest position relatively further from the base portion and a compressed position relatively closer to the base portion.
Cured silicone rubber is disposed in the acute angle corner, either in a broken or unbroken bead, whereby the cured silicone rubber resists the movement of the extension portion(s) from the rest position to the compressed position.
In this way, much more of the physical structure of the total sealant strip is provided by the polymeric material while a relatively small amount of the silicone rubber is strategically placed to take advantage of its resilience and non-fatigue qualities.
The acute angle corner also serves to hold the cured silicone rubber in place, particularly in an extrusion process where the polymeric strip is held in such a way so that the angle opens upwardly to allow the uncured silicone rubber to be placed in the V-shaped well formed thereby. This also permits the silicone or rubber to be maintained most deeply in the corner to provide the best resilient mechanical properties in the finished product.
It is preferred that the acute angle corner be formed by the coextrusion of polymers of differing physical characteristics to best perform the intended function. In this regard, the polymer used to form the major portion of the extension portion(s) and the base portion is preferably of a higher impact rating (i.e. lower flexibility) than that minor portion of the extension portion(s) used to hold the extension portion(s) at an acute angle to the base member. This allows the major portion of the extension portion(s) not to bend under a load while the minor corner section itself flexes. This construction helps to prevent the polymer in the extension portion(s) from fatiguing over several flexing cycles and from having a shape memory imparted to such portion(s).
Examples of a combination of polymeric materials which may be used for the base and major portion of the extension portion(s), and for the minor portion of the extension portion(s) (i.e. that holding the major portion of the extension portion(s) at an acute angle to the base portion(s)) are, respectively high impact PVC formulation 85857 and flexible PVC formulation 83741, both commercially available from B.F. Goodrich Chemicals of Akron, Ohio. One alternative of this embodiment is to provide two extension portions extending at opposing angles to the first surface. This embodiment may be desirable where more uniform static forces are desired once the opposing surfaces to be sealed by the sealing/spring strip are brought in close to proximity to move the extension portions toward the compressed position.
This embodiment may be produced by maintaining the base portion flat whereby the acute angle corner(s) will help to maintain the uncured silicone rubber bead in the corner. In a preferred embodiment, the extension portion(s) and/or the base portion is provided with small extensions which extended into the interior of the acute angle formed thereby, so as to assist in the retention of the silicone rubber bead in the acute angle corner, without affecting the movement of the extension portion between the rest and compressed positions.
The angle at which the extension portion(s) are held with respect to the base portion may be any acute angle, but will normally be considered in the range of 1 to 60 degrees depending on the desired application.
An example of this embodiment is shown in more detail in FIGS. 4, 8, 9 and 10 below.
A fourth embodiment of a sealing/spring strip in accordance the present invention compresses a longitudinally extending polymer and silicone rubber composite strip, these strips having a cross section which comprises a base portion having first and second sides which provide respective first and second surfaces. The base portion has a longitudinally extending well formed in one of its sides (e.g. the "first" side). The cross section also comprises at least extension portion which is partially disposed inside the well and extends away from the first surface at an angle. The extension portion(s) is held resiliently in place by silicone rubber in the well so that the extension(s) is/are moveable from a rest position relatively further from the first surface, to a compressed position relatively closer to the first surface. The cured silicone rubber thereby resists the movement of the extension from the rest position to the compressed position.
The base portion and extension portion(s) may be extruded as individual portions. Alternatively, the base portion may be integrally incorporated into the balance of the structure to which the sealing/spring strip is to be applied.
In an alternative to the fourth embodiment, the sealing/spring strip may comprise two such extension portions extending at opposing angles from the first surface, such extension portions being held resiliently in place by the silicone rubber disposed in the well, and each moveable between a rest position and a compressed position.
The present invention also includes methods for preparing sealing/spring strips in accordance with any of the aforesaid embodiments.
In order to produce a sealing/spring strip in accordance with the above-described first, second, or third embodiments, a longitudinally extending polymeric strip of the appropriate profile is extruded or pultruded. As used herein, further reference to extrusion or extrudates shall be understood as also encompassing pultrusion and pultrudates, respectively.
The polymeric material(s) which may be used in the present invention include any thermoplastic or thermosetting polymeric material, such as those amenable to extrusion or pultrusion, for example, polyvinylchlorides, chloropolyvinylchlorides, fluoropolymers, and mixtures, composites and alloys thereof. Of these, high impact, weatherable PVC, such as B.F. Goodrich 85857 PVC, is preferred for all such constructions, except in the preferred embodiment of the third embodiment type discussed above where PVC of two different impact ratings (i.e. different flexibilities) are used.
In a preferred embodiment, the polymeric material(s) may be foamed to provide small gas spaces within the polymeric material(s). This not only increases the insulative value of the polymeric material(s), but reduces the volume of polymeric material(s) per linear foot of the coextrudate. The polymeric material(s) may be foamed using either azo-type or bicarbonate foaming agents, azo-type agents being preferred. The foaming agents are admixed with the polymeric material(s) in the extruder in accordance with known practice. Examples of appropriate azotype agents include Siligen®, Grade AZRV, commercially available from Uniroyal Chemical Company of Middlebury, Conn., and Grade No. HRVP01 from Hughes Industrial Corporation. The azotype foaming agents are used in a concentration range of from about 0.1 to about 1.0 parts per hundred (pph), preferably in the range of about 0.3 to 0.5 pph, with 0.3 pph being the most preferred value. An example of the bicarbonate type foaming agents include Hydrocerol®, commercially available from Boehringer Ingelheim, which is used in a concentration range on the order of those given above for the azo-type foaming agents.
The thickness of the polymeric material(s) (foamed or nonfoamed) is not critical, and typically are in the range of above about 10 mils, depending on the desired application. This can normally be determined by considering the prospective amount of load and/or stress to be imparted to the sealing/spring strip.
As an example, the Hughes Industrial Corporation Grade No. HRVP01 was used with a high impact, weatherable PVC, B.F. Goodrich 85857, at a concentration of about 0.3 pph. A Davis Standard 1.25 inch single screw extruder produced the extrudate at a rate of 6.5 ft/min using a barrel temperature of 345° F.
At a point in the extrusion/pultrusion line where the extrudate becomes sufficiently dimensionally stable to accept it, a bead of silicone rubber is supplied to the strip in the prescribed location.
With respect to the first embodiment, silicone rubber is placed in the well formed in the extruded polymeric strip at a rate sufficient to fill the well to an extent that is sufficient to produce a meniscus extending from the boundaries of the well. This can be readily determined by calculating the necessary volume of silicone rubber per length of the extrudate while also considering the speed at which the extrudate is produced so as to arrive at a flow rate for the silicone rubber. These parameters will of course vary with the well height, well depth and well geometry for each desired application.
As to the second embodiment, a longitudinally extending polymeric strip is extruded so as to have a profile forming at least one vaned polymeric extension adapted to support uncured silicone rubber and resist its spreading over the upper surface of the extrudate.
The uncured silicone rubber may placed on the vaned polymeric extension(s), such as in the form of a bead of silicone rubber which is laid on the vaned polymeric extension(s) as the extrudate emerges from the extruder. The silicone rubber is then cured in the normal manner and accordance with the methods known in the art at a subsequent point in the extruder line. It is preferred that the curing being initiated immediately after the uncured silicone rubber is placed on the extrudate in order that the initial shape of the uncured silicone rubber bead be maintained.
Turning to the third embodiment which involves the placement of uncured silicone rubber in the acute corner formed in extradite profile, this embodiment may be formed by extruding a polymeric strip of an appropriate profile to form such an acute angle corner as described above.
Where only one such extension is to be formed, it is preferred that the extrudate be oriented such that the acute angle corner opens upwardly. This allows the uncured silicone rubber to be placed in the acute angle corner so that it is maintained in the corner by gravity, much in the same way as is the case with respect to the well of the above-described first embodiment. The uncured silicone rubber may be disposed in the acute angle corner by running a bead of uncured silicone rubber into this portion of the extrudate after the appropriate profile is formed.
Curing of the silicone rubber bead follows downstream in the extruder line.
Where extensions of opposing acute angles are to be produced (as shown in FIG. 4), the base portion of the extrudate may be oriented horizontally and two beads of silicone rubber injected laterally into the opposing acute angle corners. Surface tension will generally hold the silicone rubber in place and it is preferred that the curing of the silicone rubber follow immediately after its injection in order that the silicone rubber be maintained well within the acute angle corners. Most preferred however is to provide that the profile have small extension portions that extend into the acute angle corner to prevent the uncured silicone rubber from flowing from its intended position.
In producing a sealing/spring strip in accordance with the fourth embodiment of the invention, the individual portions of the sealing/spring strip construction may be extruded in such a way as to maintain their orientation to form the polymer and silicone rubber composite. For example, a base portion is extruded which has a well formed into its upper side. Uncured silicone rubber is injected into the well and at least one longitudinally extending polymeric extension member is extruded in such a way that it extends into the uncured silicone rubber in the well and is oriented at an angle to the upper side of the base portion. Once the extension member(s) is/are in place, the silicone rubber is cured so as to maintain the extension member(s) in place so as to complete the formation of the polymer and silicone rubber composite strip.
The polymer and silicone rubber strips prepared in accordance with the present invention may be used in any of a wide variety of applications where the sealing and/or spring-like characteristics of the present invention are desired. The present invention is not limited to any particular use thereof.
The sealing/spring strips may be cut to size to fit any application, and it may be that very short lengths may suffice where only the spring-like properties are desired.
Strips in accordance with the present invention may be applied to, or incorporated into, the closure edges of doors, in window jambs and along the edges of other building members where there is a need to create a seal and/or spring means between two surfaces brought into close proximity.
The present invention may also be applied to surfaces in such a way as to take advantage of its spring-like properties. An example of such an application is along the edges of cabinet doors or the surfaces they abut, particularly in the use of doors which use a pressure-activated latch, so that the cabinet door is urged toward the open position once the latch is opened.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of the sealing/spring strip in accordance with the first embodiment type of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the sealing/spring strip in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the first embodiment type of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of a sealing/spring strip showing three alternative embodiments of the third embodiment type of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of a sealing/spring strip in accordance with a third embodiment type of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of a sealing/spring strip in accordance with a fourth embodiment type of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross-section view of a sealing/spring strip in accordance with a first embodiment type of the present invention, and featuring a profile adapting the strip for use in a dual pane window assembly.
FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of the sealing/spring strip in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the first embodiment type of the present invention, and featuring a profile adapting the strip for use in a dual pane window assembly.
FIG. 8 is a cross-section view of a sealing/spring strip in accordance with a third embodiment type of the present invention, and featuring a profile adapting the strip for use in a dual pane window assembly.
FIG. 9 is a cross-section view of a sealing/spring strip in accordance with a third embodiment type of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a cross-section, environmental view of a jamb liner in a window frame, and incorporating a sealing/spring strip in accordance with a third embodiment type of the present invention in said jamb liner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following is a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which are presently considered to be the best modes of the invention for a variety of applications.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-section view of a first embodiment type in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 1 shows sealing/spring strip 1 which comprises polymeric extrudate 2. Polymeric extrudate 2 has upper surface 3 from which extend extension portions 4 so as to form well 5. Well 5 is completely filled with silicone rubber 6 so as to expose a meniscus forming resilient surface 7 of silicone rubber. Sealing/spring strip 1 is employed by fixing it to a first surface 8 which, together with second surface 9 represent two surfaces between which a seal is desired. Once fixed to first surface 8, the sealing/spring strip may be urged against second surface 9 so that resilient surface 7 forms a seal against second surface 9.
Sealing/spring strip 1 may be affixed to first surface 8 by any well-known mechanical means such as through the use of nails, screws, bolts, adhesives or any other equivalent mechanical force. Alternatively and preferably, the sealing/spring strip 1 may be integrally incorporated into the balance of the structure represented by first surface 8 (such as in the form of an integral polymeric piece).
FIG. 6 shows a cross-sections of a sealing/spring strip in accordance with a first embodiment type of the present invention, and featuring a profile adapting the strip for use in a dual pane window assembly. This embodiment shows that the base portion of the extrudate may be shaped to adapt to any particular application. In the case of FIG. 6, the profile of the extrudate is adapted to accept and maintain in position two glass panes in a dual pane thermal window assembly, in accordance with known geometries for such assemblies. Such assemblies may be manufactured in accordance with assembly and production practices known in the art. FIG. 6 shows base portion shows jamb liner 60 which incorporates base portions 61, each provided with extension portions 62, forming respective wells 63, and adapted to hold silicone rubber bead 64. The balance of the jamb liner structure 65 is formed so as to be amenable to its use as a jamb liner; that is, to engage a dual pane window assembly in accordance with profiles and arrangements known in the art as exemplified in FIG. 10 herein.
FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of the sealing/spring strip in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the first embodiment type of the present invention, and featuring a profile likewise adapting the strip for use in a dual pane window assembly. FIG. 7 shows base portion shows jamb liner 70 which incorporates base portions 71, each provided with extension portions 72, forming respective wells 73, and adapted to hold silicone rubber bead 74. Wells 73 also contain longitudinally extending spacer member 76 which creates space 77. The balance of the jamb liner structure 75 is formed so as to be amenable to its use as a jamb liner; that is, to engage a dual pane window assembly,in accordance with profiles and arrangements known in the art as exemplified in FIG. 10 herein.
FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the first embodiment type of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a sealing/spring strip 10 which is formed by a polymeric extrudate 11 having first surface 12. Extending from first surface 12 are extension portions 13 which form well 14. This embodiment also features a sealing portion 15 which serves to seal off excluded space 16. The balance of well 14 is then filled completely with silicone rubber 17 such that resilient surface 18 is exposed. This embodiment allows a reduction in the volume of silicone rubber needed in respective lengths of the sealing/spring strip. Also, this type of arrangement can be used to add additional strength to the overall sealing/spring strip construction.
Sealing/spring strip 10 can be employed in the same way as sealing/spring strip 1 of FIG. 1. The sealing/spring strip can be attached to a first surface 19 while the resilient surface 18 is urged against second surface 20 so as to form a seal between the two surfaces. Alternatively and preferably, the sealing/spring strip 10 may be integrally incorporated into the balance of the structure represented by first surface 19 (such as in the form of an integral polymeric piece).
FIG. 3 shows three ways in which a sealing/spring strip in accordance with a second embodiment type of the present invention might be prepared. FIG. 3 shows a sealing/spring strip 20 which comprises polymeric extrudate 21. Polymeric extrudate 21 is shown as having three different types of vaned extension portions 22, 23, and 24 which are examples of the variety of ways vaned extension portions can be provided in a sealing/spring strip in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention. Vaned extension 22 is an example of a vaned extension comprising one or more V-shapes. Vaned extension 23 is a T-shaped extension, and vaned extension 24 is cross-shaped. It should be understood that a sealing/spring strip in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention may be formed using one or more than one such vaned extensions of the same or differing geometries. Each of the vaned extensions is shown as extending from upper surface 25.
Each vaned extension is provided with a bead of silicone rubber, shown as silicone rubber beads 26, 27 and 28 disposed respectively over vaned extensions 22, 23 and 24. A sealing/spring strip 20 may be used to form a seal between first surface 29 and second surface 30. This may be done by physically affixing polymeric extrudate 21 to first surface 29 so as to present the resilient surfaces of silicone rubber beads 26, 27 and 28 to second surface 30. Alternatively and preferably, the sealing/spring strip 20 may be integrally incorporated into the balance of the structure represented by first surface 29 (such as in the form of an integral polymeric piece). These resilient surfaces are urged against second surface 30 so as to form a seal.
FIG. 4 shows a cross-section view of a sealing/spring strip prepared in accordance with a third embodiment type of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows sealing/spring strip 40 which comprises polymeric extrudate 41 having first surface 42. From first surface 42, extend extension portions 43 which form acute angle corners 44 with the first surface 42. The extension portions of 43 are sufficiently flexible so as to be movable from a rest position (the position shown in FIG. 4) to a compressed position relatively closer to the upper surface 42 of the polymeric extrudate 41 (as indicated by directional movement arrows 45). Acute corners 44 are provided with silicone rubber 46 which once cured, serves to resist the movement of extension portions 43 from the rest position to the compressed position.
In order to produce a sealing/spring strip in accordance with this embodiment of the invention, it is preferred that the extrudate be oriented as is shown in FIG. 4 so that the silicone rubber 46 can be laterally injected into the respective acute angle corners 44. It will also be appreciated that this embodiment type of the present invention can be executed using only one such extension portion 43 as part of a polymeric extrudate such as 41. In such cases it may be desirable to orient the extrudate such that the single acute angle corner 44 so produced is oriented so as to open upwardly to better retain the uncured silicone rubber in the acute angle corner.
Sealing/spring strip 40 may be affixed to a first surface 47 by any mechanical means such as those mentioned above. The affixed sealing/spring strip may then be brought in contact with second surface 48 so that second surface 48 comes in contact with extension portions 43, forcing them towards a compressed position along directional movement arrows 45 as described above. Alternatively and preferably, the sealing/spring strip 40 may be integrally incorporated into the balance of the structure represented by first surface 47 (such as in the form of an integral polymeric piece). The resilience of silicone rubber bead 46 causes a seal to be formed between the second surface 48 and the extension portions 43 of the sealing/spring strip 40.
FIG. 8 is a cross-section view of the sealing/spring strip in accordance with the third embodiment type of the present invention, and featuring a profile adapting the strip for use in a dual pane window assembly as described with respect to FIGS. 6 and 7 above. FIG. 8 shows base portion shows jamb liner 80 which incorporates base portions 81, each provided with extension portions 82, forming acute angles 83, and adapted to hold silicone rubber bead 84. Extension portions 82 may preferably be provided with an inwardly curved edge 85 which allows it to ride more easily against the surface it contacts as may be appreciated from the environmental view of FIG. 10 herein for the embodiment of FIG. 9. The balance of the jamb liner structure 86 is formed so as to be amenable to its use as a jamb liner; that is, to engage a dual pane window assembly in accordance with profiles and arrangements known in the art as exemplified in FIG. 10 herein.
FIG. 9 is a cross-section view of a preferred embodiment of the third embodiment type of the present invention, which is presently considered to be the best mode of practicing the invention when used in a window jamb liner. FIG. 9 is shown as approximately 5 times actual size. FIG. 9 shows base portion shows jamb liner portion 90 which comprises base portions 91, each provided with extension portion 92, forming acute angle 93, and adapted to hold silicone rubber bead 94. Extension member 92 may preferably be provided with an inwardly curved edge 98 which allows it to ride more easily against the surface it contacts as may be appreciated from FIG. 10 herein. Extension member 92 preferably may also be provided with extension member 95 which extends toward the interior of the acute angle so formed (i.e. toward the first surface of the base portion 91) so as to provide additional mechanical support for the uncured silicone rubber bead once placed in the of the acute angle, and to provide physical support and alignment for the cured silicone bead 94. Likewise, base portion 91 preferably may also be provided with extension member 96 which extends toward the interior of the acute angle so formed (i.e. toward the first surface of the base portion 91) so as to provide additional mechanical support for the uncured silicone rubber bead once placed in the of the acute angle, and to provide physical support and alignment for the cured silicone bead 94. As mentioned above, the acute angle preferably may be formed by the coextrusion of two polymer of differing physical characteristics. FIG. 9 shows that extension member 92 and base member 91 is formed from a polymer having a higher impact rating than that used to form the acute corner itself (leg portion 97), so that the extension portion does not bend under a load while the leg portion 97 flexes. This construction helps to prevent the polymer in the extension portion(s) from fatiguing over several flexing cycles and from having a shape memory imparted to them. Examples of a combination of polymeric materials which may be used for the base and extension portion(s), and for the acute angle portion(s) are, respectively high impact PVC formulation 85857 and flexible PVC formulation 83741, both commercially available from B.F. Goodrich Chemicals of Akron, Ohio.
The dimensions of the jamb liner portion, though not a limitation to the invention are, for the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, as follows: the extension portion 92 and base portion 91 have a thickness of about 0.060 inches; the thickness of the leg portion 97 is about 0.030 inches; the diameter of the silicone bead 94 may be in the range of about 0.094 inches to 0.140 inches; and the thickness of the smaller extension members 95 and 96 is about 0.020 inches.
The jamb liner portion may be incorporated into a jamb liner structure as is shown in FIG. 10. Alternatively and preferably, the jamb liner portion may be integrally incorporated into a jamb liner by extruding the structure as a single piece as shown, for instance, in FIG. 8 where the base portion and the balance of the jamb liner are extruded as a single structure.
FIG. 10 shows a cross-section of a window frame construction 100 containing a jamb liner prepared in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 10 shows wooden window frame 101 having groove 102. The jamb liner 103 is formed from a conventional jamb liner which is adapted to grip groove 102 as shown in a window frame. The window frame also has trim facia piece 105. Where normally a urethane foam would be placed in groove 102, jamb liner portion(s) 90 is disposed so as to provide a spring-like member to urge the jamb liner 103 against the abutting tongues 104 of wooden frame 101. The base portion of the jamb liner portion may be adhered or otherwise attached to the inside of the jamb liner 103 as shown, such as with two-sided adhesive tape. The extension portions (item 92 in FIG. 9) face the inside of the groove 102. As jamb liners such as 103 are readily commercially available, the improved jamb liner portion of the present invention may be assembled in this way by adhering the base portion to the inside of the stock jamb liner as Shown in FIG. 10. However, because it involves less labor intensive steps (and is therefore relatively more economical) to form the inventive jamb liner as a single piece as described in FIG. 8, this method is preferred over extruding the assembly in individual pieces as shown in FIG. 10. Accordingly, the embodiment of FIG. 10 is presently considered to represent the best mode of the invention for the production of jamb liners with the exception that the improved jamb liner be formed as a single piece as shown in FIG. 8.
Turning to FIG. 5, this figure shows yet another variation of the present invention in accordance with a fourth embodiment type thereof.
FIG. 5 shows a sealing/spring strip 50 which comprises a polymeric extrudate 51 which forms well 52. Polymeric extrudate 51 has first surface 53. Two extension portions 54 are provided which both extend into well 52 and extend above surface 53. Well 52 is filled with silicone rubber 55 such that extension portions 54 extend into the silicone rubber 55, and are held in the positions shown in FIG. 5.
Extension portions 54 may be separately extruded and oriented in position in either before or after the silicone rubber 55 is placed in well 52. Once cured, the silicone rubber not only holds the position of extension portions 54 shown in FIG. 5 (the so-called rest position) but also resists their movement into a compressed position closer to the upper surface 53 along directional movement arrows 56.
Sealing/spring strip 50 may be applied to form a seal between first surface 57 and second surface 58. The polymeric extrudate 51 is attached to first surface 57 by any of the mechanical means mentioned above or their equivalent. Here it is noted that first surface 57 may be contoured so as to accommodate the size of well 52. Another embodiment may be to thicken extrudate 51 so that the thickness of the portions not forming well 52 is equal to the thickness dimensions of those portions forming the well. This would allow application of the sealing/spring strip 50 to a flat surface. Once fixed to a surface 57, the sealing/spring strip is brought into contact with surface 58 by urging surface 58 against extension portions 54. Alternatively and preferably, the sealing/spring strip 50 may be integrally incorporated into the balance of the structure represented by first surface 57 (such as in the form of an integral polymeric piece). Movement of surface 58 against extension portions 54 causes these extensions to move along directional movement arrows 56 from the rest position to the compressed position closer to surface 53. The resilience of the silicone rubber 55 resists this movement causing a seal between the two surfaces to be formed.
The sealing/spring strip may be made with one extension portion with an inner surface facing the first (i.e., upper) surface 53 of the base portion and an outer surface facing away from the first surface of the base portion, and at least one extension portion 54 which comprises an inner end connected to, the first surface 53 of the base portion and an outer end opposite the inner end. The outer end may be shaped so as to contain a bend directing the outer end toward the first surface 53 of the base portion whereby the outer surface is convex, as can be appreciated from FIG. 5.
It will also be appreciated that this embodiment of the present invention may also be executed using only a single extension 54.
In order to produce sealing/spring strips in accordance with the present invention, it will normally be the case that such sealing/spring strips can be most efficiently produced by polymeric extrusion to produce the polymeric extrudate portions of the present invention as outlined above. Such extrudates may be produced using any conventional extruder apparatus. Examples of such apparatus include extruder model CM-80 OR CM-111, commercially available from Cincinnati Milacron Company of Cincinnati, Ohio.
The polymeric materials used to make the polymeric extrudates for the present invention may be of any suitable polymeric material depending on the desired application. Such materials include polyvinylchloride (PVC), chloropolyvinylchloride (CPVC), with or without polyvinylidinefluorides and/or acrylics, or alloys of any of the aforesaid. Of these materials, where a high impact weatherable PVC is to be used in accordance with the present invention, B.F. Goodrich formulation 85857 in cube form is preferred. Where the high impact PVC is to be coextruded with a flexible PVC, a preferred flexible PVC is B.F. Goodrich formulation 83741 in cube form.
The silicone rubber which may be used in accordance with the present invention may be of any commercially available type, again depending on the desired application and the dictates of economics. An example of commercially available silicone rubber is Nuva-Sil 83 commercially available from Loctite Corporation of Newington, Conn. Although not a limitation., the silicone rubber may be foamed with nitrogen to an extent such as 40% to 50% of the total volume, with 50% being preferred. Although not limited to any particular dimension of the silicone rubber bead, a typical thickness for the silicone bead is about 0.100 inches in diameter (measured from the upper surface of the base portion of the extrudate). The silicone rubber may be injected onto the extrudate using an injector such as The Foamix System Model, commercially available from Nordson Company of Cleveland, Ohio. This device uses an impeller which creates bubbles in the silicone rubber as it passes into a cavity having a nitrogen atmosphere.
The silicone rubber may be cured in accordance with manufacturer's specifications. For instance, with an extrude speed of about 60 feet per minute (or one foot per second) and assuming a light intensity of 100 mw/cm 2 at a distance of six inches from the light source and requiring a total power output of 1.5 joules, the amount of light necessary can be calculated.
Using the formula: T=Joules/Light Intensity 1.5 W--sec/sm 2 /0.1 W/sm 2 (or 100 mw/sm 2 )=15 seconds. With the exposure time in hand, this is multiplied by the extrudate speed to obtain the light exposure length in inches:
15 seconds×60 ft/min/60 sec/min=15 feet Using six inch UV light bulbs, this would require 30 UV light sources to provide the necessary power output.
An alternative light source such as fusion light could provide more light intensity, thus decreasing the amount of bulb necessary to cure the silicone rubber.
The finished extrudate product may be cut to a desired length such as through the use of Teflon®-coated blades.
The polymeric material(s) and the type of silicone rubber used to execute the present invention are not critical limitations of the present invention.
In view of the foregoing disclosure, it will be within the ability of one or ordinary skill in the relevant art to make variations, alterations, and modifications, including the substitution of equivalent materials, variations in geometry, or the integration or disintegration of parts, to execute the present invention without departing from its spirit as reflected in the appended claims.
|
A polymeric sealing/spring strip and method of producing same. The polymeric sealing/spring strip of the present invention has several various embodiments which are based upon the incorporation of silicone rubber, Some of the embodiments are based on the formation of a resilient silicone rubber surface to provide a sealing/spring contact with an opposing surface. Other embodiments of the invention incorporate the silicone rubber in such way as to utilize its resilient properties to produce a sealing/spring strip which has improved mechanical resilience properties.
The method of the present invention allows the production of a sealing/spring strip in accordance with the present invention by using extrusion techniques.
| 4
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lighting fixture louvers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the lighting industry, there have been numerous fixture types fitted with louvers. The louvers are used to shield a bare lamp from direct lines of sight to remove distracting glare, and also to direct the light from the lamp into a desired location. One of the currently most popular types is a Bollard light. This is a short post-like fixture used for accent and area lighting of outdoor areas. The louvers, usually seven or more in number, make it possible to shield the lamp and direct the light downwardly. Without the louvers, the light from such low level fixtures would be very objectionable to pedestrians and drivers alike.
The louvers that have been used in the past are merely annular rings or flanges that are spaced apart on supports and surround a central chamber in which the light is mounted. The open areas between the louvers permit fingers to be accessed into the lamp area, and allow weather and insects to enter the fixture. Sticks, rods and the like could be inserted upwardly through the louver openings and used to break the lamps.
In addition, an internal sleeve has been made of a tough plastic and then fixed to the inside opening of the louvers with mechanical parts. This sleeve is frequently discarded or lost, making the fixtures hazardous or inconvenient.
These problems are overcome with the present design.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A high strength louver assembly including a central sleeve, and an outer peripheral louver flange that provides for direction of light emanating from the center of the sleeve. The louver and self-enclosing sleeve can be stacked one on top of the other and fastened with tension tie rods at desired locations, for example, at their corners, if made into a rectangular or square configuration. The louvers are made so that they will stack and interfit at their edges, so that one louver has a neck that fits inside a recess in the next sleeve, effecting a weather-tight and insect-tight seal.
In a modified version, the louver is made in two pieces, with a center sleeve and a louver portion that fits over the sleeve in a two piece assembly. The sleeve also can be stacked one on top of the other without a louver between them for specific applications.
Vertical grooves or striations designed to refract the light emanating from a lamp on the interior of the sleeve can be formed on the inner or outer surface of the sleeve to diffuse the light, reduce glare and improve overall performance. Additionally, the undersurface of the louvers can be provided with refracting grooves for light diffusion and better direction and control of the light. The light actually can be directed around the bolts used to eliminate shadows normally caused by vertical tie bolts.
The louver parts can be made in a clear plastic, or tinted bronze or grey if desired. Plastic ties such as polycarbonate polarlate and/or polysulfone can be used. It must be a high temperature plastic that is optically clear. Ultraviolet inhibitors can be used to prevent discoloration and breakdowns. A frosted finish can be put on the plastic quite easily. The louvers themselves can be painted on their exposed surfaces, or can be vacuum metalized in bright specular aluminum, or any desirable color. The polycarbonate is easily finished in a variety of colors.
The louvers can be oriented so that they all extend in the same direction from the sleeve, or can be reversed so that they mate and form different configurations, as will be seen.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a typical Bollard light showing a louver made according to the present invention installed therein;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view as on line 2--2 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as on line 3--3 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the louver of the present invention and showing details of the interfitting edges of adjacent sleeves;
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a fixture mounted on a vertical surface showing a variation of the orientation of the louvers of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a further variation of a fixture having the louvers of the present invention mounted in a different manner;
FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a corner portion similar to that shown in FIG. 4 showing a modification of the louvers of the present invention; and
FIG. 8 is a representation of a typical light pattern achieved with a louver arrangement made according to the present invention and in particular the form shown in FIG. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Refering to FIG. 1, a Bollard post-type lamp indicated generally at 10 includes a support post 11 mounted on the ground 12, having a cap 13 thereon. A light socket is generally mounted on the interior. The fixture is shown having a plurality of stacked unitary louver and sleeve assemblies 15 made according to the present invention. Assemblies 15 are used for directing the light from an internal lamp (not shown) downwardly around the post, and to eliminate the direct glare of the lamp or luminaire positioned on the inside of the sleeve.
FIG. 2 shows the general configuration of a typical unitary sleeve and louver assembly 15, and FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of such assembly. The louver assembly 15 as shown has a central sleeve 20 that constitutes a peripheral wall having an inner surface 21, and an outer surface 22. Normally, a luminaire or lamp is positioned within the sleeves generally along the central axis, and light would shine out through the vertical wall of the sleeve 20. As shown, the inner surface 21 has a plurality of axially oriented grooves 23 formed in the surface that form prism-type refracting surfaces for diffusing the light that passes through the plastic sleeve wall 20. These grooves can be on the outer surface of the sleeve as well.
A louver flange indicated at 25 is integrally molded with the wall 20 adjacent an upper end as shown at 26. The louver comprises an outwardly, tapering peripheral flange wall that is continuous around the sleeve 20 and tapers outwardly from one end toward the other end so that there is a space indicated at 27 for light to be directed downwardly from the undersurface 28 of the louver. The louver undersurface 28 also, as shown, has v-grooves 30 that are generally horizontal, that is, generally perpendicular to the grooves 23 on the inner surface 21, to aid in diffusing light and directing light in the proper locations. These grooves 30 can be molded in at the time the entire louver assembly 15 is molded. The angle of inclination of the louver 25 can be the standard angles that are used with present louvers. The integral assembly provides assurance that the parts will not get lost, and will continue to form the necessary enclosure.
As can be seen in FIG. 3, the upper and lower edges of the sleeve 20 are provided with interfitting shoulder surfaces. An upwardly facing outer shoulder surface 33 is formed by having a peripheral recess 34 forming an internal collar 35 that fits within an internal recess 36 on the bottom of the next adjacent louver assembly. The internal recess 36 forms an outer flagne 37 that has a surface that fits against the shoulder 33 and outside of the wall section 35, to telescope or nest the louver sections together as shown in FIG. 4. In other words, they have interfitting, interlocking sections between the adjacent edges of the stacked louvers. There are at least two abutting surfaces that seal the interior of the sleeve.
Any number of louver assemblies 15 can be stacked on top of each other, and then they are held in place with suitable tie rods indicated generally at 40 which are positioned in openings extending through bosses 41 at the corners of the louver assembly shown in FIG. 2. The tie rods then are either threaded into appropriate receptacles in the post 10 or into nuts that are welded in place and nuts at the opposite ends of the tie rods that are tightened down for assembly.
In FIG. 4, a modified version of the louver flange 25 is shown at 25A, and includes v-shaped grooves 43 on the undersurface of the louver flange. These grooves 43 extend generally parallel to the central axis of the louver sleeve, or in other words at substantially right angles to the grooves 30 that are shown in FIG. 3, for variations in the type of light diffusion that can be made available.
The lower edges of the louver flanges which are indicated at 45 in both FIGS. 3 and 4 terminate along a plane that is substantially coincidental with the lower edge surface of the telescoping flange 37 of the sleeve, and this permits the louver assemblies to be positioned so that the edges 45 face each other. For example, in FIG. 5 a lighting fixture 50 is shown to have a short horizontally extending post 51 mounted on a vertical wall 52 such as a building wall, and a support housing 53 at the outer end that supports a light and also supports the tie rods 40 that are used. In this instance, the individual louver assemblies 15 are positioned so that the edges 45 are mating on two louver assemblies, and then the louver assemblies are stacked as shown in FIG. 4. The associated pairs of louver assemblies are mated with an adjacent pair to provide a different configuration for changing the external appearance of the light.
In other words, the louver assemblies are capable of being stacked end-to-end in orientations 180° from each other. When stacked with the edges 45 contiguous, the inner chamber of the sleeve 20 is still closed or sealed with two mating surfaces, namely, the surfaces at edges 45 of flanges 25 and the facing end edges of the telescoping flanges 37.
In FIG. 6, a further modified light fixture indicated at 60 is provided, and in this instance a horizontal arm 61 is mounted onto a vertical wall 62 with a suitable bracket 63, and has a housing 64 that will support both up and downwardly extending light bulbs or luminaires. The louver assemblies 15 on the lower side of the housing or support 64 are oriented as shown in FIG. 1, with the flanges 25 extending downwardly, but on the upper side of housing 64 the louver assemblies 15 are inverted to form a fixture 66 that has the louvers 25 extending upwardly from their supporting sleeve.
Variations of the orientation of the louvers can be made as desired to achieve unique configurations.
In FIG. 7, a modified version of the louver assembly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is illustrated. The sleeves and louver or flange assembly can have the square configuration shown in FIG. 2, or they can be round if desired. The view of FIG. 7 corresponds to the view of FIG. 4 with the modified form shown. In this modified form, there are sleeve members shown generally at 70 including a first sleeve member 70A that is a molded peripheral sleeve having an internal serration shown at 71 on its inner surface corresponding to the serrations shown in FIG. 2. The sleeve corresponds in plan view to that figure. However, the sleeves 70 are made without an integral lower flange. The end edges of the sleeves have an upwardly facing outer shoulder surface indicated generally at 72 corresponding to the shoulder surface 33, which is formed by a peripheral external recess that forms a collar 73 corresponding to the collar 35.
In this form of the invention, however, it can be seen that a louver 75 is made separately from the sleeve 70A, and includes an outer peripheral downwardly and outwardly sloped flange 76, and an inner peripheral neck portion 77 that has an internal recess 78 forming a shoulder that mates with the shoulder 72 and rests thereon. This internal recess 78 is formed to be in the same configuration and as the sleeve, for example, if the sleeve has the rectangular configuration as FIG. 2, the louver 75 would be rectangular, and the flange 76 would extend out in the same manner as the louver 25. The central opening in the louver surrounded by neck 77 is of size and shape to slip over neck 73. The louver, however, is a separate molded piece.
A boss or wall 79 can be molded into the corners of the sleeves 70. The walls 79 have openings 80 therethrough through which a tie bolt 81 can pass.
It can be seen that a louver 78 can be slid over so that its neck portion 77 fits around the neck 73, and the shoulder formed by the recess 78 rests on the shoulder 72, to form the louver extending outwardly from the sleeve 70A. The lower sleeve at 70A has a sleeve 70B stacked on top of the louver 75, utilizing the internal shoulder 84 fomred by recess 83 in the bottom of each of the sleeves. The shoulder 84 then rests against the upper edge of neck 73, to make a tight fitting stacked louver and sleeve assembly. The louver 75 is held in place by the next higher sleeve 70B.
As a further variation, a sleeve 70C can have a lower edge that forms a peripheral flange 86 that is of the same length as the neck 73 of sleeve 70B, from the shoulder 72 to the outer edge, and two or more sleeves 70B and 70C can be stacked on top of the other as shown in FIG. 7 so that a lamp enclosure can be made with no louvers or the space between the adjacent louver 75 can be altered as desired. Each of the sleeves 70A, 70B and 70C can have the serrations or striations that will bend the light rays as desired to form the desired pattern.
Because the louvers 75 are made independently of the sleeve portions 70, they can be made of a different material, or can be made a different color, and they can be easily molded and assembled. Generally speaking, the sleeves 70 will be a clear prism sections, while the louvers 75 will be molded in a desired color or painted. The space indicated at 90 between the flange 76 of the louver and the outer surface of the sleeve supporting is where light can be reflected downwardly by having the bottom part of the flange of the louver formed as desired.
By forming the serrations on the sleeves and on the louvers in a desired manner, the configurations of light patterns shown in FIG. 8 can be arrived at. The FIG. 8 light pattern is for a square sleeve. Each of the lines indicated at 91, 92, 93, 94, 95 and 96 represent lines of substantially equal light as measured in foot candles. Thus, a desired brightness in the corners can be achieved in spite of the corner tie rods, so that shadows are eliminated.
With the telescoping or interfitting sleeve ends, comprising the shoulder surfaces and neck portions that overlap as shown in FIG. 7, a tight louvered lamp housing assembly can be made.
The louver assemblies are relatively low cost, and can be tinted as desired with grey or bronze tints, and the outer surfaces of the louvers can be coated as desired. In this way, various attractive configurations can be made, and the interfitting or telescoping ends of the stacked louvers or the edges 45 insure that they are sealed from weather and insects. Of course, when the ends of the louvers are placed face-to-face as shown in FIG. 5, the joint is made with abutting surfaces, but there is a double surface seal, one out at the edge 45, and one at the edge of flange 37 to provide for adequate sealing to keep out insects, foreign objects and the like.
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.
|
A stackable louver assembly for light fixtures which can be made of a high strength polycarbonate light transmitting plastic material and which has a sleeve and louver flange molded in one piece so that the sleeve will not be lost or discarded at the job site. The louver assembly becomes self-enclosed. The louver assemblies are made so they can be stacked one on top of the other and fastened with tie rods at desired locations. The sleeve that supports the louver flange is made with a surface that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the assembly, and can be provided with v-type grooves to provide refraction of the light emanating from an interior lamp. The grooves can be molded into the plastic with no increase in cost, and will reduce glare and improve overall performance of the fixture. Likewise, the louver flanges may have surfaces that are provided with refraction grooves, as well.
| 5
|
The present application is a divisional application of Ser. No. 09/978,711, filed Oct. 16, 2001 now U.S Pat. No. 6,715,845, itself a divisional application of Ser. No. 09/325,463, filed Jun. 3, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,816. Each of these applications is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention pertains to mechanical improvements to personal vehicles including self-propelled personal vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Personal vehicles, such as may be used by handicapped persons, may be self-propelled and user-guidable, and, further, may entail stabilization in one or more of the fore-aft or lateral planes, such as when no more than two wheels are in ground contact at a time. More particularly, such vehicles may include one or more clusters of wheels, with wheels in each cluster capable of being motor-driven independently of the cluster in its entirety. One example of such a vehicle is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,965, which is incorporated herein by reference. Since personal vehicles operate under stringent constraints of weight and power, the features of such vehicles are typically limited to those essential to the propulsion of the vehicle, with safety left largely in the hands of the operator, and comfort largely foregone. Vehicles of this sort may be more efficiently and safely operated employing mechanical features supplementary to those described in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a personal vehicle for carrying a payload including a user. The vehicle has a ground-contacting module that supports the payload and has at least one ground-contacting member. The vehicle also has a motorized drive arrangement, mounted to the ground-contacting module, that causes automatically balanced operation of the vehicle in an operating position that is unstable with respect to tipping when the motorized drive arrangement is not powered. The vehicle has a seat for supporting the user, the seat being coupled to the ground-contacting module in such a manner that the seat may be removed without the use of a tool, such as by means of a quick-disconnect assembly.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the personal vehicle has a footrest coupled to the ground-contacting module for supporting the foot of the user, where the footrest may also be decoupled from the ground-contacting module without the use of a tool. The footrest may be coupled to the ground-contacting module through the seat assembly such as by means of a mounting pin inserted in a J slot.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a personal transportation vehicle having a seat back coupled to the seat assembly, the seat back being tiltable with respect to the seat assembly. The vehicle may also have a sensor arrangement that provides a signal corresponding to the tilt of the seat back. The seat back may be positionable at one of a plurality of positions provided with respect to the seat assembly, thereby positioning the CG of the user at a desired position with respect to the ground-contacting module.
In accordance with further embodiments of the invention, the personal vehicle may have at least one caster capable of being brought into engagement with the ground during operation of the vehicle. In one embodiment of the invention, motion of the caster in a direction having a vertical component is coordinated with motion of the seat assembly of the vehicle.
The caster assembly may be decoupled from the ground-contacting module without the use of a tool, and may include a suspension mechanism for dampening transmission of vibration to the vehicle.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the personal vehicle may have a power module disposed substantially beneath the seat assembly and contained substantially within the areal projection in the horizontal plane of the seat assembly. The personal vehicle may have a user interface module for permitting a user to command the motorized drive arrangement and a differentially frangible coupling for attaching the user interface module to the support structure.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, the personal vehicle may have a belt tensioning mechanism for tensioning a belt that transmits torque from a motor to a rotary member having an axis of rotation. The belt tensioning mechanism has a motor having a roller for engaging the belt and a cam plate. The cam plate has a slot ridge for receiving the motor, a rotation ridge disposed eccentrically with respect to the slot ridge, and a plurality of circumferential sprocket teeth. Finally, the tensioning mechanism has a transmission plate fixed with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotary member, the motor having a rotational orientation defined with respect to the transmission plate, the transmission plate having a substantially elliptical cam plate rotation shelf for receiving the cam plate rotation ridge such that a lateral position of the motor with respect to the transmission plate may be changed by rotation of the cam plate while the rotational orientation of the motor remains substantially constant.
The personal vehicle may have a self-pulling mechanism for a wheel having a tapered axle bore and a hub. The self-pulling mechanism has an axle having a taper corresponding the bore of the wheel and a threaded end, a retaining ring seated on an inside groove of the hub of the wheel, and a wheel nut having a threaded bore corresponding to the threaded end of the axle such that upon tightening the wheel is retained on the axle and upon loosening a force is applied to the retaining ring for removing the wheel from the axle.
In accordance with alternate embodiments of the invention, there is provided a vehicle for carrying a payload having a power module with left and right compartments capable of interchangeably receiving a power pack, where the respective compartments of the power module may be coupled to redundant power circuits. The personal vehicle of embodiments of the present invention may also have a handle having an adjustable extension for retention by an assistant in operating the vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1A is a side view of a personal vehicle employing embodiments of the present invention;
FIG. 1B is a rear view of the power base of the personal vehicle of FIG. 1A ;
FIG. 1C shows the same view as FIG. 1B , with the battery tray removed to show the position of the electronics box;
FIG. 2 shows a front cross-sectional view of a swing-arm caster wheel suspension assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the caster wheel suspension assembly of FIG. 2 ;
FIG. 4 shows a front view in cross section of a mechanism for coupling the caster suspension assembly of FIGS. 2 and 3 to a member of a personal vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 5A–5B show side and top cross-sectional views of a seat supporting assembly for a personal vehicle showing a quick-disconnect coupling and latch assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 6A–6D show views of a transmission plate with drive motor mounting cam plate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7A shows a side view in cross-section of a retaining structure for a user command interface coupling for a personal vehicle showing a differentially frangible coupling between the user command interface and the support of the personal vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 7B and 7C show embodiments of a latching tongue for the differentially frangible coupling mechanism of FIG. 7A ;
FIG. 7D is a perspective view of a user command interface for a personal vehicle showing a latching tongue for the differentially frangible coupling of FIG. 7A ;
FIG. 7E is an exploded view of the assembly of the differentially frangible quick disconnect mechanism of FIG. 7A to the armrest of a personal vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 8A and 8B show side views of a wheel assembly including a self-pulling wheel mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8C shows a cross-sectional side view of the self-pulling wheel mechanism of FIG. 8A ;
FIGS. 9A and 9B show a battery retention assembly, including rails for rapid battery switchout, for use in a personal vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 10A–10C show views of a removable footrest assembly for a wheelchair-type vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
FIGS. 11A and 11B show components of an extensible attendant handle and seat back orientation sensor mechanism for a wheelchair-type vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11C shows a front view of a magnetic sensor disk component of an orientation sensor mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 12A and 12B show diagrams illustrating mechanisms for adjusting the seat depth of the seat back of a personal vehicle, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
FIGS. 13A and 13B show perspective views of an embodiment of a seat assembly for use with a personal vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 13C and 13D show exploded and assembled views, respectively, of a rotatable armrest support for use with a personal vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1A , a side view is shown of a personal vehicle, designated generally by numeral 10 . Vehicle 10 may be described in terms of two fundamental structural components: a support 12 for carrying a passenger 14 or other load, and a ground-contacting module 16 which provides for transportation of support 12 across the ground, or, equivalently, across any other surface. The passenger or other load may be referred to herein and in any appended claims as a “payload.” As used in this description and in any appended claims, the term “ground” will be understood to encompass any surface upon which the vehicle is supported.
A mechanism and process for automatically balanced operation of the vehicle in an operating position that is unstable with respect to tipping when the motorized drive arrangement is not powered is described in Kamen '965 column 3, line 55 through column 5, line 44.
Referring further to FIG. 1A , the modes of operation described herein apply to vehicles having one or more ground-contacting elements 18 , where each ground-contacting element is movable about an axis 20 and where the axis corresponding to a ground-contacting member can itself be moved. For example, ground-contacting element 18 may be a wheel, as shown, in which case axis 20 corresponds to an axle about which the wheel rotates. Active control of the position of the axis 20 about which ground-contacting element 18 rotates may be tantamount to active suspension of the vehicle in that the position may be controlled in response to specified conditions of the traversed surface or specified modes of operation of the vehicle.
Motion of axes 20 of respective ground-contacting elements is referred to in this description and in any appended claims as “cluster motion.” Wheels 18 may be movable in sets, with the moving assembly referred to as a cluster 36 . Cluster motion is defined with respect to a second axis 22 , otherwise referred to as a “cluster joint.” Additional driven degrees of freedom may be provided, such as motion of the second axis about one or more pivots which may, in turn, allow the height of seat 28 to be varied with respect to the ground. Alternatively, seat height may be varied by means of a telescoping post, or by means of any other mechanical artifice. An actuator may be associated with each driven degree of freedom and controlled using control strategies discussed in detail below. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the actuators include wheel servo-motors and cluster servo-motors, with current supplied to the respective motors by servo amplifiers. Additionally, non-driven wheels may be provided, such as casters or pilot wheels 30 coupled to footrest 32 or otherwise to support 12 .
An advantage to providing one or more caster wheels 30 coupled to footrest 32 is that such caster wheels may be engaged or disengaged with the ground 34 by controlling the height of seat (or support) 12 with respect to ground-contacting elements 18 . The engagement of caster wheel 30 for traversing curbs or other ground obstacles may comprise part of a control mode of the vehicle, as taught in copending U.S. provisional patent application, Ser. No. 60/124,403, filed Mar. 16, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference. It is to be understood that one or more caster wheels 30 may also be provided aft of support 12 , and may be coupled to the support or, alternatively, may be controlled so as to be governed by the height of support 12 with respect to ground-contacting elements 18 . It is not required, within the scope of the invention, that a particular caster be in contact with the ground during all, or indeed any, of the duration of operation of the vehicle.
Referring to FIG. 1B , seat 12 is coupled to power base 8 of the personal vehicle at seat connection flange 256 . Seat height is adjusted by seat height mechanism 6 . In order to allow traversal by personal vehicle 10 of terrain of varied surface structure or varied topologies such as stairs, personal vehicle 10 , it is advantageous to maximize clearance both beneath the vehicle and aft of the vehicle, the latter to permit maximal maneuverability on descending stairs. Under circumstances where a vehicle is not actively stabilized, it might be advantageous to optimize the distribution of components in order simply to lower the center of gravity in the interest of stability. In an actively stabilized vehicle, and in accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention, electronics module 4 and power pack shelf 462 are advantageously disposed above cluster axis 22 . Additionally, the rear contour of ground-contacting module is cut away in a convex contour in region 2 , to provide clearance for the vehicle upon descent of stairs. Electronics compartment 4 contains controller tray 2 , as shown in FIG. 1C .
Under circumstances where one or more caster wheels 30 engage the ground during operation of the personal vehicle 10 , it is advantageous to reduce the transmission of vibration to the payload of the vehicle, for the safety and comfort of the passenger. Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 , wherein identical numerals identify the same or similar features of the invention, a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown that provides an intermediate structure to dampen vibration and shock loads that would otherwise be transmitted from a caster to the vehicle and payload. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view is shown of suspension 200 , looking toward the vehicle from the front. Caster 30 , coupled to distal end 204 of caster arm 206 , engages the ground under circumstances discussed above. Caster arm 206 is pivotable about pivot 208 which may be a pin 208 as shown in FIG. 3 . Proximal end 210 of caster arm 206 is engaged within caster housing 212 . Compression spring 214 is axially retained in compression about bolt 216 between caster housing 212 and preloading plate 220 . Compression spring 214 pushes upward on proximal end 210 of caster arm 206 , urging the caster arm against washer 218 and caster housing 212 .
Thus, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , suspension 200 may be preloaded by virtue of compression spring 214 applying an upward force on the proximal end 210 of caster arm 206 . The upward force on proximal end 210 acts about pivot 208 to keep caster wheel 30 in contact with the ground. Caster wheel 30 may advantageously respond to bumps and dips in the ground surface because spring 214 takes up, as potential energy, that kinetic energy that would otherwise be transmitted to the payload. FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the components of the swing-arm caster wheel suspension assembly of FIG. 2 . Caster arms 206 are shown pivotable about pivot pins 208 which traverse caster housing 212 . Springs 214 are also shown as are washer 218 , bolts 216 , and preloading plate 220 .
Another feature of caster suspension 200 is now described with reference to FIG. 3 and with additional reference to FIG. 4 . In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, caster suspension is coupled to a caster mount 222 (shown in FIG. 10A ) through which caster suspension 200 is, in turn, coupled to support 12 (shown in FIG. 1 ), i.e., to the seat assembly. For purposes of storage or for ready transportation of the personal vehicle in an automobile, for example, it is advantageous that the vehicle be readily collapsible, and, in particular, it is advantageous that caster suspension 200 be readily detachable from its coupling to the support assembly. Caster housing 212 is clamped to caster mount 222 by means of a pair of quick-disconnect clamps 224 and 226 . Quick-disconnect clamps 224 and 226 each contain wedged slots 228 that apply lateral force to mating flanges of caster housing 212 and caster mount 222 , thereby retaining them with a small clamping force applied by cams 230 as latch levers 232 are rotated to urge quick-disconnect clamps 224 and 226 about caster housing 212 and caster mount 222 . A cross-sectional view of flange 240 of the seat assembly and flange 242 of the caster suspension as clamped by quick-connect wedge clamp 224 is shown in FIG. 4 . Wedge clamps 224 and 226 and latch levers 232 are pivotably coupled to caster housing 212 and are retained with the caster suspension assembly 200 upon disassembly from the vehicle.
Referring now to FIG. 5A , a side view is shown in cross-section of a quick seat disconnect assembly 250 for a personal vehicle 10 . Seat stem 252 terminates at flange 254 which is tapered in conjunction with a corresponding taper on flange 256 of vehicle base 258 in such a manner that Marmon or jaw clamps 260 may be applied to couple flanges 254 and 256 . Seat stem 252 is thus readily disconnected from vehicle base 258 without requiring the use of a tool. Springs 262 are mounted between flanges 254 and 256 so as to urge clamps 260 outward. Referring now to FIG. 5B , a pair of bolts 264 connect clamps 260 and 266 and prevent the clamps from falling off flanges 254 and 256 . Bolts 264 are attached to handle housing 268 . Handle housing 268 contains a handle 270 , pivotally mounted about pivot 272 with respect to handle housing 268 . Handle 270 is shaped such that in one position end 274 of handle 270 applies a force against clamp 266 adjacent to handle housing 268 . When handle 270 is rotated, the force on clamp 266 is removed and clamps 260 and 266 can be removed and seat stem 252 disconnected from vehicle base 258 .
Referring now to FIGS. 6A–6D , views are shown of a transmission belt tensioning mechanism 300 advantageously employed in the wheel drive of personal vehicle 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. Referring first to the outside view of FIG. 6A , belt tensioning mechanism 300 may advantageously conserve the angular orientation of wheel motor 302 so that power and control cables (not shown) need not be disturbed as the position of wheel motor 302 is translated with respect to wheel transmission plate 304 in order to tension a belt or chain or other endless loop driven by the shaft of wheel motor 302 . The view of FIG. 6A is referred to herein as an ‘anterior’ view of the transmission plate. FIG. 6B shows the posterior side of transmission plate 304 and, more particularly, shows shaft 306 of wheel motor 302 extending through wheel transmission plate 304 . Belt roller 307 is rigidly coupled to motor shaft 306 for transmission of torque to a belt (not shown). Similarly, a sprocket may also be provided for driving a chain in an analogous manner. From this view, it is clear that motor shaft 306 extends through eccentric shaft opening slot 308 , the function of which will now be described.
FIG. 6C shows an exploded anterior view of transmission plate 304 from which the wheel motor has been removed to clearly show shaft opening slot 308 . Motor 302 is seated within slot ridge 310 of tensioning cam plate 312 . The sprockets 314 of cam plate 312 are disposed eccentrically with respect to the slot ridge and the rotation ridge 316 , shown in FIG. 6D . Rotation ridge 316 is seated, in turn, in cam plate rotation shelf 318 such that rotation of cam plate 312 , in the manner of a Scotch yoke, results in lateral translation of the shaft of the motor while the orientation of the motor with respect to the transmission plate may be kept constant. Once the motor has been translated to the point where a specified belt tension is attained, bolts are tightened to secure the motor housing to the transmission plate through the sprockets of the cam plate, thereby securing the motor against both rotation and translation.
Referring now to FIGS. 7A–7C , a side view is shown in cross-section of a frangible coupling, advantageously employed for retaining a user command interface (not shown) in conjunction with a personal vehicle 10 so that the user command interface may either be attached to an armrest of the vehicle, for example, or detached for remote operation via a cable, such as retractable cable, or via wireless communication with the personal vehicle. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a user command interface 376 (shown in FIG. 7D ) is readily disconnected from armrest 378 (shown in FIG. 7D ) of support 12 (shown in FIG. 1 ) by means of an asymmetrical quick disconnect mechanism 350 , shown in a cross-sectional side view in FIG. 7A . FIG. 7B shows a side view in cross-section of an asymmetrical latching tongue for retention by quick disconnect mechanism 350 . When latching tongue 352 is engaged in quick disconnect mechanism 350 , an upper roller 354 engages upper notch 356 while a lower roller 358 engages lower notch 360 . Upper roller 354 is urged downward by compression spring 362 acting against rocker arm 364 which pivots about pivot 366 . Since lower face 368 of latching tongue 352 is beveled, the latching tongue, and the user command interface to which it is attached, are relatively easily removed from the quick-disconnect mechanism 350 by pulling the user command interface in an upward direction. By way of contrast, upper face 370 of the latching tongue 352 runs horizontally substantially to the tip 372 of tongue 352 . Thus, the user command interface may not be as readily removed from the quick-disconnect mechanism 350 by pressing the user command interface in an downward direction. Typically, a force in excess of 25 pounds is required to remove latching tongue 352 by pushing downward on it with respect to quick disconnect mechanism 350 , whereas detachment can be achieved by pulling up on latching tongue with a force not exceeding 2 pounds. This differential frangibility is advantageous in preventing accidental detachment and breakage of the user command interface. Since notches 356 and 360 are substantially parallel grooves over the width of the latching tongue 352 , there is substantially no free play in the captured tongue, and side breakaway forces are substantially greater than either upward or downward breakaway forces. Of course, within the scope of the invention, the grooves may be oriented otherwise so as to provide differential frangibility favoring extraction of the tongue toward any specified direction, as will be readily evident to a person skilled in the art. FIG. 7C shows a cross-sectional view from the side of latching tongue 352 , wherein, in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present invention, an auxiliary groove 372 is provided between upper groove 356 and tip 372 . If the user command interface is accidentally detached by force applied in a downward direction and upper roller 354 no longer engages upper groove 356 , upper roller 354 will still engage auxiliary groove 374 and the unit will not detach freely, as a safety feature and to prevent breakage.
Referring now to FIG. 7D , a perspective view is shown of a user command interface 376 for a personal vehicle showing latching tongue 352 of the differentially frangible coupling mechanism that has been described. An exploded view is shown in FIG. 7E of the assembly of the differentially frangible quick disconnect mechanism 350 of FIG. 7A to armrest 378 of a personal vehicle by means of fasteners such as screws 380 . In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, one of a series of icons may be displayed to the user on visual display monitor 377 (shown in FIG. 7D ), with each distinct icon characterizing a corresponding mode of operation of the personal vehicle.
Referring now to FIGS. 8A–8C , a self-pulling wheel assembly 400 is shown for removal of a wheel 402 . FIGS. 8A and 8B show side views of the components of the assembly, while FIG. 8C shows a cross-sectional view. Axle bore 404 of wheel 402 has a tapered inside surface 406 corresponding to the taper of axle 408 so that torque may be transferred from axle 408 to the wheel. Wheel 402 is mounted by pressing axle bore 404 onto axle 408 by driving wheel nut 410 onto threaded spindle 412 of axle 408 . Wheel nut retention clip 420 retains the wheel nut against rotation with respect to the wheel hub. Hub 414 of wheel 402 has a retaining snap ring 416 that is snapped into an annular groove 418 behind wheel nut 410 . Thus, wheel nut 410 is captured between the wheel and the retaining ring. Retaining ring 416 , in a preferred embodiment, is a snap ring. By unscrewing nut 410 in an outward direction, an outward force is exerted on hub 414 through ring 416 , thereby pulling the wheel 402 off axle 408 . Thus the wheel may advantageously be pulled without application of a separate puller tool.
Referring now to FIG. 9A , a perspective view is shown of a battery pack, designated generally by numeral 450 , that may be used to supply electrical power to a personal vehicle. Any source of electrical power internal to battery pack, such as chemical cells of any sort known in the art, is within the scope of the present invention. Battery pack 450 is configured, as will be described, for convenient insertion and extraction of the battery pack to provide for ready switchout when it becomes necessary to renew or recharge the energy source, or for disassembly and shipping of the personal vehicle. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, up to two power packs 450 are borne by the power base 6 (shown in FIG. 1 ) of personal vehicle 10 beneath seat pan 28 and proximate to the seat. Electrical power is supplied by battery pack 450 to power base 6 via electrical connector 452 that engages a mating connector (not shown) when battery pack 450 is fully inserted into a battery tray in the power base. Battery pack 450 is guided into position in the battery tray by guides 460 extending above shelf 462 of the battery tray, as shown in FIG. 9B . Guides 460 ride within battery tray slots 454 as the battery pack is removed or inserted, thus ensuring straight insertion and proper coupling of connector 452 with its counterpart in the power base. After insertion of one of the battery packs 450 , retaining latch 464 (shown in FIG. 9B ) is closed behind the inserted battery pack, urging the pack into its fully inserted position and into electrical contact with the power base. When retaining lever 464 is opened, battery pack 450 is urged out of its inserted position, and out of electrical contact with the power base, by operation of a compressed spring (not shown) against spring ledge 456 . Thus, power is not delivered by the battery pack unless it is affirmatively retained by the battery retaining latch 464 . Battery pack 450 and the battery tray of the power base have complementary symmetries, such that battery pack 450 may be inserted into either the left-hand or right-hand battery slot by rotating the battery pack about its long axis. In a preferred embodiment, each battery pack powers a separate power base control circuit, thus providing full redundancy. Additionally, the interchangeability of the battery packs 450 may advantageously prolong the lifetime of the battery packs if the power drain on the respective sides of the battery tray is uneven.
FIG. 9B shows shelf 462 of the battery tray with the right battery retaining latch 464 shown in a closed position, and the left battery retaining latch 466 shown in an open position. Lever locking sleeve 468 slides over both left and right retaining latches, thus locking both battery packs in place for safety of operation.
FIG. 10A is a perspective view of a footrest assembly, designated generally by numeral 700 , attached to seat pan assembly 702 . The rear portion of the seat pan assembly has been cut away for easier viewing. A footrest 704 is attached to a pair of lower footrest legs (not shown) which telescope inside the upper footrest legs 706 thereby providing a footrest length adjustment. The lower legs are locked in place by a pair of extension locks 708 . A tilt adjustment assembly 710 spans the two upper footrest legs 706 and can slide along the upper footrest legs. Tilt assembly 710 includes a front piece 712 and a rear 714 piece that are attached to each other by screws 716 . The ends of the front and rear pieces capture the upper legs. When screws 716 are loosened, tilt assembly 710 can slide along the upper legs 706 but when screws 716 are tightened, the tilt assembly 710 is locked into place. Rear tilt assembly piece 714 extends perpendicular to the plane defined by the two upper legs and rests against the caster mount face 698 of caster mount 222 . Moving the tilt assembly 710 upward on the upper legs 706 increases the tilt angle 718 of the footrest assembly 700 . The terminal end 720 of each of the upper legs 706 is cut away to engage the footrest assembly 700 onto the seat pan assembly 702 . The terminal end of each of the upper legs has a footrest mounting pin 722 that engages the footrest assembly mount 724 and forms a pivot for the tilt assembly.
FIG. 10B is a side view of the seat pan assembly 702 . Footrest assembly mount 724 has a truncated elliptical profile with a J slot 726 to accommodate the footrest mounting pin 722 (shown in FIG. 10A).FIG . 10 C shows a detailed side view of the terminal ends 720 of the footrest assembly engaging the footrest assembly mount 724 . Terminal ends 720 of the footrest assembly are initially positioned perpendicular to the caster mount face 698 and are slid into the footrest assembly mount 724 until the mounting pin 722 slides into the J slot 726 of the assembly mount. The truncated elliptical profile is preferred so that the terminal ends of the footrest assembly can slide over the truncated portion of the assembly mount. The terminal ends have a front cut-away and a rear cut-away. The depth of the front cut-away is dimensioned such that when the mounting pin is at the end of the J slot, the terminal end can be rotated into the downward configuration without interference between the front cut-away and the curved portion of the assembly mount while at the same time preventing upward motion of the footrest assembly relative to the assembly mount. The rear cut-away depth is dimensioned to allow the terminal ends to slide over the assembly mount during mounting or dismounting of the footrest assembly from the seat pan assembly. In accordance with the embodiments described, the footrest assembly may advantageously be disassembled from the personal vehicle without operation of any screws or other fasteners and without the use of tools.
FIG. 11A shows a seat back assembly 730 for a personal vehicle, with the seat back cover removed. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a handle 732 is provided to permit an assistant to exert forces on the vehicle. Operation of a balancing personal vehicle in an assisted mode of operation is described in copending provisional application 60/124,403. The height of handle 732 may be adjusted, typically over a range of 18–20 inches above seat back 734 , using any method of locking telescoping members known in the mechanical arts, such, for example, as wedge clamps secured by tightening of handle adjustment locks 736 .
Referring to FIG. 11B , seat back 734 may be tilted and locked in various tilted positions by engaging locking pins 750 , urged by locking pin springs 752 , into one of several locking pin holes 754 as seat back 734 pivots about tilt pivot 748 . Tilt plates 756 disposed on either the right or left sides of the seat pan, or both, allow adjustment of the seat back with respect to seat pan mount 760 to fit the user. Locking pins 750 are activated by a cable actuating a locking pin cam 758 or otherwise as known to persons skilled in the mechanical arts.
In order to provide information to controller 2 as to the current position of seat back 734 , a sensor mechanism 762 is provided. Sensor mechanism 762 includes a magnetized orientation plate 764 with respect to which the seat back moves as it is being tilted, and magnetic sensors fixed with respect to the seat back. In a preferred embodiment, two magnetic sensors, such as Hall effect sensors, for example, are mounted in sensor mounting holes 766 so as to sense the pattern of magnetization of orientation plate 764 as it passes by the sensors. The magnetization pattern of magnetized orientation plate 764 , in accordance with a preferred embodiment, is shown in FIG. 11C , where the hatched areas are south magnetic pole and the unhatched areas are north pole. The asymmetry of the magnetization pattern allows the resolution, with redundancy, of three positions using only two sensors. The use of differing magnetization patterns and numbers of sensors are also within the scope of the invention.
The location of the center of gravity (CG) of the user is important on a dynamically stabilized personal vehicle because it determines the desired pitch angle which the power base tries to maintain whether operated in a balancing mode, on fewer than three wheels, or in an enhanced stability mode wherein the vehicle may otherwise be statically stable. The CG plays a role in determining the stability even of a vehicle operated in a mode that is not actively stabilized. Therefore, it is desirable to provide for controlling the location of the user's CG via seat adjustments.
FIG. 12A shows a schematic diagram of one seat adjustment scheme, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, where back frame 800 of seat 802 is fixed in location with respect to power base 804 . Seat 802 , which is attached to power base 804 via seat quick-disconnect 806 discussed above in reference to FIG. 5 , is positioned for the smallest likely user 808 so that the user's legs 810 can clear the power base 804 , and then the seat pan 812 is lengthened to accommodate larger users 814 . Although mechanically simple, this seat adjustment scheme results in the CG 816 of the large user being far forward of the desired position, which is directly over the cluster axis 818 , along a line designated 820 . The problem is further exacerbated by the fact that the largest user is also the heaviest, making the gravitational torque placed on the system by the user (about the point of contact 822 of the forward wheel, for example) dramatically larger.
FIG. 12B shows a further seat adjustment scheme, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, where the front edge 824 of the seat pan 812 is fixed with respect to the power base 804 , and the seat size is adjusted by moving the seat back in the aft direction. This results in the CG of the large user 814 and the CG of the small user 808 remaining relatively close to the desired location. To further optimize the seat adjustment, the entire seat location may be made adjustable in the fore-aft direction, allowing optimal placement of the CG for all users.
Referring now to FIG. 13A , a perspective view is shown of an embodiment of a seat assembly 850 for use with a personal vehicle. Caster assembly 200 is shown, as described above with reference to FIGS. 2–4 . Also shown are footrest assembly 700 (described with reference to FIGS. 5A–5B ), seat pan 812 , armrest 378 , rotatable armrest support 848 , extensible attendant handle 732 , and seat back 734 . The seat pan assembly, designated generally by numeral 852 , is shown in greater detail in the perspective view from below of FIG. 13B . Seat pan 812 is drilled with armrest assembly mounting holes 702 for attachment of an armrest assembly as described below. The multiplicity of armrest assembly mounting holes, along with the provision for changing the size of the seat pan allow flexibility in tailoring the seating arrangement to the dimensions of the occupant of the seat. To provide additional flexibility, and to optimize placement of the CG of the user as discussed above with reference to FIGS. 12A and 12B , multiple seat back assembly mounting holes 854 are provided in seat runner weldment 856 . Flange 254 of seat stem 252 is shown as used in conjunction with the seat quick-disconnect mechanism described above in reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B . FIG. 13C shows an exploded view of rotatable armrest support 848 , and FIG. 13D shows an assembled view of the same rotatable armrest support. The height of armrest 378 (shown in FIG. 13A ) may be adjusted to suit the user, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, by raising or lowering upper riser weldment 860 which slides inside armrest bracket weldment 862 . Upper riser weldment 860 is locked into place by tightening torque collar screw 864 on shaft collar 866 . Pivot weldment 868 is notched to accept armrest tilt locking pin 870 on armrest bracket weldment 862 so as to lock the armrest riser in the upright position. The armrest may be rotated by pulling the armrest riser outward, thereby compressing spring 872 and disengaging pin 870 from notch 874 . Slots 876 allow for adjustment of the position of the armrests as weldment 868 is secured to the seat pan.
The described embodiments of the invention are intended to be merely exemplary and numerous variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
|
Improvements to personal vehicles including self-propelled and balancing personal vehicles. Ready detachability of a seat, footrest, seat back, control unit, wheels and caster assembly is provided using quick disconnect mechanisms.
| 8
|
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to an improved process for preparing platinum/rhodium catalysts with the precious metals regionalized so that the majority of the platinum is distributed nearest to the external pellet surface and the majority of the rhodium is distributed further in toward the center of the surface. A preferred embodiment of this invention is directed to preparing three-way layered automotive emission control catalysts used in a system in which the air-to-fuel (A/F) ratio fed to the engine is controlled at the stoichiometric point. More particularly, the process of the present invention provides an improvement in the sequential impregnation steps used to produce an emission control catalyst in which the platinum is at its maximum concentration at or near the external surface of the catalyst support and the rhodium plus other metals such as palladium have a preponderance of their total weight in a second region adjacent to the first but at a finite distance from the surface of the support.
Concern over the polluting effects of not only unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide but NO x being emitted from internal combustion engines has led to the development of three-way automotive emissions control catalysts which perform the multiple functions of oxidation of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide and the reduction of the oxides of nitrogen. Although numerous catalysts have been proposed and are well known for carrying out these reactions, the prior art catalyst which has been found to be the most effective is the three-way layered catalyst disclosed and claimed in Summers et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,152,301 and 4,153,579 and Hegedus et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,128,506.
The prior art method for making such three-way catalysts comprises first impregnating a substantially alumina support with a compound of a platinum metal such as chloroplatinic acid, platinum chloride, bromoplatinic acid and the like to form a first layer on the support and then in a second step impregnating the platinum containing support with a solution of at least one of the compounds of rhodium and palladium to form a second layer or region within the body of the support.
The substantially alumina support in the present process are any of the active or transition form aluminas, e.g. gamma-, delta-, eta-, theta-, iota, chi- and kappa-alumina including mixtures thereof. Alpha-aluminas, for example, are not included in this list as they have been found to become rapidly deactivated upon continuous exposure to automotive exhaust.
Hegedus et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,571 discloses a typical oxidative automotive emissions control catalyst in which Pt/Pd are deposited on a gamma alumina support by spraying the support with a catalyst solution of chloroplatinic acid and palladium chloride or other mixtures of soluble salts so that the metals reach the desired depth of penetration. There is nothing in this reference which suggests to one skilled in the art how to achieve the desired characteristics noted above in connection with the prior art methods for preparing a three-way catalyst via a single impregnation.
Lizuka et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,821 discloses the preparation of platinum/rhodium on alumina catalysts for conversion of engine exhaust gas in whichh the pH of the single impregnation is controlled at pH values of less than 2 by means of a strong acid such as hydrochloric acid. There is no suggestion in this reference to preparation of a layered catalyst or to the effect control of pH of the impregnation solution has on controlling the penetration of the metals into the alumina substrate.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In contrast to the prior art methods for making a platinum/rhodium catalyst, the present process comprises impregnating a substantially alumina support in a single step using a controlled acidic solution of a platinum-containing compound, a rhodium-containing compound, a strong acid and an ammonium salt which includes other equivalent salts whose cation contains an amine such as quaternary ammonium and pyridinium salts and the like.
The strong acid is preferably selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric, nitric, sulfuric, phosphoric, hydrobromic and mixtures thereof. The preferred ammonium salt is selected from the group consisting of ammonium chloride, ammonium acetate and ammonium nitrate and mixtures thereof. The amounts of the strong acid and ammonium salt additives are adjusted so that the total controlled acidic solution is at least about 0.01 Normal (N), preferably in the range of about 0.02 to 0.5 N.
The platinum-containing compound can be any which is either selected from the group consisting of chloroplatinic acid, bromoplatinic acid and mixtures thereof or other compounds which can be converted to such platinum-containing compounds in the presence of one of the foregoing acid and salt additives.
The rhodium-containing compound is selected from the group consisting of rhodium trichloride, ammonium hexachlororhodate and mixtures thereof or other compounds which can be converted to such rhodium-containing compounds in the presence of one of the foregoing acid and salt additives.
It has been found that the present process is completely different from the prior art methods of depositing platinum group metals. The process of the present invention enables one to prepare layered or regionalized platinum/rhodium catalysts by a single impregnation in which the major concentration of platinum is deposited in a region at or adjacent the surface of the catalyst support and the preponderance of the total weight of rhodium or rhodium and other noble metals, e.g. palladium, are deposited in a second region adjacent the first region, but penetrating within the surface of the support in order to obtain optimum catalytic activity and aging characteristics.
Although not being bound by the following theoretical explanation for the surprising results achieved by employing the single impregnation step of the present invention in comparison to multiple impregnation steps of the prior art to achieve a superior three-way catalyst, the following is believed to be a reasonable rationale of why the present process achieves such results. When the substrate initially contacts the impregnation solution, the pH of the acidic solution is controlled so that it is in the range of about 0 to 3 and preferably in the range of about 1.5 and 2.5. Under these acidic conditions, such platinum group species as PtCl 6 = , or PdCl 4 = or Pd 2 Cl 6 = become adsorbed onto the support. The effect of the concentration of the additives of HCl, HNO 3 , H 2 SO 4 , H 3 PO 4 and/or HBr in combination with an additive of NH 4 Cl, NH 4 OAc (where OAc=O 2 C 2 H 3 ) and NH 4 NO 3 , is not clearly understood. It is believed that if the levels of the anionic additives such as the chlorides, nitrates, sulfates, phosphates and/or bromides are too high, the platinum can be forced into the support because it is in competition with the anion of the salt for adsorption sites. Platinum and probably palladium are then adsorbed initially on those available sites near the surface of the support. At the initial low pH of the solution within the range noted above, rhodium does not become adsorbed onto the surface of the support since it is believed to exist as a neutral or cationic species. However, as the time elapses during the single impregnation step which is carried out within a period of between about 2 minutes to 30 minutes, the pH of the impregnation solution increases slowly and sometimes abruptly as the acidic solution becomes neutralized primarily due to the presence of the alumina substrate. At some point in time as the pH changes during the impregnation step, the rhodium species becomes anionic, e.g. RhCl 3 (H 2 O) 3 +OH - ⃡RhCl 3 (H 2 O) 2 (OH) - +H 2 O. Rhodium in its anionic form then can be adsorbed from the impregnation solution which will still have a pH below the isoelectric point of the substrate. At a pH greater than the isoelectric point cationic exchange occurs; at a pH lower than this point anionic exchange occurs. (see J. P. Brunelle "Preparation of Catalysts II", page 211, Proceedings of the Second International Symposium, Louvain-la-Neuve, Sept. 4-7 1978, B. Delmon, P. Grange, P. Jacobs, G. Poncelet editors, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, Oxford and New York 1979). However, because platinum and/or other anions have occupied all of the sites at or near the surface of the support and hence they are unavailable for rhodium, rhodium becomes adsorbed on the nearest available sites which at this point in time become those at a finite distance within the support and below and away from the first layer of platinum. It is believed that the role of the cation, such as the ammonium ion of the salt of the listed additives, is to buffer the impregnation solution so that the pH remains below the isoelectric point of the substrate. In addition, it maintains the pH high enough so that the rhodium exists as an anionic species, but not so high as to precipitate the rhodium before adsorption can occur.
Previously, it was believed that the only method to achieve the selective adsorption achieved by the present process was by sequential impregnation steps as discussed above in connection with the discussion of the prior art. The resulting three-way catalyst prepared in accordance with the present method has been found to have as good a protection against poisoning and detrimental alloy formation as the prior art three-way catalysts.
The remaining conditions of the single impregnation step of this process are temperatures in the range of about 0° to about 100° C., preferably the impregnation is conducted about 10° to about 35° C. and still more preferably at room temperature for a period of about 2 minutes to 30 minutes, preferably about 5 minutes to 15 minutes. The amounts in units of normality of the strong acid (i.e. proton) and the ammonium salt additives making up the impregnation solution for the preparation of about 430 grams of a substantially alumina substrate, for example, 1 liter of pelleted substrate, range from about 0.001 N to 0.5 N for the acid and from about 0.01 N to 0.5 N for the salt, preferably from 0.02 N to 0.4 N for the acid and from 0.02 N to 0.25 N for the salt.
After the support has been impregnated in the manner set forth above, the resulting catalyst is dried at temperatures ranging from about 80° to 250° C., preferably about 105° to 150° C. for about five minutes to 4 hours resulting in a preferred moisture content of about 1% by weight water. The catalyst is then calcined to reduce the metal salts to metal, preferably using hydrogen as a reducing agent by operating at temperatures in the range of about 300° to 650° C., preferably 450° to 500° C. for a period of about 10 minutes to 12 hours, preferably 30 minutes to 4 hours.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing description of the invention will be more clearly understood when read in connection with the attached drawings in which:
FIGS. 1-4 show plots of the relative distribution of palladium and rhodium on the support versus platinum for catalysts of Examples 1-5 and Controls 1-2;
FIGS. 5-6 show the Pt, Pd and Rh distribution on the catalyst support for the catalysts of Example 1 and Control 1, respectively; and
FIGS. 7-9 show the performance curves for the catalysts of Example 1 and Control 1, respectively in the conversion of HC, CO, and NO x at different mean ΔA/F ratios under fresh and aged conditions.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The process of the present invention is further clarified by reference to a plurality of examples:
EXAMPLES 1-5
An impregnating solution was prepared containing 2.19 cc of 1.389 molar chloroplatinic acid, 59.5 cc of 0.0376 molar palladium chloride (with the moles of Cl:Pd equivalent to 4:1), 14.8 cc of 0.0389 molar rhodium trichloride and an amount of 1 molar acid additive and 1 molar salt additive as set forth in the table below. The resulting solution was used to spray impregnate 1 liter samples of gamma-alumina support. The substrate also contained nominally 1.2 wt. % La 2 O 3 , 0.8 wt. % Nd 2 O 3 and 1 wt. % CeO 2 . The alumina support was in the form of 0.318 cm (1/8 inch) diameter spheres having a packed density of either 426 kg/liter or 429 kg/liter and a high water absorptivity by weight of either 117.7% or 108.6% as indicated below. The support had previously been calcined in dry air at a temperature of 593° C. (1100° F.) for 2 hours. The impregnation with the above impregnating solution took place at room temperature in a rotary impregnator for a total time of 8 minutes with additional tumbling in the impregnator for 5 minutes. The impregnated substrate was then dried in air at 120° C. for 2 hours and after heating to about 500° C. (930° F.) in 100% N 2 , it was reduced for 2 hours with 5% H 2 /95% N 2 at 500° C.
The results obtained on catalyst samples of Examples 1-5 are discussed below in which it was found that they all met the criteria of having the desired radial distribution of the platinum group metals and had improved aging characteristics when applied to the treatment of automotive exhausts.
Controls 1 and 2
The procedure of Examples 1-5 were repeated except that neither the strong acid nor the ammonium salt were added in the case of Control 1 or the salt was omitted in the case of Control 2. As will be discussed below in connection with a detailed description of the FIGS., 7-9, the catalyst of the controls did not meet the criteria of having the desired metal distribution or aging characteristics of the catalysts of the present invention.
TABLE__________________________________________________________________________ TOTAL ACID SALT SOLUTIONSub- Vol. of Vol. of Initialstrate Identity 1M Soln. Normality Identity 1M Soln. Normality Vol., ml pH__________________________________________________________________________ExampleNo.1 A HCl 132 ml 0.33 NH.sub.4 Cl 44 ml 0.11 400 1.412 B HCl 53 ml 0.12 NH.sub.4 Cl 53 ml 0.12 443 *3 B HCl 18 ml 0.04 NH.sub.4 Cl 18 ml 0.04 443 *4 B HCl 27 ml 0.06 NH.sub.4 OAc 9 ml 0.02 443 *5 B HNO.sub.3 18 ml 0.04 NH.sub.4 NO.sub.3 18 ml 0.04 443 *ControlNo.1 A -- -- -- -- -- -- 400 2.172 B HCl 10 ml 0.022 -- -- -- 443 *__________________________________________________________________________ Substrates: A = 426g, Density = 426 kg/liter, 117.7% H.sub.2 O Abs. B = 429g, Density = 429 kg/liter, 108.6% H.sub.2 O Abs. *not available
FIGS. 1 to 4 show the relative distributions of the metals in the catalyst of Examples 1-5 and Controls 1 and 2 by plotting the normalized amounts of the palladium and rhodium up to a given depth versus the normalized amount of the platinum adsorbed for a given depth in the pellets, e.g. Pd at depth "d" divided by Pd total versus Pt at depth "d" divided by Pt total. If the resulting curve lies above the line of unit slope, the metal has been deposited within the support shallower than platinum; and if it lies below, the metal is forced deeper into the support than platinum. Example 1 is the preferred mode for operating the process of the present invention in which both palladium and rhodium in the catalyst were substantially below the line which represents unity indicating that palladium and rhodium were forced further into the pellet than platinum. For the catalysts of Controls 1 and 2, which were not prepared in accordance with the present invention, the opposite result was obtained in which palladium and rhodium were deposited closer to the surface of the support than was platinum. For the remaining catalysts of the examples, palladium was deposited closer to the surface than platinum and the rhodium/platinum ratio exhibited a cross-over from less than unity to greater than unity as a function of pellet diameter. This shows that near the surface of the pellets, platinum was deposited in a region of lower rhodium concentration and most of the rhodium was forced into the pellet as was the case in the best mode of Example 1. However, the band of platinum was not as narrow in the remaining examples as it was in the optimum case and exhibited a broad band extending further into the interior of the support.
The similarity between the catalysts of Examples 3 and 5 shown on FIGS. 3 and 4 demonstrates the equivalence of the HCl/NH 4 Cl and HNO 3 /NH 4 NO 3 additive systems.
The radial distributions of the metals for the catalysts of Example 1 and Control 1 are shown in FIGS. 5-6, as determined by using standard x-ray fluorescence analysis of the attrited samples with suitable background corrections. FIG. 5 demonstrates that in the Example 1 catalyst, amounts substantially greater than 50% of the total Pt were found in the first region making up less than 10% of the outermost radius of the catalyst. On the other hand, amounts substantially greater than 50% of the total Rh in the Example 1 catalyst had been forced to penetrate into the second region of the catalyst, i.e. the interior making up the internal 90% of the radius of the catalyst. This second region contained substantially less than 50% of the total Pt in the Example 1 catalyst. Pd exhibited a behaviour which was intermediate to that of Rh and Pt. FIG. 6 demonstrates that in the Control 1 catalyst, amounts substantially greater than 50% of the total Pt, Rh and Pd were found in the first region of the catalyst. Eventually, the concentration of metals in all cases falls off to zero before the center of the catalyst is reached, i.e. when the percent radius of the catalyst pellet attrited approaches 100%.
Plots of the three-way activity test data for CO, NO x and HC conversion for the two catalysts are set forth in the FIGS. 7-9. FIGS. 7 and 8 demonstrate the activities for fresh and aged Example 1 and Control 1 catalysts at several mean ΔA/F ratios, i.e. the mean difference from the stoichiometric A/F ratio represented on the curve as zero, for CO, NO x and HC conversions.
FIG. 9 represents a cross-plot of the activity data from FIGS. 7 and 8 for CO and NO x . For example, at a mean ΔA/F of -0.25, the aged NO x conversion was 92% and the aged CO conversion was 50% for the Example 1 catalyst data plotted in FIG. 7. These two data points were plotted on FIG. 9A as 1 point.
The specific testing procedures for the three-way catalysts of Examples 1-5 and Controls 1-2 are as follows:
Propane was burned with air in a large boiler to generate the principal portion of hot gases for passage over the catalyst at the appropriate temperatures. Amounts of other gases were then mixed in to achieve a mixture representative of an actual automobile engine exhaust gas. Typically, gasoline has a stoichiometric A/F ratio (wt. basis) of 14.55 for complete combustion of all feed to CO 2 and H 2 O. To more closely approximate actual variations in engine gas, the oxygen concentration was swept between two extremes to yield an average value for a given test. The test was run with several different mixtures of gases to yield different values of A/F and plotted on the ordinate as ΔA/F. Thus, in a given test at a ΔA/F of +0.1 meant that a mixture of gases corresponding to an average A/F equal to 14.65 was conducted over the catalyst and tested for net conversions of CO, hydrocarbon and oxides of nitrogen. The same series of tests were then run after the catalyst sample had been aged at a specific number of hours on the actual engine exhaust gas controlled at stoichiometric ratio.
Deterioration of the three-way catalyst performance was observed by the collapse of the high conversion values on the left hand side of FIG. 9 in the CO versus NO x plot upon aging in that region corresponding to operation of the engine in a fuel rich mode. It can be seen that catalyst of Example 1 was superior in its performance relative to Control 1 catalyst because its activity remained relatively constant during aging while the activity of the Control 1 catalyst was higher initially but decreased substantially upon aging for 87 hours. This illustrates that by practicing the process of the present invention under ideal conditions one obtains a more stable, longer life catalyst. Further optimization of the Example 1 catalyst, it is believed, would result in an overlapping curve of the type shown in FIG. 9A but shifted toward the 100% conversion as was the case of the fresh catalyst of Control 1.
In practice, for different formulations entailing different concentrations of precious metals than those set forth in the preceding examples, the optimum concentrations of added acid and salt will have to be determined by performing rate studies at the new initial concentrations of metals. These studies will show that the rate of adsorption of platinum is greater than rhodium and that one must maintain the half lives for total adsorption of all metals at less than 20 minutes and at preferably less than 8 minutes. It will also be necessary to repeat the experiments similar to those of the foregoing examples, if the nature of the stabilization of the principly alumina substrate is changes. Likewise, minor variations are expected if the substrate exits as a washcoat on a monolithic structure instead of as a pelleted carrier.
Although palladium chloride was the only palladium-containing compound used in the impregnating solution to impart the Pd component into the catalyst, it is obvious that other palladium-containing compounds can be used such as palladium nitrate and similar compounds which are converted to palladium chloride or palladium nitrate in the presence of the aforementioned acid and salt additives.
|
The process for preparing a regionalized platinum/rhodium catalyst using a single impregnating step. The process is particularly effective in preparing such a catalyst for use as an automotive emissions control catalyst. A substantially alumina support is impregnated in a platinum/rhodium controlled acidic solution of a strong acid and an ammonium salt or equivalent thereof.
| 8
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.